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Andrew Davidson, of East River, Tazewell Co., VA
- H. Andrew Davidson, of East River, Tazewell Co., VAAbt 1768 - Abt 1852
- W. Rebecca BurkeAbt 1770 - Bef 1799
m. 30 Jun 1788
Facts and Events
Andrew Davidson was one of the Early Settlers of Augusta County, Virginia
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Notes
In 1791, the Shawnee-Mingo Indians made prisoners of Mrs. Andrew Davidson and her children. She was carried by way of the old Indian village on Indian Creek in the present Wyoming County, where she was bound overnight to a beech tree with rawhide thongs. She was the first white woman to pass through the county. On the second night she gave birth to a child under the famous "Hog Bed Cliff" at Island Creek where Logan now stands. The following day the baby was drowned and Mrs. Davidson was carried prisoner to the Indian village on the Sciota River. She lost trace of her other children and she was later sold as a servant to a French farmer in Canada near Detroit. Here Mr. Davidson found her after General Warner's victory in 1794 and brought her home. from "Baileys Among First Of County's Early Settlers" (clipping from unknown newspaper, unknown date)
Historical marker
Andrew Davidson Site of the pioneer cabin of Andrew Davidson. While he was absent, Indians burned his cabin, tomahawked his children, and captured his wife. Mrs. Davidson was sold to a Canadian family from whom she was ransomed.
Records in Tennessee
- Bedford County, TN Deeds:
- 1815, Andrew Davidson to Jessee Farley, Deed Book D, pg. 577
- 1817, James Adams to Andrew Davidson, Deed Book F, pg. 579
- 1820, Archibald Adams to Andrew Davidson, Deed Book M, pg. 371
- 1820, Andrew Davidson to Thomas Harrison, Deed Book M, pg. 367
- 1821, Andrew Davidson to Thomas Harrison, Deed Book N, pg. 138
- 1823, Archibald Adams to Andrew Davidson, Deed Book R, pg. 139
- 1824, Andrew Davidson to W.P. Finch, Deed Book V, pg. 153
- 1829, Thos. Donegan and others to Andrew Davidson, Deed Book BB, pg. 215
- 1830, Thomas Dougan to Andrew Davidson, Deed Book BB, pg. 215
- 1837, Andrew Davidson to Isaah & Richard Meek, Deed Book GG, pg. 16.
- Feb. 1847, Bedford County, TN, Chancery Court Records; O. Rice & Co., vs. Andrew & Isaac S. Davidson, Final Decree. Be it remembered that this cause came on for final hearing this 23rd Day of February 1847, before the Honl. Broomfield L. Ridley, Chancellor etc. Upon Bill, answer, replication and pro confesso order, and it appearing to the satisfaction of the Court that defendant Andrew Davidson in conjunction with one R.M. Davidson was & is justly indebted to Complainant in the sum of fifteen hundred and twenty four dollars and 44 cents with interest on the same from the 5th day of August 1845 up to this time, amounting to the sum of one hundred and forty four dollars and 47 cents, making in all the sum of $1,668.41/100, and the further sum of $10.06½ cents costs of suit in the Circuit Court. And it appearing to the satisfaction of the Court that Andrew Davidson did, on the 26 day of December 1843, convey to his son and co-defendant, by deeds of that date, all of his property both personal and real, for the purpose of hindering, delaying by the Court that said deeds be set aside as to complainants claim, and that said property by subject to the complainants claim. And it further appearing to the Court from the admission of Complainants Counsel, that defendant Andrew Davidson & Isaac S. Davidson, did on the 17th day of February 1847, pay over to Complainants the sum of fourteen hundred dollars in part payment of said judgement. It is therefore ordered, that said sum of sixteen hundred and sixty eight dollars, 47 cents be credited by said sum and that complainants recover of said Defts. the remaining amount due on said judgement, amounting to the sum of two hundred and sixty eight dollars and 47 cents, with interest from the 17 day of February 1847, until paid, and the further sum of ten dollars and 06 cents costs, in the Circuit Court. It is further decreed by the Court that defendants pay all of the costs of this suit, for which said several sums, let execution issue as at law. And by consent of Complainants Counsel it is ordered that execution be said in this cause until the 1st day of February 1848, at which time execution may issue if said amounts are not paid.
