Some notes on Philmer Clarke of Warwick & York County, Virginia

LT. PHILMER2 CLARKE (JAMES1)1 was born Bet. 1775 - 17842,3, and died Bef. June 18344. He married (1) NANCY5. She was born Bet. 1785 - 17946, and died Bet. 1820 - July 18247,8. He married (2) LAVINA LEE8 Abt. July 31, 1824 in York County, Virginia8, daughter of MAJ. JOHN LEE. She died Aft. June 18349.

Notes for LT. PHILMER CLARKE:
Philmer served as a Lieutenant in Captain James Hubberd's company of the 68th Regiment Virginia Militia during the War of 1812. He was most active during the year 1814.

Philmer lived in Warwick County, Virginia before moving to York County. He owned four slaves in 1810 and six in 1820. He also had two young free blacks living with him in 1820. As a note, someone in the household that year was in manufacturing.

Philmer may have been the son of a James Clarke that served in the Revolutionary War. However his direct relationship is not stated in the following document:

York County, Virginia Order Book #12, p. 315:
"At York County Court 16 June 1834 - On the motion of Ann Thomas Ordered that it be certified That it appears to the Court from satisfactory evidence adduced that James Clarke who is reputed to have been in the War of the Revolution, died Intestate in the County of York leaving as his only heirs at Law Ann Clarke and Philmer Clarke - That Ann Clarke has since the death of the said James Clarke intermarried with a man by the name of Thomas Tommas - That Philmer Clarke is dead leaving as his Heirs John Clarke, Thomas Clarke and Clarentine Clarke who has since intermarried with Edward Hogg and Robert Clarke an Infant and that the said Philmer has also left a widow Lavenia who is now living."

More About LT. PHILMER CLARKE:
Military service: Capt. James Hubberd's Co., 68th Virginia Militia - War of 1812 10

Notes for LAVINA LEE:
Lavina was a spinster from Yorkhampton Parish when she married Philmer.

More About PHILMER CLARKE and LAVINA LEE:
Marriage: Abt. July 31, 1824, York County, Virginia11
Marriage bond: July 31, 1824, York County, Virginia11
Surety: Robert Lee11

Children of PHILMER CLARKE and NANCY are:
i. JOHN3 CLARKE12, d. Aft. June 183412.
ii. THOMAS T. CLARKE13, b. Bet. 1812 - 1813, York County, Virginia14; d. Bet. June 1850 - June 186014,15; m. (1) GEORGIANNA16; b. Bet. 1814 - 1815, Williamsburg, Virginia17; d. Aft. June 186018; m. (2) PARKEY JANE WALTHALL19, Bef. June 1850 20; b. Bet. 1824 - 1825, Farmville, Cumberland County, Virginia21,22; d. Aft. June 1870 23.

Notes for THOMAS T. CLARKE:
According to the 1850 census, Thomas and his family were living in York County, Virginia. He worked as a shoemaker and apparently had quite a business, seeing as though three additional shoemakers were living with him at that time. It is quite possible that Thomas was a master and they his apprentices.

More About THOMAS T. CLARKE:
Occupation: shoemaker24

Notes for GEORGIANNA:
Georgianna is a hard person to pin down. She and Thomas Clarke apparently divorced around 1845. I do not know what happened to her in 1850, but Georgianna was living with Somersett Moore in Williamsburg, Virginia by 1860. She owned $900 worth of real estate at that time but I am not sure where. To make matters more complicated, Somersett Moore eventually married the second wife of Georgianna's former husband!

I do not know what became of Georgianna after 1860. It appears that she and her children were not very close, opting to live with their father, and at times, Mr. Moore, instead of Georgianna.

More About GEORGIANNA:
Occupation: mantua (gown) maker25

Marriage Notes for THOMAS CLARKE and GEORGIANNA:
Thomas and Georgianna must have divorced in the mid-1840s as he remarried and she thereafter lived with a man named Somersett Moore.

