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Facts and Events
John Davidson was one of the Early Settlers of Augusta County, Virginia
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Early Land Acquisition in Augusta County, VA
Land Grant Surveys in Virginia:
- Page 90 - John Davison, 225 acres, Dry River. Adjoining Abraham Smith, Stephenson. November 6, 1767. [Abstract of Land Grant Surveys, 1761-1791, Augusta & Rockingham Counties, Virginia, by Peter Cline Kaylor, pg. 33].
Disposition of Land from Chalkley's:
- Page 156.--15th November, 1768. John Davison and Martha to James Dunn, £33, 225 acres on a branch of Dry River of Shanandore; Abraham Smith's line, corner on Stevenson's land. Delivered: Ben. Forsythe, April, 1777.
Will Transcript
- Will of John Goolman Davidson:
- In the name of god, Amen. July 1791. I John Davidson of Wythe County and state of Virginia being very sick and weak in body but in and of perfect mind and memory thanks be given god calling unto mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die do make and ordain this my last will and testament that is to say principally and first of all I give and recommend my sole unto the hand of almighty god that gave it and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in decent Christian burial at the discretion of my executors nothing doubting but at the general resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God and a touching such world by estate wherewith it hath pleased god to bless me in this life I give and devise & dispose of the same in the following manner and form:
- First I give and bequeath to my sons Andrew, John and George Davidson my land at the mouth of Absolam Wells counting 400 akers to be devided betwixt them as follows George Corner to stand at the medow and run ther a long the old line to the corner at the pounding Mill brench and then to the creek to be the line from that through and the remainder part of said land to be divided betixt and in quantity and quantity likewise I bequeath a tract of myne lying on the brushey Fork kknown by the nam of the quekers Cabans to John Burk
- Likewise I bequeth to my dought[er] Betse a tract of myne lying of the head waters of Lortons lick creek likewise I do bequeath to Marthew my beloved wife the plantation on which I now reside which I bought of my son William Davidson to be for her seport if shee thinks proper to keep house upon it if not to disspose of the same to George Peery or John Bele for or at its vallue and to take his mentanens out of the same land likewise I do bequeth my tow sons John & George my still and my wife the thirds of the profits maid by hir while shee lives
- Likewise I bequeth to my sons Wm & Jossph Davidson one Englis[h] Crown Starling apees to George Preery, Lo Brown and John Belle to eatch of them I bequeath one Crown Starling to be leved out of my astat and I dow hair by utterly disallow revoke and disavowel all and every other other former testaments will Legacies bequest and executors by me in any wise before naimed weill and bequethed Ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament in witness thereof I have hair unto set my hand and seal this 22nd day of July inthe year of our Lord 1791
- (signed) John Davidson
- Signed Sealed pblished pronounced and declared by the sd John Davidson as his last will and testament inthe presents of us who in his presents and the presence of each other have hair until subscribed our names.
- Robert Wallace, David Wallace
- At a Court held for the County of Wythe on tuesday the 3rd day of June 1795. This the last will and Testament of John Davidson Dec'd was exhibited in Court & proven by the oaths of Robert Wallace and David Wallace the witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded.
- Teste: Samuel Crockett, D.C.
Granite Monument
Inscription: "John Goolman Davidson, Scotch-Irish Pioneer, Killed Here By Indians, March 8, 1793."
References
- ↑ International Genealogical Index. ( The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint, 1999-2008).
- Ancestry.com. Public Member Trees: (Note: not considered a reliable primary source).
The earliest permanent settlers of the Bluefield (W.) Virginia area were the Davidsons. John Goolman Davidson was born 1729 or before in Scotland or Ireland. He migrated to Pennsylvania from County Down, Ireland, between 1759 and 1762. From Pennsylvania the Davidsons moved to Augusta County, Virginia, purchasing land on Dry River. They then moved to Jackson's River, and soon afterward to Crab Creek of New River. In 1775, John contracted with the Loyal Company to buy 124 acres on Cover Creek (Beaver Pond) in present day Tazewell County, VA.
Davidson's wife was Martha. Some have said her maiden name was Draper, but I have seen no proof. If it is so, it is quite likely she was related to the family of Draper's Meadow, though apparently not one of the children of George & Eleanor Draper.
John G. Davidson, a cooper (thus his nickname "Cooper" Davidson) settled at Beaver Pond Spring and, with Richard Bailey, built what became known as the Davidson-Bailey Fort in 1776 for protection against the Indians. The fort was located not far from the present site of Bluefield College just inside the Tazewell County line.
Davidson's nearest neighbors were Captain James Moore in Abbs Valley, 12 miles; Mitchell Clay on Clover Bottom, 12 miles; Compton on Clear Fork, 8 miles; and Wright on the head of Bluestone at Springville, 8 miles away.
Although the family spent the major portion of their lives defending the frontier for their families and neighbors, neither William nor Joseph, two of his sons received a pension from the Revolutionary War. (See pension application of Joseph)
John G. Davidson owned several tracts of land in and around Wright's Valley between Stony Ridge and Valley Ridge, stretching from Graham 3 or 4 miles eastward. The city of Bluefield, W.Va., is built on land patented by Davidson in 1774. A home, built by his son Joseph in 1811, still stands. The two-story cabin was moved from its original site in 1939 to make room for the Park Central School. It is now located in the city park near Bluefield College.
