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Samuel Wilkes
Male 1764 - 1837

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  • Birth  24 Oct 1764  , Loudoun, Virginia, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender  Male 
    Died  1 Jul 1837  , Bedford, Virginia, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID  I3296  Herring Family of Callaway County, Missouri
    Last Modified  21 Aug 2005 
     
    Father  John Wilkes, Sr,   b. Abt 1736, , , Pennsylvania, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Aft 1795 
    Mother  Elizabeth Mead,   b. Abt 1740, , , Pennsylvania Or Virginia, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown 
    Married  Apr 1758  , Loudoun, Virginia, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID  F1319  Group Sheet
     
    Family 1  Elizabeth Newman,   d. Bef 1825 
    Married  9 Jul 1783 
    Last Modified  21 Aug 2005 
    Family ID  F1328  Group Sheet
     
    Family 2  Margaret "Peggy" Witt,   d. Yes, date unknown 
    Married  6 Oct 1825 
    • Oct. 6, 1826; Samuel Wilks & Margaret Witt; Joseph Crouch, Surety; Married by William Leftwich, Oct. 11, 1826.
    Last Modified  21 Aug 2005 
    Family ID  F1329  Group Sheet
     
  • Notes 
    • Descendant: John A. Shaw < johnshaw@wans.net >

      A collection of letters, Day Books and Records of the Wilkes family of Bedford County, Virginia Years [1790-1871] was compiled by Harry Wilkes of Altavista, Virginia, March 9, 1949. References are made throughout this section to this collection as MSS [from the book by Lillian Jones Crews.]
      In his Revolutionary War papers Samuel stated that he moved to Bedford County with his parents "when a boy." He entered the patriot's cause at age sixteen, enlisting in 1780 or early 1781, served three months in Capt. John Trigg's company, Colonel Merriweather's Virginia regiment. WAR 1 He enlisted in the fall of 1781, served six months in Captains Newell's and John Slaughter's Virginia companies, and was dischargeed in March 1782.
      Samuel was required to swear a loyalty oath to the Virginia Commonwealth after the Revolution. This was likely due to his father's former political allegiance to the Loyalist cause. WFR 15 Samuel's pension application was allowed and executed on March 28, 1833. His wife at that time was Margaret Witt. On March 22, 1784, Samuel was deeded one hundred plus acres of land on Blackwater Road and Crab Orchard Creek by his parents, John and Elizabeth Mead Wilkes. MSS2 In 1790 Samuel and his brother, Benjamin, were granted leave to build a grist mill on their own land by the Bedford County Court.
      MSS 3 Samuel owned a large amount of land in Grayson County which he acquired over the years, in addition to his land in the Goose Creek area of Huddleston, in Bedford County. He also bought some land in Montgomery County. His relatives were located in several counties of southwest Virginia. In 1792 he purchased four acres on Goose Creek from Edmund Franklin and another four acres at the same location from Conrad Newman. He paid the clerk at Bedford Court $1.00 each in February of that year to record the deeds. BCR 3
      For the balance of his 1792 taxes, County and Parish Levies, which included a clerk's ticket for 344, Samuel paid twenty-two shillings and ten on October 28, 1793.
      Conrad Newman sold Samuel 20 acres of land on Crab Orchard Creek [MSS 5] in 1796, on December 13, and in 1803 Newman sold his son-in-law the land on which he, Newman, lived in Grayson County, for 37 pounds in full. The deed was signed by Thoorod Newman. Sometimes Conrad Newman signed in a German script "Cunvard Nou Man."
      Conrad Newman died in 1806, and his estate was inventoried and recorded August 20. During 1806 and the years following, Samuel, his brother, John Wilkes, Jr. and various other Newman heirs were listed in deeds recorded in Grayson County. GCD 1
      Recorded at the Bedford Court on October 1808, Samuel was surveyor on the Blackwater Road and Goose Creek and listed among more than a dozen hands were Conrad Newman [Jr ?], John Newman, John and Jonah Dobyns. [MSS 6] That same year, 1808, Samuel purchased 140 acres in Montgomery County from Martin Waddell for 200 pounds in trade. Signed Samuel Wilkes. Martin Waddell and Jonah Dobyns were witnesses MSS7