More About THOMAS CLARKE and GEORGIANNA:
Divorce: Bef. June 185026

More About PARKEY JANE WALTHALL:
Occupation: tayloress27

Marriage Notes for THOMAS CLARKE and PARKEY WALTHALL:
There is a possibility that Thomas and Parkey were married in Petersburg, Virginia.

More About THOMAS CLARKE and PARKEY WALTHALL:
Marriage: Bef. June 185028

iii. CLARENTINE CLARKE29, b. Bet. 1816 - 1821, York County, Virginia30,31; d. Aft. August 187032; m. EDWARD HOGG33, Bef. June 183433; b. Bet. 1808 - 1810, York County, Virginia34,35; d. Bet. June 1860 - August 187035,36.

Notes for CLARENTINE CLARKE:
After the death of her father, Edward Hogg became Clarentine's legal guardian. I am not sure if this is the same Edward Hogg she later married. After the death of her husband, Clarentine lived in the Grafton township of York County, Virginia.

Notes for EDWARD HOGG:
Edward owned five slaves in 1840. He was unable to read or write.

More About EDWARD HOGG:
Occupation: Farmer37

More About EDWARD HOGG and CLARENTINE CLARKE:
Marriage: Bef. June 183438

iv. ROBERT W. CLARKE39,40, b. Bet. June 1817 - June 1822, Warwick or York County, Virginia40,41; d. October 10, 1853, near York County, Virginia42; m. SARAH A. BAILEY43,44, Bef. July 185045; b. Bet. February 1831 - February 1832, James City County, Virginia45,46; d. February 22, 1853, Yorktown, York County, Virginia46.

More About ROBERT W. CLARKE:
Cause of Death: Dropsey47
Occupation: Shoe and boot maker47

