Thomas Linville, I - notes on

http://www.linvillefamily.us/LFA-o/g0/p1.htm#i10

Thomas Linvill
M, b. circa 1703, d. circa 1761
Father John Linvill b. 24 May 1677, d. a 14 Oct 1739
Mother unknown (?)
Thomas Linvill married Hannah (?) before __ ___ 1725-1732 either in Conestoga PA or Shenandoah Valley VA. He appears on the 1724 tax list at an unmarried freemand but is not desginated as such in the 1725 or 1727 lists. He could have had more than one wive - either one before or after wife Hannah of the 1747 Augusta Co. Deeds. If so, the other wife could have been the mother of one or more of his older children born before the 1740s or the two youngest children born after 1750. Wife Hannah seems certain to have been the mother of some of his children. It is the introduction of the less used given names of Aaron and Moses for sons born in the 1750s that suggests these names came from their mother's side of the family, whether Hannah or another. Thomas Linvill was born circa 1703 at Chichester Twp, Chester County, PA. The year of birth is supposed from his first appearance as a freeman on the 1724 tax list for Conestoga where his apparent father, John, was living. The place is supposed from the location of his father's land between 1701-4. He was, then, the first born Linvill/Linville in North America. By virtue of his father's place of residence Thomas Linvill lived at Chester Township, Chester County, PA, between 1704 and 1715. He lived between 1715 and 1732 at Conestoga, Lancaster County, PA. His father, John, had been taxed on Conestoga Creek beginning in 1715 while Thomas first appears as a freeman (unmarried, 21 years old) on the 1724 list. He last appears on the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas in 1732, which likely marks his move down the Shenandoah Valley to the area which took the family name -- Linville Creek, VA. He appears for the first time on the 1724 tax list for Conestoga, Chester County, PA listed as a Freeman (unmarried male over age 21). He appears again as a Freeman on the 1725 tax list for Conestoga, Chester County, PA. On the last Chester County tax list (1727) before the county was split to create Lancaster County, Thomas Linvill still appears as a Freeman. He lived between 1727 and 1733 at Codorus Creek, "Baltimore County", PA, after which he sold his 600 acres and "improvement" on the west side of the Codorus to Hans Kaighe. He seems likely to have moved across the Susquehanna with his uncle, John Grist (husband of Martha Baldwin) and John Hendricks (son of James) sometime in the 1720s. Maryland and Pennsylvania had continual disputes about the dividing line, but settlement across the Susquehanna was considered Shawnee land and, according to agreements between Penn's government and the tribe, no official land dealings were to occur. This was resolved by the late 1720s when Samuel Blunston was given authority to issue licenses for land. Wife Hannah is mentioned only once in any records found to date -- the 1746 sale of their land in Virginia. There is some evidence to suggest that she may have been the daughter of David Jones. The evidence comes the fact that their second son was named David and 1) from the sale of animals with a DJ mark at the time that Thomas Linvill likely died; 2) the fact that David Jones's wife was named Hannah; and 3) the presence of David Jones as near neighbor of the Linvills at Conestoga. However, there are many David Jones and sufficient research on them has not been done to either rule one of them in or out. He signed a petition for the creation of Lancaster County on 6 February 1728/29 at Lancaster County, PA. He summoned to appear in court on a suit brought by George Middleton on 3 November 1730 at Conestoga, Lancaster County, PA. . However, the entry is marked N.E.J. which means that he did not appear because he was no longer in the jurisdiction. Indeed, Thomas was living across the Susquehanna. Thomas Perrin bought a suit against Thomas Linvill in Lancaster Court of Common Pleas 6 Feb 1732/3, but the case was discontinued by Perrin John Hendricks apparently paid 20 pds as part of this case. It may be the source of a debt Thomas Linville owned Hendricks which appears in Hendricks estate accounting in York County, PA. Thomas Linvill was no longer living across the Shenandoah on the west side of Codorus Creek (now Adams County, PA) by on 4 March 1734/35 when Samuel Blunston licensed the Linvill acres and improvements to Hans Kaighe. He lived between 1738 and 1746 at Linville Creek, Linville, Augusta County, VA. The Linvills seem clearly to be living in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia after leaving the land on the Codorus. And several references in the mid to late 1730s acknowledge Linville Creek, indicating that at least part of the family had settled the area by that time. Thomas appeared in Orange County, VA court on 26 October 1738 to receive payment of 140 pds tobacco for 3 wolf heads, certified by Morgan Morgan and Henry Wiillis. With Morgan and Willis certifiying the fact of the wolf heads, it suggests that Thomas may still have been in the northern part of the Shenandoah Valley at this time. Robert McKay and Jost Hite secured 100,000 