Person:Osborn Sprigg (3)

Early Land Acquisition in Virginia

• 21 May 1791, Hampshire County, [W]VA Deed: John Jeremiah Jacob and wife Mary, Executrix of Michael Cresap, dec'd, to Luther Martin of Frederick Co., Ozburn Spring of Hampshire County and Lenox Martin of Frederick County, All lands and tenements and real property of every kind in Hampshire County and Alleghany County, Rec. 6-16-1791. Wit: John Mitchell, James Prather, Daniel Cresap, Jr. [Source: Early records, Hampshire County, Virginia, now West Virginia, including at the start most of known Va. aside from Augusta district : synopisis of wills from originals up to 1860, pg. 28].

Records in Augusta County, VA

From Chalkley's:

• Vol. 2 - Henderson vs. Cresaps' heirs--O. S. 252; N. S. 88--Bill, 5th August, 1805. Orator Alexander Henderson in 1801 made entries in Monongalia (now Wood County), viz: 10th April, 1781, 1,000 acres on Ohio 3 miles below Middle Island Creek, extending below mouth of French Creek on treasury warrant, dated 8th May, 1780. Also 1,000 acres adjoining above. Surveys were made 1785 and received patents 4th June, 1787. Act May, 1779, ch. 12, section 4, provides that all persons actually settling before 1st January, 1778, on Western waters should be allowed for every family settled, 400 acres; but they must have raised a crop of corn or lived thereon one year. But on 17th April, 1785, Luther Martin and Mary, his wife; Elizabeth and Sarah Cresap, devisees of Michael Cresap, obtained a certificate from the Commissioners in Michael's name for 400 acres on Ohio River above Ball Creek to include his settlement, made 1775, by putting a tenant there, and another certificate for 400 acres at mouth of French Creek, on which 2d certificate was made 25th December, 1783, and a grant obtained 20th June, 1785, also on the other certificate. These surveys interfere with orator's surveys. (There was also a 3d certificate to Michael as above.) Michael, before or in year 1775, came from Maryland, where he always resided, with several men in his service and marked out several tracts, some by cutting chops in trees, some by cutting timber, some by laying foundation of a cabin, but not one of them lived on the lands, they only travelled up and down the river marking off all the best bottoms. Mary Martin has died, leaving Luther, her husband; Maria Martin and Eleanora Kean, wife of Richard R. Kean, her daughters, and Richard has died since commencement of this suit. Elizabeth Cresap has married Lenox Martin. Sarah Cresap has married Osbourne Sprigg and is dead, leaving Michael, Joseph, Osbourne, James, her sons. John G. Henderson of Wood County, aged 33, deposes, in Hampshire County, 5th November, 1807, Osbourne Sprigg married Sarah in 1790. Surveys in 1783 by Robert Crow, assistant to Saml. Hanway, S. M. C. Certificate to heirs of Michael Cresap dated 17th April, 1781, by James Neal, Charles Martin. Wm. Raymond, Commissioners. Will of Michael Cresap of Frederick County, Maryland. Son, James, infant; wife, Mary; daughters, Mary, Elizabeth and Sarah. Dated 28th June, 1774. Codicil dated 26th June, 1774. Recorded. Will of Alexander Henderson of Dumfries. Sons, Archibald, John Glassford, Alexander, Richard; sons, Henry, James, Thomas; daughter, Ann (?). Dated 24th February, 1815. Recorded in Prince William, 4th December, 1815. John Caldwell deposes, in Wheeling, 9th June, 1809, he became acquainted with Capt. Michael Cresap in 1772 and occasionally saw him from that time until 1776. Michael lived in Old Town, Md, during 1773, 74, 75, 76. Michael was several times down the Ohio and in the Western Country. In 1774, deponent saw Patrick McElroy and some hands improving the lands. McElroy was also employed to make settlements for Col. George Stricker, who settled 1,400 acres at mouth of McElroy's fork of Middle Island Creek. Ebenezer Zane deposes, in Wheeling, 6th December, 1808, he settled at his present place of residence at Wheeling in 1770 or 1771. In 1774, Michael Cresap was at his house; never heard of his, either before or after. In 1774, deponent descended the Ohio as far as Sandy Creek. There were no settlements below mouth of Little Kenawha, there were several between that and Muskingum. These were supposed to belong to the Briscoes. Below mouth of Bull Creek was an improvement called Otin's (?) about mile below mouth of French Creek. At mouth of McElroy's Run was Cresap's. There were no more until he came to mouth of Middle Island Creek, near which was another belonging to Cresap. Michael Cresap, Sr., had a son, Michael, Jr. Thomas Hallam deposes, 6th October, 1814, in Wood County, in March or April, 1775, he and several others came with Michael Cresap to the Western Country to make settlements on Ohio. They made one below mouth of Cow Creek. The custom was to cut the timber and pile the brush for burning and raise a cabin and cover it. The war came on and deponent went with Cresap to join the Revolutionary Army before Boston, but Cresap died on his way home from the army in the same year. George Baker deposes, same time and place, that when a boy, 17 years of age, about 30 years ago, he came into Cow Creek in a canoe with Martin Whitzell. Isaac Williams deposes, in Wood County, 3d December, 1808, in 1775, he lived on Grove Creek and no settlements were made below him in that year. Martin Wetzell deposes, in Ohio County, 10th October, 1814, he came to Western Country to live two years before Dunmore's war; has resided on Wheeling Creek ever since, except two years when he was prisoner among the Indians. His business was hunting up and down Ohio River; knew Cresap's improvement at Cow Creek; he frequently lodged there before Harman's (Harmar's?) defeat. John Caldwell deposes, same time and place, he came to Western Country in 1772 or 1773. In 1775 he saw hands at work on Cresap's improvement at mouth of French Creek. Joseph Tomlinson deposes, same time and place, he came to the Western County in spring 1771 and settled on Falls of Grove Creek and has lived there ever since.