- 1847, Bedford County, TN, Chancery Court Records; Seth Thomas vs. Bluford Davidson & others. In this case it appearing to the Court that Andrew Davidson one of the defendants in this case is incapable of transacting his ordinary business and answering the Bill, It is therefore ordered, by the Court that Buford Davidson be appointed Guardian at litem of his co-defendant Andrew Davidson and that he file his answer on or before the 2nd rule day so as not to daley the hearing.
References
- Pendleton, William Cecil. History of Tazewell County and southwest Virginia, 1748-1920. (Richmond: W.C. Hill Print. Co., 1920)
1920.
In the spring of 1791, Andrew Davidson was living at the head spring of East River, about a half mile below the eastern limits of the city of Bluefield, West Virginia. In addition to himself, his family consisted of his wife Rebecca, his three small children, two girls and a boy, and a "bound" boy and girl named Broomfield. The bound children were very young, between seven and ten years old, and were more in the nature of proteges than servants. Mrs. Davidson was a granddaughter of James Burk from whom Burk's Garden received its name. Mr. Davidson had gone on a business trip to Smithfield, formerly Draper's Meadows and now Blacksburg, Virginia. It was the sugar making season, and a few days after her husbands departure for Smithfield, Mrs. Davidson was busily occupied gathering sugar water from sugar trees close to the house. While she was thus engaged, several Indians, who could speak English, came upon the scene. They told her that she and her children must go with them to their towns in Ohio. She was in a delicate condition, and unfit to undertake the long and fatiguing trip she was required to make.
The Indians went into the house and took such plunder as they wished to carry away, set fire to the cabin, and began their homeward journey with their six prisoners. When they arrived at a point near where Logan Courthouse, West Virginia, is located, Mrs. Davidson gave birth to a child. After allowing the mother a rest of two hours, the march to Ohio resumed. The birth of the child must have been premature, as it was drowned next day by the Indians on account of its feeble condition.
Mrs. Davidson and the captive children were treated with such leniency while they were making the journey, that she became hopeful they would be kindly treated after their arrival at the Indian towns. In this, however, she was sadly disappointed. Soon after their arrival at their towns, the Indians tied the two daughters of Mrs. Davidson to trees, and shot them to death in the presence of their mother. Her son was given to an old squaw for adoption. While crossing a river the old squaw upset her canoe, and the boy, who was with her, was drowned. What became of the Broomfield children was never known, and it is possible they shared the same fate of the girls who were shot.
Mrs. Davidson was sold to a Frenchman, in Canada, in whose family she remained a servant until she was found and rescued by her husband in the fall of 1794. Two years after her capture Mr. Davidson made an unsuccessful trip to the Shawnee towns in search of his wife. On his second trip in 1794, he received information from an old Indian as to her whereabouts, and was guided by the Indians to Canada. He stopped one day at a farm house to get dinner, and what followed is thus related by Dr. Bickley: (1)
"When he got into the Canada settlement, he stopped at the house of a wealthy French farmer, to get a meals victuals, and to inquire the way to some place where he had heard she was. He noticed a woman passing him, as he entered the house, but merely bowed to her and went in. Asking for dinner, he seated himself, and was, perhaps, running over in his mind, the chances of finding his wife, when again the woman entered. She laid down her wood, and looked at the stranger steadily for a moment, when she turned to her mistress and said: 'I know that man!'
'Well, who is he?,' said the French lady.
'It is my husband!. Andrew Davidson, I am your wife!'
