Notebook. Francis Cyphers in New River Settlements

Records for Francis Cyphers show him owning property (1751-1790's) on the North Fork of the Roanoke River. His homesite was in the upper reaches of the NFR, immediately downstream of McDonalds Mill, and about 15 miles east of Fort George (near Salem, VA), and about 15 miles northeast of the home of Richard Hall at the head spring of Meadow Creek. This description fits reasonably well with the location of the red hex in athe accompanying map.

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Data

Source	Date	Location	Text	Notes
Chalkleys Chronicles:Page 267. Volume?	1748/49.	Augusta	Peter Kender's (Kinder? Ginder?) estate, account with Alex. Wright, administrator--To sundries from 22d August, 1748, to 22d August. 1749. Paid Erwin Patterson, Patrick Vance, for wages. Paid Alex. Ingram (4 days writing). Paid Ephraim Vause for crying the vendue. Paid Francis Cyphers, Henry Brown, Geo. Griffith. These did not pay for goods bought at vendue, viz: Joseph Kimmins, James McAfee, Jean Patterson, John Gold, Joseph McDonald, David Robinson.	Francis Cyphers apparently purchased goods at an estate said in 1748/1749, but did not pay for them until 1758
Chalkelys Chronicles:Vol 3, PP 300	1751	Augusta	As above, corner 'Francis Cyphers. Page 87.--Ditto. Same to Francis Cyphers, 400 acres by patent 10th April, 1751.' As above, corner to above, The Barrens.
Kegley Virginia Frontier:page 618	1753	Head of North Fork of Roanoke	'Francis Cypers and the McDonalds at the head of North Fork purchased their lands from James Patton as representative of the old James River and Roanoke Company, or by Purchase from individuals and entry of new land. Cyphers took possession of his land (400 acres) in 1753 and lived on it about forty years before a title was received. In the meantime (1766) he sold the land to Benj. Paulson and Frederick Smith who divided it by an accepted line. The heirs of Frederick Smith: Robert Smith, Sayers Smith, Joseph McDonald, William Sayers and Catherine Patterson sold their shares to Silas Davis, who sold to Frederick McDonald, who sold to George McDonald, who included it with his home place and McCormack land in his inclusive survey of 415. The mill dates from an order of court in 1794, the rock barn from the same period.
Kegley Virginia Frontier:page 102	1753		Grants by Deed from James Patton, North Fork Goose Creek to: John Robinson Sr John Robinson, Jr. Jas. Gorrell William and James Gorrell Corner John Robinson and Tobias Bright Tobias Bright Corner James Correll and George Pearis George Pearis, Corner Tobias and Erich Bright Elijah Isaac corner Erich Bright and Thos. Hill Erich Bright, corner to Geo Pearis and Elijah Isaac; Thomas Hill, Corner to Elijah Isaac and Benj. Ogle Benj Ogle coorner to Thomas Hill and Elijah Isaac William Pepper corner to Francis Cyphers Francis Cyphers Barrens, corner to William Pepper	The "North Fork Goose Creek" appears to be an alternative name for "North Fork Roanoke". See entry for 1800, below
Kegley Virginia Frontier:page 104	1754	North Fork Roanoke	George Reed, 204 acres adjoining Sharkey and Cyphers
Kegley Virginia Frontier:page 225	9 Feb 1756	North Fork Roanoke	Capt Preston said he left Fort Prince George on the 9th of Feb, and traveled 15 miles the first day, spending the night at Francis Cyphers on Roanoke. The next day, the 10th, he proceeded 15 miles to Richard Hall's, markching the next day to the New River.
Kegley Virginia Frontier:page 226	1756	Same as above, with comments: Francis Cyphers lived North Fork Roanoke below McDonalds Mill Place.	McDonalds Mill place is probably present Bennets Mill at Mill Creek Tributary of NFR. Prestons refers to "Fort Prince George" but he "was refrring to "Fort Williams". Fort Prince George is apparently Fort George, located near Salem on the Catawba. Bennets Mill is approximately 15 miles from Fort George--depending on how far from Salem Fort George was. Richard Halls was apparently at the headspring of Meadow Creek, and about 15 miles from Bennets Fort. This seems to place Francis Cyphers land about where Mossy Spring Branch enters the NFR, on the Northwest side of Parris Mountain, and about 3 miles east of the farm of Mary Draper Ingles on the VPI campus.
Kegley Virginia Frontier:page 588	1799	North Fork Roanoke	Deed from Francis Cyphers to Frederick Smith, 200 acres on North Fork [of Roanoke, most likely)
Kegleys Virginia Frontier, pg 588	1799	Botetourt	Frederick Smith appears on the Tax List for Botetourt Co. in 1785 for 200 Acres of land. He & Zachariah Stanley had their land surveyed 7 Jul 1786 for 200 Acres of land by virtue of an entry made in the surveyors office of Botetourt on a land office treasury warrant No. 16060 for 3000 acres (the land by a division of said county is now annexed to the county of Montgomery lying on the waters of and on the North side of the North fork of Roanoke and bounded as follows. Beginning at two chestnuts... .corner of George McDonalds inclusive survey... dated 18 Dec 1797 and Recorded 19 Feb 1801. (Virginia State Land Office Survey, Grant-Bk 44, pg 312) In 1811 the heirs of Frederick Smith: Robert Smith, Sayers Smith, Joseph McDonald for William Sayers, and Catherine Patterson sold to Silas Davis 255 acres on north side North Fork, corner to Zachary Stanley, Frederick Smiths survey, John Coons, the Nob Survey and George McDonalds inclusive survey. Land from 'Francis Cyphers, 1799	:Francis Cyphers sells land to Frederick Smith
Summers, 1929: 940	11 Aug 1800	Montgomery Co	Sells Frederick Smyth 200 ac n. Fork Roanoke river, formerly called Goose	Evidence that NFR was originally/also called "Goose". There is a Goose Creek to the west of Christiansburg, near the community of Willis Store, an a tributary to SFR. This transaction is further decsribed in Kegley's Va Frontier pg. 588 (see above).