Person:John Davidson (76)

John Davidson was one of the Early Settlers of Augusta County, Virginia

Contents 1 Advisory on John Davidson 2 Record of Headrights and Importation to Orange County, VA 3 Early Land Acquisition in Augusta County, VA 4 Estate Administration in Augusta County, VA 5 Records of John Davidson in Augusta County, VA 6 Information on John Davidson		Welcome to Old Augusta Early Settlers Beverley Manor Borden's Grant Register Data Maps Places Library History Index
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Advisory on John Davidson

WARNING: This John Davidson and family have been sometimes confused with another John Davidson who married Mary Morrison and died in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina in 1778.

Record of Headrights and Importation to Orange County, VA

Headrights were grants of 50 acres of land per "head" - or per white male over the age of 16 who transported himself to the colonies. They appear in the Court of Common Pleas in the county in which the land was granted. The attached file includes the headrights copied from the Orange Co., Va Court of Common Pleas in the 18th Century. These headrights function as the only real immigration record for English, Scot or Irish immigrants in that time period. The headright identifies the country of origin and generally the port of entry in the colonies (Source: Orange Co., Virginia Court Records: Court of Common Pleas):

• July 1740 - John Davison, Jane, George, Thos, Wm & Samuel Davison (from Ireland)

Early Land Acquisition in Augusta County, VA

John Davidson's land (Beverley Manor NE, 785 acres, 1738) as shown on the map meticulously drawn by J.R. Hildebrand, cartographer. This map is copyrighted©, used by permission of John Hildebrand, son of J.R. Hildebrand, April, 2009.

Acquisition of Land from History of Augusta County, Virginia:

Early Surveys in Augusta County:

Record of John Davison's early survey in "Hume's Old Field Book":

• (10) Survey for John Davison Beginning at Christie's White Oak stake Cor. ( ), &c.

From Orange County Deed Book 10, List of Surveys:

• 3 June 1745 - John Davidson, 128 acres on "Back Creek".

Acquisition of Land from Orange County, Virginia Records:

• Pg. 237-42. 5-5 June 1739. William Beverley of Essex County, Gent., to John Davison of Augusta County. Lease and release; for ₤23.11. - current money. 785 acres, part of the Mannor of Beverley.. at the Christie's wite oak... (signed) W. Beverley. Wit: James Porteus, Thos. Wood, John Latham. 28 June 1739. Proved by James Porteus, Thos Wood and John Latham. [Relinquishment of Dower as above, Beverley to Smith]. [Orange County Deed Book 3, pg. 17].

Disposition of Land from Orange County, Virginia Records:

• Pg. 36-37. Indenture 20 May 1745 between John Davison, Augusta County, Farmer and James Armstrong of same, Farmer... for five shillings... sells 300 acres of land lying on both sides of Christian's Creek in Beverley Manor in Augusta County... (signed) John Davison (seal). Witnessee: James Caldwell, James Miller, Samuel Davison. Lease recorded 23 May 1745. (Note on margin: "See Release on Pg. 50.) [Orange County Deed Book 10, pg. 33]. (Note: this first record is for the lease of 300 acres, the following record is for the sale).

• Pg. 58-59. Indenture 21 May 1745 between John Dsvidson of Augusta County, Farmer, and James Armstrong of same, Farmer... for £20.. sells land on Christian Cr. in Beverley Manor in Augusta County.. 300 acres adjoining lands of James Coteroll.. (signed) John Davison (seal). Witnesses: James Miller, Saml. Davison. Recorded Orange County 23 May 1745. [Orange County Deed Book 10, pg. 35]. [Note on margin: "for lease, see p. 36"].

Disposition of Land from Chalkley's:

• Page 466.--18th February, 1747. £30. John Davison, farmer to Wm. Henderson, farmer, 350 acres on north branch of James River at mouth of Buffalo Creek. Teste: Jno. Christian, Robt. Christian, W. Christian. Acknowledged by John, 18th February, 1747, and Jean, his wife, releases dower.

• Page 469.--18th February, 1747-8. £120. John Davison, farmer, to James Armstrong, farmer, 485 acres in Beverley Manor; Christian's corner. Tested, acknowledged, and dower released as above. (Note: James Armstrong acquired the entire 785-acre tract of John Davidson, this being the final acquisition).

Estate Administration in Augusta County, VA

• Page 214.--2d December, 1749. John Christian's bond as administrator of John Davison, with sureties James Bell, Robert McClenachan.