More About SARAH A. BAILEY:
Cause of Death: Pneumonia48

More About ROBERT CLARKE and SARAH BAILEY:
Marriage: Bef. July 185049

Endnotes

1. James Clarke proof of Revolutionary War service, York County, Virginia, Order Book 12, p. 315.
2. Filmer Clark household, 1810 census, Warwick County, Virginia, p. 193.
3. Filmer Clarke household, 1820 census, York County, Virginia, p. 160.
4. James Clarke proof of Revolutionary War service, York County, Virginia, Order Book 12, p. 315.
5. Robert W. Clark death register entry, York County, Virginia, 1853.
6. Filmer Clark household, 1810 census, Warwick County, Virginia, p. 193.
7. Filmer Clarke household, 1820 census, York County, Virginia, p. 160.
8. Michael Pollock, York County Virginia Marriages Volume 1 Bonds & Ministers' Returns 1769-1853, (Athens, Georgia, 1994).
9. James Clarke proof of Revolutionary War service, York County, Virginia, Order Book 12, p. 315.
10. Pay Rolls Militia Entitled to Land Bounty Under the Act of Congress of September 28, 1850, (Richmond, 1851).
11. Michael Pollock, York County Virginia Marriages Volume 1 Bonds & Ministers' Returns 1769-1853, (Athens, Georgia, 1994).
12. James Clarke proof of Revolutionary War service, York County, Virginia, Order Book 12, p. 315.
13. Clarke-Pettis marriage register entry, Richmond, Virginia, 1873, p. 33, ln. 6.
14. Thomas Clarke household, 1850 census, York County, Virginia, p. 364, ln. 26.
15. Parkey Jeno Clarke household, 1860 census, James City County, Virginia, p. 675, ln. 9.
16. Clarke-Pettis marriage register entry, Richmond, Virginia, 1873, p. 33, ln. 6.
17. John W. Clark household, 1880 census, Henrico County, Virginia, ED 69, p. 15, ln. 40.
18. Sommersette Moore household, 1860 census, James City County, Virginia, p. 656, ln. 34.
19. Moore-Clarke marriage register entry, Williamsburg, Virginia, 1862, p. 62, ln. 3.
20. Thomas Clarke household, 1850 census, York County, Virginia, p. 364, ln. 26.
21. Moore-Clarke marriage register entry, Williamsburg, Virginia, 1862, p. 62, ln. 3.
22. Parkey Jeno Clarke household, 1860 census, James City County, Virginia, p. 675, ln. 9.
23. Somersett Moore household, 1870 census, James City County, Virginia, p. 359, ln. 19.
24. Thomas Clarke household, 1850 census, York County, Virginia, p. 364, ln. 26.
25. Sommersette Moore household, 1860 census, James City County, Virginia, p. 656, ln. 34.
26. Thomas Clarke household, 1850 census, York County, Virginia, p. 364, ln. 26.
27. Parkey Jeno Clarke household, 1860 census, James City County, Virginia, p. 675, ln. 9.
28. Thomas Clarke household, 1850 census, York County, Virginia, p. 364, ln. 26.
29. James Clarke proof of Revolutionary War service, York County, Virginia, Order Book 12, p. 315.
30. Edward Hogg household, 1850 census, York County, Virginia, p. 369.
31. Edwd Hogg household, 1860 census, York County, Virginia, p. 981.
32. Clarentine Hogg household, 1870 census, York County, Virginia, p. 557.
33. James Clarke proof of Revolutionary War service, York County, Virginia, Order Book 12, p. 315.
34. Edward Hogg household, 1850 census, York County, Virginia, p. 369.
35. Edwd Hogg household, 1860 census, York County, Virginia, p. 981.
36. Clarentine Hogg household, 1870 census, York County, Virginia, p. 557.
37. Edward Hogg household, 1850 census, York County, Virginia, p. 369.
38. James Clarke proof of Revolutionary War service, York County, Virginia, Order Book 12, p. 315.
39. Ro. W. Clarke household, 1850 census, York County, Virginia, p. 343.
40. Robert W. Clark death register entry, York County, Virginia, 1853.
41. Ro. W. Clarke household, 1850 census, York County, Virginia, p. 343.
42. Robert W. Clark death register entry, York County, Virginia, 1853.
43. Ro. W. Clarke household, 1850 census, York County, Virginia, p. 343.
44. Sarah Clarke death register entry, York County, Virginia, 1853.
45. Ro. W. Clarke household, 1850 census, York County, Virginia, p. 343.
46. Sarah Clarke death register entry, York County, Virginia, 1853.
47. Robert W. Clark death register entry, York County, Virginia, 1853.
48. Sarah Clarke death register entry, York County, Virginia, 1853.
49. Ro. W. Clarke household, 1850 census, York County, Virginia, p. 343.

Lost Records Localities: Counties and Cities with Missing Records

A distant cousin of mine, Gail Vass, pointed out a resource that I had never seen before. It is called the Lost Records Localities Database and it is housed at the Libray of Virginia. Per their description...

"This database consists of entries for a wide variety of court records found as part of chancery and other locality records-processing projects. The entries are for surviving records from localities, most of whose records are no longer extant. The original record is photocopied. The copies are filed together in an artificial collection—the Lost Records Localities Collection—and are readily accessed through the manuscript room at the Library of Virginia. Please check periodically as this is an ongoing project."

In short, any record that they find from a "burned" county gets added to this collection. For example, say someone bought land in Hanover County and later sold it to someone in Mecklenburg County. The purchaser in Mecklenburg may have been involved in a court case where the Hanover deed was presented and copied. That copy still exists and is therefore added to the Lost Records database. It is search-able online but the actual records have to be viewed at the Library.

In case your were wondering, the burned counties in question are:

• Albemarle
  
• Appomattox
• Buckingham
• Caroline
• Charles City
• Culpeper
  
• Dinwiddie
• Elizabeth City
• Gloucester
• Hanover
• Henrico
• Henrico / City of Richmond
• James City County / Williamsburg
• King and Queen
• King George
  
• King William
• Mathews
• Nansemond
• New Kent
• Nottoway
• Prince George
• Prince William
• Richmond City
  
• Richmond County
• Rockingham
  
• Stafford
• Warwick
  

For example, I checked for Brock documents in Hanover County and found the following:

Locality	Names	Record Type	Dates
Hanover County	King, Mary, etc. to John P. Brock	Deed	1799
Hanover County	Priddy, Robert and wife Nancy to John C. Brock	Deed	1823

I am very interested in the King-Brock deed as John P. Brock is my ancestor and his wife was rumored to be a King. This might be the proof that I need to make that connection. I plan on making a trip to the archives tomorrow so I will look up the actual document and let you know what I learn about the collection.

