Eleanor (Ellender) Mayfield - Wife of James
Some Mayfield researchers, most notably Marymaud Killen Carter, have concluded that Ellender was James's second wife, formerly the wife of a man named John Connors. This is a possibility; however, upon further reflection, I conclude that there is no real evidence to support this. One of James's sons, Elijah Mayfield (born 10 June 1762), in his Revolutionary War Pension Application (Case # S2754), mentions his "parents" as having removed from Amherst County VA to Montgomery County VA when he was about 12 years of age, i. e., in the year 1774, making no mention of a step-mother. Also, a 1799 Jefferson County KY marriage bond cites a certain Eleanor Mayfield, "daughter of James," as marrying a certain John Sharp [see Jefferson County Marriage Book 1, page 33]. This Eleanor is probably a granddaughter, not a daughter, of James Mayfield (d. 1780). Even so, use of the name Eleanor by James's son, James Jr., implies a blood relationship, not a step-mother.
The maiden name of James Mayfield's wife is unknown. However, due to the use of the Scottish or Scotch-Irish name, Southerland (sometimes spelled Sutherland, Southerlin, etc.), for one of his sons, a reasonable speculation is that the wife's surname was used. This is a frequently occurring naming custom during colonial times. The Southerlands are a well-known Scottish Highland Clan; however, few Highanders were resident in the areas of Virginia lived in by the Mayfield. Conversely, "Southerland" is also a frequently occurring surname among the Scotch-Irish (Scots who migrated to America from Northern Ireland), as is the prenom Eleanor. In fact, the name Eleanor is more commonly used by the Scotch-Irish than by the English.