      On March 20, 1818, William R. Porter [signed for Thomas N. Greer, D.C.] signed the receipt of Samuel Wilks seven dollars and forty cents in full for the balance of his still tax, in the year 1817.
      Deeds were signed during 1819 by Samuel and other heirs of Conrad Newman, Sr. selling land on Bever Dam Creek to John B. Franklin, another former son-in-law of the late Conrad Newman. GCD 2
      During April of 1828, Samuel sold 70 acres of his land on Wolf Glade Creek in Grayson County to Henry Winset for fifteen dollars. [GCD 3] In 1832 Samuel gave a gift deed of 400 acres of land, in the same area, to his sons, Henry and Benjamin, for one dollar paid, which is apparently in the part of Grayson that later became Carroll County in 1842. The land on Wold Glade Creek and Crooked Creek land apparently did not have a home on it. It is believed to be about where Woodlawn is on the current map.
      Their grandson, Israel Wilkes, had been left motherless when Emily Newman Wilkes, S.N.'s wife, died in the mid 1820s, and by 1832 his stepmother, Matilda, has also died. Samuel and "Peggy" cared for the small boy over a period of years. After the boy's father had resettled in Alabama he tried several times to persuade his father to send his son to him with relatives who were moving south, however it was not to be. Samuel had been dead two years before S. N. was finally able to have his son, Israel, to join him in Albama in 1839. [MSS 9] One suspects that grandfather Samuel had become very attached to the lad and careful of his welfare.
      Over the years Samuel traded at the local stores called Brown, Leftwich and Company or Preston, Leftwich and Davis, where his accounts were listed in the name of Capt. Samuel Wilkes. This is thought, however, by his descendants to have been an honorary title rather than an earned military title. When the following notice was made public on August 28, 1833, [MSS 10] it is likely that Samuel tacked it up himself, at one ot the named stores. "I want to inform the sizens that I have got a new smith,, Claytor's Bob well known to be one of the first rate smiths and all those that will favor me with thier custom may expect to have it done in the best stile. [MSS11] I have got the reusual [sic] of him for ten years if I want. S/Samuel Wilks." When Samuel Wilkes died in 1837 his brothers and sons were scattered across the land, in Georgeia, Alabama, Mississippi, and beyond, but a few of the family had remained near him, in southern Bedford County. Over the years some had kept in touch, [WFR 16] by writing letters home or "coming in" over the long miles when health and prosperity permitted. Samuel's son, Henry, was there at the end, [MSS 12] however, living on land that touched his father's land on Goose and Crab Orchard Creeks. Henry Wilkes administered his father's estate. Peggy Wilkes received her dower land, as a widow, and she lived some twenty years beyond her husband's death. [BCR 5] Not far from the Wilkes home was the Leftwich church and cemetery where numerous graves are located. It seems likely that Samuel Wilkes and many of his family are buried there, however that proof is not available.
      Notes from another source - Virginia Connections who cited Lillian Crews book: "Wilkes Reocrds. 1261-1984" and Doris Ross Brock Johnston's Book: "Wilks and Young Families"
      Samuel Wilkes witnessed a deed on 3/6/1804 in Bedford Co, VA for deed of trust for Francis wood to Moses Fuqua. Owned land near Crab Orchard Creek [ref.book, Brown's of Bedford Co, VA 1748-1840. page 70]
      Samuel Wilkes was ordered to clear way for a road for James Ayers, dated 2/24/1800, ref. "The Green Stone", page 60
      Samuel Wilkes enlisted late 1780 or early 1781, he served three months in Captain John Trigg's company, Colonel Marriweather's Va Regiment. He later enlisted in the fall of 1781 and served for six months in Captain Newell's and John Slaughter's Va company. he was discharged March 1782. He was allowed pension,on his application executed March 28, 1833 then a resdient of Bedford County, VA. Pension rolls of 1835: Samuel wilkes, Va. Militia, Bedford Co, Va. allowance - $30.00 Annual Allowance, he received total $90.oo. Pension started May 11, 1833, he was age 70.

      Lillian Crews lists children as:John-1784, Benjamin-1787, Henry, Samuel Newman and Elizabeth. I have added children as per Virginia Connections but I already had an Israel-1784 son of Francis, who married Mary Coombs.