acres from the Governor and Council of Virginia 21 Oct 1731. The terms of the agreement required them to settle 1,000 families on their land within two years. The period for required settlement was extended to 1737 when McKay and Hite were found to have meet the agreement. Although no list of the 1000 families exists, it seems obvious that three of them were Linvilles --- Thomas, William and John (Jr.) -- by virtue of their appearance on the court records which covered the area and by deduction, since by 29 May 1739 some of McKay and Hite land was on "Linwell's Creek." He took the oath as Cornet (one who carries the colors of the company) in his brother William's militia troop on 22 March 1743 at Linville Creek, Orange County, VA. On 23 March 1742/43 Thomas Linville agreed to rent a mill from Jost Hite, presumably at Linville Creek, Orange (later Augusta) County, VA. Thomas Linville told Robert Patterson that he had paid to Wiliam Wright a certain sum of money which was due to said Wright's father. William Wright had an order from Patterson dated 10 Dec 1744 to collect the money. James Pendleton and Philip Clayton, both justices of the Orange County, VA appeared in court on 29 March 1745 claiming that Thomas Linvill owed them a debt. The case was discontinued when the parties agreed. In the record, Linvill refers to himself as "Thomas Linvell otherwise called I Thomas Linvell above the ridge." In a packet of court judgements dated June, 1747, regarding this case, there is a note dated June 1746 which states that Thomas Linville could not be found in the bailiwick. This seems related to the fact that the court was no longer Orange County, but now Augusta County. To secure a Trust owed to Capt. Robert Green & Co. (surveying partner to McKay, Hite and others), Thomas Linvill sold three cows and a set of smithing tools to Morgan Bryan for 16 pds on 26 Feb 1746. When Augusta County, VA was created from Orange County, the land on Linville Creek fell under the jurisdiction of the new county. on 12 May 1746 at Augusta County, VA, Jost Hite declared in open court that Thomas Linville owed him money. Presumably this was related to the rental of the mill beginning in 1742/3. He appeared in court in a suit against his brother William on 23 May 1746 at Orange County, VA. The suit was later settled. Between 5 August 1746 and 14 November 1746 William Linville first legally acquired the 1500 acres he had been living on for over ten years and then sold his brother Thomas Linville his 500 acre share. Thomas and his wife Hannah then sold their share to Jacob Christman. The other two 500 acre lots William sold to George Bowman and Joseph Bryan. Along with other evidence, these land records document the relationships between the Bowmans, Christmans, Linville and Bryans. (See discussion under Thomas's siblings). He lived between 1747 and 1761 at Belews Creek, Rowan (later Surry) County, NC. Valentine Sevier brought an attachment against Thomas Linville on 6 March 1746/47 at Augusta County, VA. He was fined for not appearing in court on 19 June 1747 at Augusta County, VA. McKay, Hite, Green and Company, as executor of another partner, William Duff, brought a suit against William and Thomas Linville and Morgan Bryan based on a debt from a bond dated 18 June 1746. However, when the writ dated on 24 August 1747 was presented, neither William or Thomas Linville were found in the district. Thomas Linvill and his wife, Hannah, sold their 500 acres on Linville Creek on on 14 November 1747. This marks their last appearance in VA before he appears in North Carolina records. He married Unknown (?) He possibly had two wives -- either one before or after Hannah. If so, the other wife could have been the mother of one or more of his older children born before the 1740s or the two youngest sons born after 1750. Wife Hannah was certainly the mother of some of his children. It is the introduction of the less used given names of Aaron and Moses for sons born in the 1750s that suggests these came from his wife's side of the family. These given names are not found in those areas where the Linvills lived from 1730s-50s. It seems likely they came from the wife's family, whether Hannah or another. Thomas Linvill appears on the 1751 tax list for Dan River, Granville County, NC. He acquired Thomas Linvill on on 21 April 1752; Lord Granville Land Grant as part of the distibution of western NC land.
Surveyed 200 acres on Belews Creek, both sides of Cane Break - Willian Linvall chain carrier, along with William Barclay. He witnessed the land of Thomas Linvill on 16 May 1753 at Middle Fork, Belews Creek, Stokes County, North Carolina; warrant for a survey for a Lord Granville Land Grant as part of the distribution of western North Carolina land. The survey of 200 acres fell on both sides of Great Meadow, Middle Fork of Belews Creek. His father Thomas Linvill Sr., who had land nearby, and his brother William Linvill were chain carriers for the survey. This is the land that Thomas's family held until moving to western North Carolina in the 1770s. No deeds for the sale of his or his father's grant seem to have been recorded. And, therefore, no evidence of a wife is found in deed records.