You can check out the online database here: Lost Records Localities Database

Thomas W. Newell (c. 1818 - c. 1849) of Sussex County by Martin Shepherd

"Kevin,

Thank you for your offer to post on your website the summary of my quest to locate the parents of Thomas W. Newell (see below). I think the information would be appropriate to post under both Prince George and Sussex Counties. Let me know when and where the information is published.

Sincerely,
Martin Shepherd

------------------------------------------------------------------------

THOMAS W. NEWELL (c 1818 - c 1849) SUSSEX COUNTY, VIRGINIA

I am searching for the parents of Thomas W. Newell, born circa 1818 and died before March 1849.

Thomas married Rebecca Virginia Wrenn, who was born Aug 31, 1825, in Sussex County to Thomas Wrenn and Rebecca Gilliam, and died November 29, 1892, in Washington, DC. Thomas W. Newell and Rebecca Virginia Wrenn had two sons who were born in Sussex County:

• George Waverly Newell (born July 1844 and died January 14, 1926, in Washington, DC)
• Alphonso Murat Newell (born circa 1846 and died August 11, 1907, in Moundsville prison)

Alphonso Murat Newell was serving a prison term in Moundsville, WV, for an assault conviction. Nothing is known about the origin of Alphonso's unusual given names. Much is known, however, about the lives of both George W. and Alphonso Murat Newell.

Much is also known about Rebecca Wrenn's forbearers, the Gilliam and Wrenn families in early Virginia. Rebecca Virginia remarried James Harrison Brooks, a printer, in 1858 (James H. Brooks was born Oct 2, 1835; died August 29, 1907, in Washington, DC).

There is no information, however, about who the parents of Thomas W. Newell might have been. There is only a very little amount of information available for Thomas W. Newell:

• Thomas is included in the 1840 US census for Sussex County, Virginia, and in the Sussex County marriage register, marrying Rebecca Virginia Wrenn on January 23, 1840. They were married by Rev. Thomas B. Creath, with William H. Lanier as the witness. William H. Lanier was an in-law, having married Mary Wrenn (Rebecca's sister) in 1825. I found another Lanier family connection with the marriage record of Edward Newell and Lucy Lanier on March 27, 1788, in adjoining Prince George County.
• Thomas W. Newell was also listed in the Sussex County personal property tax list for the years 1840, 1841, and 1842. Before that, a William T. Newell was listed in the Sussex personal property tax lists for the years 1837, 1836, and 1835. There are no earlier Sussex County records which show any Newell family members living there, with the exception of Elizabeth Newell who was listed in the 1782 Sussex County personal property tax list.
• Other than that, a few Newells appeared in some of the earlier Sussex wills and in other records as witnesses, but not necessarily as Sussex County Residents.
• I know that Thomas W. Newell was not present by March 1849, because he was not included in Thomas Wrenn's will, which was written then. I have looked into the possibility that Thomas W. Newell might have abandoned his family, but I have found no evidence of this (there was another Thomas W. Newell in NC in the 1870 census, but I do not believe that it is the same person).
• Rebecca Virginia Wrenn/Newell, along with her sons George W. and Alphonso, were listed in the 1850 census living with her father, Thomas Wrenn, with no sign of Thomas W. Newell.

While there is little or no documentation of the Newell family having lived in Sussex County before the 1830s, there is much evidence of the Newell family having lived in Prince George County for a long time.