Mr. Davidson could scarcely believe his senses. When he last saw her, she was a fine, healthy looking woman; her hair was black as coal, but now her head was gray, and she looked many years older than she should have looked. Yet it was her, though he declared nothing but her voice seemed to say she was Rebecca Davdison. Soon the French gentleman returned, and being a humane man, gave up Rebecca to her husband, also a considerable sum of money, and next morning sent them on their way rejoicing. The happily reunited husband and wife returned as quickly as possible to the vicinity of their former home, and settled at the mouth of Abb's Valley on a farm which was owned some ten years ago (1910) by A. C. Davidson. They were so fortunate as to have and raise another family of children, and a number of their descendants are now living in Tazewell County, Virginia, and Mercer County, West Virginia.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Ancestry.com. Public Member Trees: (Note: not considered a reliable primary source).
- USGenweb Archives.
Andrew Davidson's Family Killed
By Emory L. Hamilton
From the unpublished manuscript, Indian Atrocities Along the Clinch, Powell and Holston Rivers, pages 207-209.
On August 23, 1786, the court of Montgomery Co., VA, appointed George Peery, a Captain of militia to replace Captain James Moore who had been killed by the Indians on July 14, 1786. At the same time Joseph Davidson was appointed a Lieutenant in the same company and Andrew Davidson was appointed Ensign.
Pendleton, History of Tazewell County, records the following story of the massacre of the Andrew Davidson family:
In the spring of 1791, Andrew Davidson was living at the head spring of East River, about a half mile below the eastern limits of the city of Bluefield, West Virginia. In addition to himself, his family consisted of his wife Rebecca, his three small children, two girls and a boy, and a "bound" boy and girl named Broomfield. The bound children were very young, between seven and ten years old, and were more in the nature of proteges than servants. Mrs. Davidson was a granddaughter of James Burk from whom Burk's Garden received its name. Mr. Davidson had gone on a business trip to Smithfield, formerly Draper's Meadows and now Blacksburg, Virginia. It was the sugar making season, and a few days after her husbands departure for Smithfield, Mrs. Davidson was busily occupied gathering sugar water from sugar trees close to the house. While she was thus engaged, several Indians, who could speak English, came upon the scene. They told her that she and her children must go with them to their towns in Ohio. She was in a delicate condition, and unfit to undertake the long and fatiguing trip she was required to make.
The Indians went into the house and took such plunder as they wished to carry away, set fire to the cabin, and began their homeward journey with their six prisoners. When they arrived at a point near where Logan Courthouse, West Virginia, is located, Mrs. Davidson gave birth to a child. After allowing the mother a rest of two hours, the march to Ohio resumed. The birth of the child must have been premature, as it was drowned next day by the Indians on account of its feeble condition.
Mrs. Davidson and the captive children were treated with such leniency while they were making the journey, that she became hopeful they would be kindly treated after their arrival at the Indian towns. In this, however, she was sadly disappointed. Soon after their arrival at their towns, the Indians tied the two daughters of Mrs. Davidson to trees, and shot them to death in the presence of their mother. Her son was given to an old squaw for adoption. While crossing a river the old squaw upset her canoe, and the boy, who was with her, was drowned. What became of the Broomfield children was never known, and it is possible they shared the same fate of the girls who were shot.
Mrs. Davidson was sold to a Frenchman, in Canada, in whose family she remained a servant until she was found and rescued by her husband in the fall of 1794. Two years after her capture Mr. Davidson made an unsuccessful trip to the Shawnee towns in search of his wife. On his second trip in 1794, he received information from an old Indian as to her whereabouts, and was guided by the Indians to Canada. He stopped one day at a farm house to get dinner, and what followed is thus related by Dr. Bickley: (1)
"When he got into the Canada settlement, he stopped at the house of a wealthy French farmer, to get a meals victuals, and to inquire the way to some place where he had heard she was. He noticed a woman passing him, as he entered the house, but merely bowed to her and went in. Asking for dinner, he seated himself, and was, perhaps, running over in his mind, the chances of finding his wife, when again the woman entered. She laid down her wood, and looked at the stranger steadily for a moment, when she turned to her mistress and said: 'I know that man!'
'Well, who is he?,' said the French lady.
'It is my husband!. Andrew Davidson, I am your wife!'