Records of John Davidson in Augusta County, VA

From Orange County, Virginia Records:

• Pg. 262. Orange County.. George the Secong.. Our Trustee James Patton, John Lewis and John Buckhannon, Gent., County of Orange, Greetings: Whereas John Davidson of part of Orange County called Augusta.. by certain deeds of lease and release.. 30 May 1745.. conveyed 300 acres, land both sides of Christian Creek in Beverley Manor.. to James Armstrong of same.. and Jane, the wife of John Davidson, is so sickly.. please examine.. 25 May 1745.. John Nicholas Co. Cur. Examined by Commissioners 10 Sept. 1745. (signed) James Patton, John Lewis. Recorded Orange County, 24 April 1746. [Orange County Deed Book 10, pg. 55].

From Chalkley's Augusta County Records:

• (36) Survey for Thos. Hendersone, beginning at Jno. Davison's Cor., Christy's Kreek. (From Hume's Old Field Book)

• Page 74.--21st September, 1748. Isaac McCullagh to John Coulter, 230 acres in Beverley Manor; corner ye Christians, James Caldwell, John Davidson. Teste: Wm. Henderson, Thos. Gordon, Margaret, wife of Isaac.

• Page 823.--31st March, 1750. Thomas Henderson, planter, of Albemarle, to Wm. Beverley, 391 acres, in Beverley Manor; corner Jno. Davison, Christie's Creek, Thos. Black's line. Teste: Richard Pringle, Jno. Rutlidge.

• Page(188) AUGUST 29, 1751. - William Morrison married the widow of John Davison.

Information on John Davidson

http://www.uftree.com/UFT/WebPages/nancej/NANCYJ/d2/i0000479.htm

Second Generation 3. John William2 Davidson (William1) (#479) was born Armagh, Shankill, Ireland, United Kingdom 1705. John died 1749 Anson, North Carolina, USA, at 44 years of age.

He married Jane Margaret Legacorry, Shankill, Ireland, United Kingdom, 1727. (Jane Margaret is #480.) Jane was born Legacorry, Shankill, Ireland, United Kingdom 1711.

He emigrated, 1738. Point of origin: Ireland.

John William Davidson and Jane Margaret had the following children:

+ 10 i. George3 Davidson was born 1728.

11 ii. Rachel Davidson (#482) was born Legacorry, Shankill, Ireland, United Kingdom 1730. She married John Alexander Greensboro, Guilford, North Carolina, USA, 1754. (John Alexander is #866.) John was born 1728. (See John Alexander for the continuation of this line.)

+ 12 iii. Thomas Davidson was born 1733.

+ 13 iv. Samuel Davidson was born 10/10/1736.

+ 14 v. William Davidson was born 10/10/1736.

15 vi. Elizabeth Betsy Davidson (#249) was born Augusta, Virginia, USA 4/19/1741. Elizabeth died 1820 Harrodsburg, Mercer, Kentucky, USA, at 79 years of age. She married Ephraim McLean Washington, Beaufort, North Carolina, USA, 1761. (Ephraim McLean is #248.) Ephraim was born Pennsylvania, USA 1730. Ephraim was the son of John McLean and Margaret Dunlap. Ephraim died 1823 Harrodsburg, Mercer, Kentucky, USA, at 93 years of age. His body was interred 1823 Greenville, Muhlenburg, Kentucky, USA, Caney Station Cemetery. (See Ephraim McLean for the continuation of this line.)

16 vii. Margaret Davidson (#859) was born Augusta, Virginia, USA 12/5/1742. She married David Alexander 1760. (David Alexander is #860.) David was born 1740.

+ 17 viii. John D. Davidson was born 1744.

http://www.tennkin.com/bios/johnandeph_bio.htm

Before moving on I’d like to list the children of John and Jane Davidson, as so many McLeans are interested in their Davidson ancestry also.

Col. George Davison born in 1728 in Ireland

Rachel Davidson born abt. 1730 in Ireland

Thomas Davidson born abt. 1733 in Ireland

Samuel Davidson born 1736 in Ireland, twin

Maj. William Davidson born 1736 in Ireland, twin

Elizabeth Davidson born 1741 in Virginia

Margaret Davidson born 1742 in Virginia

John (One Eyed) Davidson born 1744 in Virginia

Elizabeth Davidson McLean, wife of Ephraim, was first cousin to General William Lee Davidson who lived on a nearby farm before the Revolution. Davidson County in North Carolina and Tennessee were named in the General’s honor, after he was killed at Cowen’s Ford, North Carolina, during the Revolution. The Davidson Academies in each of the latter states were also named in his honor, as he was the youngest general in the Revolution. On October 19, 1765, Ephraim and Elizabeth settled on 640 acres of land on Fishing Creek in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, deeded over to them by William and Mary Moore. One of the witnesses on this deed was William Dunlap, the uncle who raised Ephraim and Charles after their parents died. From time to time, they moved to new lands along the western bank of the Catawba River, North Carolina, in the general direction of the Cumberland Gap, gateway to the west.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Mark and Carolyn Freeman Genealogy Web Page, (http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/8415/Index.html ), e-mail: markfreemn@@aol.com.