• In the 1810,1820, and 1830 census in Prince George, I found Benjamin, Thomas Sr., Thomas Jr., William, and James Newell listed.
• In the 1804 personal property tax list for Prince George, I found Benjamin, Thomas, Edward, William, James, Richard C., Daniel, and Isham Newell listed. There is also an extant will for Edward Newell (Wife Katherine) who died October 21, 1791, with children Rebecca, James, and Peter.
• I also found a "Lucy Newell, guardian of Edward Newell's children" included in the 1798-1800 court records in Prince George, probably the mother Lucy Lanier Newell who married Edward in 1788.
• I also found a Thomas "Nuell" as a beneficiary of Thomas Daniel's will in Prince George in 1807.
• The "Historical Record of Virginians in the Revolution" by John Gwaithmet (Dietz Press 1938) lists Thomas Newell Sr. of Prince George having died on Jan 19, 1833, at age 78. Based on this information, and the census, Thomas Jr. of Prince George could have been a possible father to Thomas W., (the 3rd?) born circa 1818.
• Another possibility for a father is the George W. Newell who was listed in the 1840 census in Prince George, as well as in a number of Prince George land and personal property tax records from the 1830s and 1840s. According to the census, he was born approximately 1805. George W. Newell was also listed in the 1850 slave schedule census in Prince George County.

I have found a number of Newell family members listed from a number of sources, and I will list them here:

• George Newell m Rebecca Pate, 1768; George Newell held 150 acres in James City County in 1768, according to "Adventures of Purse and Person" written by John F. Dorman in 1956.
• George Newell, witness to Thomas Mumford's will, March 17,1768, Sussex County will book "A"
• Thomas Newell, witness to Nathaniel Felt's will, June 16, 1785, Sussex County will book "D"
• Edward Newell, Kemp Newell, William Shand's account sale, June 19, 1777, Sussex County will book "C"
• Edward Newell, Virginia Land patents, Prince George County, July 14, 1769
• John and Lucy Newell to Daniel Spence Deed, Surry County, book #7, August 21, 1759
• John Newell, witness Joseph Glover to John Barnes Deed, Dec 11,1752 (both of Martin Brandon Parish, Prince George County), Surry Co, book #6
• John Avriss m Patty Newell, Nov 12, 1785, Rev. Henry J. Burgess, Southwark Parish, Surry Co.
• Martha Ann R. Newell m Frederick W. Barber, Surry County, Rev. Beverly Booth, Baptist, Dec 26, 1825
• Thomas Newell m Rhody Lawrence, July 20, 1726, Isle of Wight
• James Newell m Jemimah Leath, Dec 26, 1787, Prince George Co.
• Richard Newell, tobacco transaction, Dec 16, 1662, Surry Co court records book #1
• Virginia land patents 1623-1774 (partial list, prioritized by proximity)

1. Thomas Newell, July 9, 1658, Warwick County, 700 acres
2. James Newell, Northampton County, March 21 1662, 1300 acres
3. John Newell, Southampton County March 6, 1674 acres
4. John Newell, April 24, 1684, Isle of Wight, 92 acres
5. Elizabeth Newell, Surry County, 170 acres, 168?
6. James Newell, Sept 27, 1722 Goochland County, 400 acres
7. Edward Newell, July 14, 1769, Prince George County, 390 acres

I have checked as well as I can the local parishes, including Bristol, Albemarle, and Southwark. I have found no information for Martin Brandons Parish. As far as I have been able, I have found no information for the Newell family included in any of the extant records for these parishes, but some of the related families, especially the Gilliam family, have records in the parish books.

In general, I have checked Surry County: marriages 1768-1853, wills late 1700s to 1840, land records, and court records. I've also done essentially the same research in Prince George (records that remain extant) and in Sussex County as well.

The Newell name can be spelled a number of ways, and indeed was misspelled in old Virginia. I have looked for Knewell, Nuell, Nowell, Knowle, Neville, etc. with mixed results.

Any additional information, ideas how to proceed, or any clues that might lead to information regarding the identity of Thomas W. Newell's parents would all be welcome.

Sincerely,
Martin Shepherd"

For more information, click here to see the related book at Amazon:

Sussex County, Virginia, will books A-F, 1754-1806