Mr. Davidson could scarcely believe his senses. When he last saw her, she was a fine, healthy looking woman; her hair was black as coal, but now her head was gray, and she looked many years older than she should have looked. Yet it was her, though he declared nothing but her voice seemed to say she was Rebecca Davdison. Soon the French gentleman returned, and being a humane man, gave up Rebecca to her husband, also a considerable sum of money, and next morning sent them on their way rejoicing. The happily reunited husband and wife returned as quickly as possible to the vicinity of their former home, and settled at the mouth of Abb's Valley on a farm which was owned some ten years ago (1910) by A. C. Davidson. They were so fortunate as to have and raise another family of children, and a number of their descendants are now living in Tazewell County, Virginia, and Mercer County, West Virginia.
(1) Bickley, History of Tazewell County, VA, 1853.
https://usgenwebsites.org/vagenweb/russell/indian/90.html
- Geneanet.org.
- United States. 1820 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M33).
Name Andrew Davison
[Andrew Davidson]
Enumeration Date 7 Aug 1820
Home in 1820 (City, County, State) Bedford, Tennessee, USA
Free White Persons - Males - Under 10 1
Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 25 2 [b. bet. 1795-1804]
Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over - 1 [added since transcriber did not list properly]
Free White Persons - Females - Under 10 1
Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25 1
Free White Persons - Females - 45 and over 1 [b. 1775 or before]
Slaves - Males - Under 14 1
Slaves - Males - 26 thru 44 5
Slaves - Females - Under 14 2
Slaves - Females - 14 thru 25 2
Slaves - Females - 26 thru 44 1
Number of Persons - Engaged in Commerce 3
Free White Persons - Under 16 2
Free White Persons - Over 25 1
Total Free White Persons 6
Total Slaves 11
Total All Persons - White, Slaves, Colored, Other 17
Note: The transcriber did not list Andrew Davidson in the correct age column.
- United States. 1850 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M432).
Name Andrew Davidson
Gender Male
Race White
Residence Age 90
Birth Date abt 1760
Birthplace Virginia
Residence Date 1850
Home in 1850 District 20, Bedford, Tennessee, USA
Occupation Farmer
Industry Agriculture
Real Estate 3000
Cannot Read, Write Yes
Line Number 10
Dwelling Number 38
Family Number 38
Inferred Spouse Sarah Davidson
Household Members (Name) Age
Andrew Davidson 90
Sarah Davidson 73
Richard Davidson 45
Thomas Davidson 30
Caroline Patton 20
- RootsWeb's WorldConnect Project.
9. Andrew DAVIDSON (John Goolman) was born about 1768 in Tazewell County, Virginia. He died
about 1850 in Bedford County, Tennessee.
Andrew married (1) Rebecca BURKE on 30 Jun 1788 in Montgomery County, Virginia. Rebecca was born
about 1768. She died before 1799.
They had the following children:
29 M i. Reese DAVIDSON.
30 M ii. John DAVIDSON.
Andrew also married (2) Sarah "Sally" MUSE on 2 Nov 1801 in Wythe County, Virginia. Sarah was
born about 1777 in England. She died after 1850 in Bedford County, Tennessee.
They had the following children:
31 M iii. Carlton DAVIDSON.
Carlton married Lucinda FLACK, daughter of Elijah FLACK and Frances, on 8 Nov 1842 in Lincoln County,
Tennessee.
32 M iv. Richard DAVIDSON was born 1805.
+ 33 F v. Martha E. DAVIDSON was born 1807.
34 F vi. Rebecca DAVIDSON was born 1809. She died 1868 in Arkansas.
Rebecca married Andrew Milton MORRISON.
35 M vii. Andrew P. DAVIDSON.
Andrew married Ms FARRAR.
+ 36 M viii. Bluford DAVIDSON was born about 1813 and died 14 Apr 1848.
+ 37 M ix. Hopkins DAVIDSON was born 1816 and died after 1870.
+ 38 M x. Isaac DAVIDSON was born 25 Apr 1816 and died 1850/1860.
39 M xi. Thomas DAVIDSON was born 1820.
https://homepages.rootsweb.com/~genea/Dzjgoolman.html
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