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~rlylebrown/biodavid.html
- Johnston, David E. (David Emmons). A history of middle New River settlements and contiguous territory. (Huntington).
John Goolman Davidson had with his family resided for some time preceding his removal to the Beaver Pond spring with Richard Bailey in 1780, at Smithfield (Draper's Meadow). While living there, a man by the name of Rice had stolen a hog from him, for which he was apprehended, convicted and sentenced to receive and did receive on his bare back well laid on forty lashes, save one. Rice was so enraged at Davidson, that he vowed he would have revenge, if he had to bring the Indians upon him.
Mr. Davidson having some unfinished business at his former home in the valley of Virginia, Rockbridge County, among others, the collection of some eight hundred dollars due him, determined upon a visit to the valley to close up his business and get his money. As was not unusual when some one was going from the frontier into the settlements, it was noised throughout the neighborhood, that Mr. Davidson was going to make the journey. In the month of February, 1793, Mr. Davidson set out on horseback, reached his destination safely, settled his business, collected his money, and started on his way homeward, having with him an extra horse which he was leading. He came over the usual route of travel to Rocky gap, was seen to pass south of that point by a family residing near the pathway.
Richard Bailey had given to his youngest son, Henry, a small calf, which had been turned out with the other cattle in the range. The calf failing to come up to the fort with the other cattle on the evening of March 8, Mr. Bailey told his son that it might have gotten mired in some swampy land down the creek, and that he must get up very early the next morning, and go look for it. The boy rose early, called his bear dogs, and set off down the Beaver Pond Creek in the direction of where Graham, Virginia, is now located. Not finding the calf on his outward trip, he left the Buffalo trail on his way back and was passing up through the swampy bottom land when his dogs suddenly raised their bristles; the boy supposing it was probably a wolf, rushed forward to see the fight, and looking along the path he saw a body of men and horses, which so alarmed him, that he fled to the fort and reported what he had seen. An older brother, Micajah, gathered his rifle and followed the party far enough to discover that it was a body of Indians. He immediately returned to the fort, spread the alarm, and Major Robert Crockett, then on the head of the Clinch, gathered a party of men, and followed the Indians whose camp late one evening he discovered on the large island at the mouth of Island Creek, just across the river from where now stands Logan Court House, W. Va.
After carefully reconnoitering the position, Major Crockett decided to have the men lay on their arms that night, and make the attack at break of day. He had observed that the Indians had hobbled their horses and turned them out on the island to graze. On the morning of the 15th of March, Major Crockett had his men up and arranged for the attack by the time it was light enough to see. He told his men that the Indians would be astir early, that while some were preparing breakfast, one or more would come out to round up the horses and drive them into camp. His instructions were for his men to wait for the horse drivers to start them toward the camp, and to then quietly follow them into camp and make the attack. Crockett had with him a man by the name of Gid Wright, who when the advance began, was thrown close to one of the Indians engaged in driving the horses, and who took a severe Buck Ague as the back-woodsmen term it, (extreme case of nervousness), and he fired at the Indian missing him, but alarming the camp, so that the whole Indian party took flight. John Bailey ran close enough as the Indians were leaving to kill one of them, but the rest escaped. Among the number of horses captured was one recognized as belonging to Mr. Davidson, and the one which he had ridden from home, and on which was his saddle, with one brass stirrup missing. The party immediately determined that Mr. Davidson had been killed by this gang.
As soon as the party reached the settlement, they sent out men along the path leading through Bailey's gap in East River mountain, and on to the Laurel fork of Clear fork of Wolf Creek, and through Rocky Gap, finding on the path on the mountain a hat band recognized as belonging to Mr. Davidson's hat. On inquiry it was found that Mr. Davidson had passed the settlements south of Rocky gap before noon on the 8th and it was discovered at an old waste place at the mouth of Clear fork, that he had there fed his horses. Further investigation at the point where the path left the Lauel fork starting up the mountain, evidence appeared of the blade of a hatchet having been struck into a white oak tree, and that a gun had rested on the hatchet, and near by on the bark of a beech tree was freshly cut the name of "Rice", and under the root of the tree on the side of the creek, where the water had washed away the earth, the nude body of Mr. Davidson was found, so far advanced in decomposition it could not be removed to his home, and was buried near by where it was found and where it still remains.
The searching party for Mr. Davidson's body found evidences on the ground that satisfied them that Mr. Davidson, had upon being shot from the tree where the blade of the hatchet had been buried, fallen from his horse which took fright and ran out into the brush and vines on the creek bottom, by which one of the brass stirrups had been pulled off. No doubt remains but that Rice and his party got the $800 which Mr. Davidson had with him when killed.
Several years after the killing, Captain William Stowers, then a lad of some fifteen years, while plowing in the bottom where Mr. Davidson was killed, found a brass stirrup which was recognized by the family of Mr. Davidson as one belonging to his saddle, and missing therefrom when his horse and saddle were recovered by Major Crockett and his men on March 15, 1793.
- Ancestry.com. Public Member Trees: (Note: not considered a reliable primary source).
- JOHN GOOLMAN DAVIDSON and MARTHA DRAPER
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