Person:John Dyer (52)

John Dyer resided next to William Russell near Duck Run in Frederick County, Virginia from as early as 1749 until Dyer sold his property to Russell in 1763. Dyer's wife was named Elizabeth. Un-sourced information on the internet (WorldConnect website) states that Elizabeth's maiden name was Martin, and that there were a number of children born in Frederick County. None of the children were named Jemima; assuming this to be correct, then the "Jemima D." who married Russell's son James in about 1780 was not a Dyer.

The widow Elizabeth Dyer who had a son named Andrew Campbell Dyer was not the Elizabeth married to John Dyer, but perhaps she was his mother. Refer to: 1747, March 5: Frederick County, Virginia Deed Book 1, p. 374: Elizabeth Dyer of Frederick County, Virginia, "for & in Consideration of the Natural love and Affection" for my "Son Andrew Campbell Dyer" have given him a "tract of land & plantation" in Frederick County "granted by Morgan Bryant and Alexander Ross to William Roberts who assigned the same to William Johnston who assigned the same to Jonathan Jeacock from whom ye Widdow the said Elizabeth Dyer purchased the same . . . on which the said Elizabeth Dyer now lives". Witnesses: Jno Sturman and Morgan Bryan. No metes and bounds description. Recorded March 5, 1747. [Source: p. 39, vol. 1, Frederick County, Virginia Deed Book Series, by Amelia Cleland Gilreath.] [See Note 2 for information on Jeacock family.]

The following land records refer to a John Dyer with property on Mulberry Run near Cedar Creek:

1739, June 27-28: Orange County, Virginia Deed Book 3, p.18: John Branson of Orange County to Wm. Crisp of same. Lease and release; for £15 current money; 390 acres, part of a tract granted John Branson for 1,000 acres... at mouth of Mulberry Run... to Cider (sic) Creek . . . "thence down the creek to John Dyer's land". Witnesses: Robert Turk, Peter Russell, W. Russell (not he of Duck Run). The land is said to be about a half mile southwest of the village of Marlboro. [See Tract 13D, Map 8, from Pioneers of Old Frederick County, Virginia, by Cecil O' Dell.]

1743, June 23-24: Orange County, Virginia Deed Book 7, p. 60: John Dyer of Orange County sold 115 acres to George Logmiller of Orange County (part of the land purchased by Dyer in 1739). Witnesses: Jost Hite, Joseph Vance, John Hite.

The John Dyer who sold to George Logmiller could have been the man married to the "1747 widow" Elizabeth Dyer mentioned above, in which case he could have been the father of the John Dyer who later resided next to William Russell.

The following land records refer to the John Dyer next to Russell:

1749, March 1: "William Russell, no war't, surv'd 1 Mar 1749 279 a wherein he lives on brs of Ceder Crk, adj John Dyer, Adam Hunter, waste land where Robert Marney lives. cc Henry Fry & John Dyer. Surv. John Baylis." [Source: p. 135, vol. 1 & 2, "Abstracts of Virginia's Northern Neck Warrants & Surveys (Portsmouth, Va.: P. S. Joyner, 1985).]

1750, July 15: William Russell of Frederick County, 297 acres in said County. Surveyed by Mr. John Baylis. On Cedar Creek, adjacent to John Dyer and Adam Hunter, on Duck Run. [Source: G-372, Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants, 1742-1775, Vol. 2, Gertrude E. Gray, p. 41.]

1752, January 8: John Dyer of Frederick County, 100 acres in said County where he now lives. Survey by Mr. William Baylis. Adjacent to William Russel's line, on Duck Run. [Source: H-87, Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants, ibid, Gray, p. 56.]

1762, March 19: See Note 1 for Dyer's deposition in the Hite v Fairfax litigation.

1763, January 27: William Russell purchased 100 acres from John and Elizabeth Dyer for 5 shillings. [Sources: Pioneers of Old Frederick County, Virginia, by Cecil O' Dell, p. 321; Frederick County Deed Book 8, p. 218.] The 100 acres were described in the deed by metes and bounds, one of which is "a red oak and two white oaks in William Russell's line" and another which is "a large white oak and white oak saplin on the N side of Duck Run".

There are other land record references to the John Dyer who lived for a time next to William Russell: Grant of May 17, 1762 to John Snapp of 315 acres on Hoggs Creek & Cedar Creek, adjoining John Dyer; grant of July 2, 1765 to Adam Shriver of 149 acres on Duck Run of Cedar Creek, adjoining Robert Marney, Barnet Disponet and John Dyer; and grant of August 25, 1766 to Michael Poker of 136 acres on Cedar Creek adjoining his own land and that of William Russell, John Dyer, Barnett Desponet and John Bacheller.

After the sale to Russell in 1763, John Dyer and his wife and family may have moved to land near Little North Mountain according to a Deed of August 11, 1778 to Michael Tomlin for 244 acres in Frederick County on both sides of Little North Mountain "adjoining John Dyer". [Source: Northern Neck Grants Q, 1775-1778, p. 322, ibid, Gray.] John Dyer was not named in the 1782 Frederick County tax list nor in the 1785 Shenandoah County tax list, but in the 1791 Frederick County tax list B both John Dyer and John Dyer, Jr are listed. John Dyer Sr is in the 1800 tax list for Frederick County. There is also a John Dyer in the Frederick County census for 1810. The un-sourced internet information mentioned above indicates that John Dyer died in 1822 in Washington County, Kentucky, but perhaps this is a son.

1.   Deposition of John Dyer, March 19, 1762 (part of Hite v Fairfax litigation): "That many years ago when Ld Ffax first entd his Caveat agt grantg Lands to the Westward of the blue ridge he came over the Mountains I was at the house of Thos Bransom who made appln to his Ldp to know in what manner people should get to secure their rights, he ansrd It would make no difference, that it would be only changg Lds or to paying quitrents to him instead of the Crown in case he should succeed in his suit; & that he needed to have the Country settled, I would not have any poor man quit the Place for want of Land. and on being asked by Bransom how Mr. Hite would come off who had an Order of Council for a large grant of Land he ansrd That he would be very well for he now desirous of having the Land settled." [This deposition was preceded by that of Thos Bransom and followed by that of Edwd Rogers.]
2.   The Jacocks (various spellings) family apparently originated in the Jersey Islands. David Jecoaks of Frederick Parish/County, Colony of Virginia, made his Will on December 29, 1746. He gave all his effects and movable estate to the use of the following: “my father Thomas Jecoaks” for life, then to be equally divided between “my brother Thomas Jecoaks and the surviving children of my brother Jonathan Jecoaks” deceased. His “estates, rights and interest or share of an island in the Jerseys”: to his “sister Grace Brown fifty pounds Jersey currency” out of the estates, and the remainder if any to his brother Thomas and the surviving children of brother Jonathan. He appointed John Littler, Josiah Bollinger and George Hollingsworth as executors. David Ross, Wm Jolliffe & Samuel Littler as witnesses. Will proved March 3, 1746 (1747 new style). Thomas Jaycox, Andrew Campbell and John Neill were bound to Morgan Morgan JP for 500 pounds, for the admon bond, March 3, 1746/7. Mary Jaycox or Jaycocks (signed with her mark), Andrew Campbell & Daniel Hart gent bound to Morgan Morgan gent etc for 200 pounds etc etc. March 3, 1746/7. “Mary Jacocks Widow & Relict of Jonathan Jaycocks deced together with Andrew Campbell & Danl Hart her securities acknowledged this their Bond . . . .” [Source: pages 104-107 of Frederick County, Virginia Will Book 1 (microfilm thereof from Library of Virginia).]