There is also a possibility that despite being fully established in Belews Creek, North Carolina during 1750s, parts of the family moved up and down the Great Wagon Road to Virginia through the decade. Present-day Franklin County Virginia historical map lists "Linville Brothers" along the Carolina Road near "Lynville Creek," "Linville Ford" and "Lynville Mountain" near today's Hardy, Virginia. County deeds and tax records have yet to reveal exactly which Linville brothers this could be, but is seems most likely to be Thomas Sr.'s oldest two sons -- the Thomas of this narrative and his brother William who were in his 1751 tax record. Thomas Linvill acquired Thomas Linvill on on 7 March 1754; Lord Granville Land Grant as part of the distibution of western NC land.
Survey 500 acres on Mayo Road south side of Fishers or Pinery Mountain - David Linvill and William Linvill chain carriers. He witnessed the land of William Linvill on 20 March 1754 at Belews Creek, Rowan County, NC; William and Thomas Linville were sworn chain carriers for Egbert Haywood for land on both sides of Belews Creek, joining the Linville line. Thomas Linville may still have held some land on Linville Creek in VA in June 1755 when his sister and brother-in-law, Joseph and Alice Bryan, sold the 500 acres that William Linville had sold them in August 1747 and pulled up stakes to move to North Carolina. Their deed of sale indicates the land is abutted by land "in possession of Thomas Linvil." However, this may simply be a reiteration of the original deed which used the same language in 1747. Thomas Linvill was buried at Belews Creek, Surry County, NC; According to family oral history, Thomas and some family descendants are buried in old family field cemetery that was on property once owned by Connie Linville Preston (off Kernersville/Belews Creek road about 1 mile from Hwy 158). This graveyard has been cleaned up and is maintained by members of the NC Linville family reunion. This graveyard is on property that was part of the original 1754 land grant. He died circa 1761 at Surry County, NC. He last appears on the 1759 tax list for Rowan County, NC and not on the next tax list (1768). No Rowan County records are extant that indicate a division of property or an estate. However, a clue to his date of death may be in that fact that his brother William Linville sold their sister Alyee's husband, Joseph Bryan, several animals marked TL and sundry household goods on 20 Jan 1761. It seems highly possible this was a sale of Thomas's estate to raise money to care for his younger children. He was Thomas Linvill Historical Marker. Installed/dedicated by the Linville family on property that was part of the 1752 land grant on which he and his descendants lived for many generations. This is near an old Thomas Linvill family graveyard that was also on the original land grant property as well. in June 2015 at Kernersville Road just off Hwy 158, Belews Creek, Forsyth County, NC.
Family 1
Hannah (?) b. c 1710, d. a 14 Nov 1746
Children
Thomas Linvill+ b. c 1732, d. 1817
William Linvill+ b. c 1735, d. a 20 Mar 1754
David Linville+ b. c 1738, d. bt 1786 - 1787
Richard Linville Sr.+ b. c 1740, d. 1821
Family 2
Unknown (?)
Children
Aaron Linville+ b. 1750, d. Sep 1824
Moses Linville+ b. 1752, d. 1826

Children of John and Ann Linville
Thomas Linville (1706/08-1773) m. Hannah
William Linville (?-1766, killed at Linville Falls, NC by Indians) m. Elender (Elinor) Bryant (1729-?),
d/o of Morgan Bryan and Martha Strode
John Linville (lived in VA)

Third Generation
Children of Richard Linville and his wife
Moses Linville (1760/170) (moved west)
David Linville (1769-1810) m. Dorothy Fair, d/o of Barnabas and Elizabeth Fair
Richard Linville (1773-1821) (no issue)
Robert Linville (1776-1860 [dates corrected 3/3/04]) m. 1) unknown, but likely, 2) Alice Fair (ca. 1793 [1785?]-1873), d/o John Fair and Alice
(John Fair is son of Barnabas Fair, above)
John Henry Linville (1775-1802) m. 1) Barbara, 2) Whicker
Lydia Linville m. 1) William Brandon, 2) Mr. Thornton
Charity Linville m. Thomas Campbell, s/o Archibald Campbell
dau. Linville m. Mr. Studdard