Person:Roger Keys (1)

Name	Roger Keys
Gender	Male
Birth`^?`	Est 1715	Ireland or Scotland
Marriage	Est 1750	to Sarah Adair
Death`^?`	Bef 3 Apr 1781	Lexington, Rockbridge County, Virginia
Probate`^?`	3 Apr 1781	Lexington, Rockbridge County, Virginia

Roger Keys was one of the Early Settlers of Augusta County, Virginia

1 Related
2 Early Land Acquisition in Augusta County, VA
3 Will Extract of Roger Keys
4 Processioning List of 1748 & 1767/68
5 Records in Augusta County, VA
6 Rockbridge County, VA Records
7 Research Notes
8 Sources

Return to Old Augusta County!

……………………..The Tapestry
Families	Old Chester	OldAugusta	Germanna
New River	SWVP	Cumberland	Carolina Cradle
The Smokies	Old Kentucky

[edit]

Analysis. Relationship between John Keys and Roger Keys

[edit]

Early Land Acquisition in Augusta County, VA

Roger Key's land (Borden Tract SE, 400 acres, acquired from John Paul in 1754) as shown on the map meticulously drawn by J.R. Hildebrand, cartographer. This map is copyrighted©, used by permission of John Hildebrand, son of J.R. Hildebrand, April, 2009.

Acquisition of Land from Chalkley's:

Page 295.--15th May, 1754. John Paul to Roger Keys. Benjamin Borden, Sr. had agreed to convey to John McDowell several parcels or tracts of land in Borden's tract to John McDowel and McDowell had covenanted to sell 400 acres to John Paul. Borden and McDowell both died, and Paul brought suit to compel a conveyance, which was decreed, but Benjamin, Jr., died before conveyance; but Archibald Alexander and Magdalen did convey to Paul, 10th April, 1754, now, $12, 400 acres where Benjamin Borden, Jr., and John McDowell lived on a small branch of Mary Creek at a corner in patent line; corner to said John Paul's land; corner to said John Paul and Thomas Paxton, joyner.

[edit]

Will Extract of Roger Keys

Will of Roger Keys, of Rockbridge Co., Va., dated 14 March, 1781, names his wife, Sariah, his sons, Benjamin and John, and his son-in-law, Thomas Haman. [Source: Genealogy Magazine, Ocean Grove, NJ, Vol. 10, No. 2, June 1921].

[edit]

Processioning List of 1748 & 1767/68

"Processioning" was the periodic review and agreement of property lines between settler's lands. Processioning Lists are useful in determining the general area of a settlers lands and their neighbors at specific time periods:

Page 14.--12 April, 1748: Processioners' Returns: Robert Huston and Alex. McClure: Processioned for Wm. Hall, Robert Allison present; 20th January, 1747-8, processioned for John McNab, Baptist McNab present; 20th January 1747-8, processioned for Robert Huston; 28th January, 1747-8, processioned for Charles Hays, Andrew Hays present; processioned for Wm. Givens, Andrew Hays present; 29th January, 1747-8, processioned for John Stevenson, Andrew Stevenson present; 29th January, 1747-8, processioned for Andrew Baxter, Nathaniel Evans present; 29th January 1747-8, processioned for Alex. McCleary, Moses Whiteside present; 30th January, 1747-8, processioned for Mathew Lyle, John Lyle present; 30th January, 1747-8, processioned for John Gray, Mathew Lyle present; 12th February, 1747-8, processioned for John Pater Sally, Michael Finney present; 10th March, 1747-8, processioned for John Paul, Roger Kays present.

Page 450.--1767-68: Processioned by John Pall, John Lyle: For John Keys, John Parks, Robert Caruthers, Roger Keys, Jno. Paul, John Hays, Thomas Willson, David Williamson, Jno. Boid, Thomas Boid, Walter Smiley, Jno. Clemans, James McClung, Wm. Alexander, John Lusk, James Ritchey, Jno. Sloan, Joseph Alexander.

[edit]

Records in Augusta County, VA

From Chalkley’s Augusta County Records:

Vol. 1 - MARCH 10, 1745/6. - (21) Ephraim McDowell committed to answer Roger Keys.

Vol. 1 - SEPTEMBER 17, 1746. - (106) Roger Keys bound to peace towards James Greenlee.

1748 - Roger Keys and Sarah his wife, win a slander suit against Ephraim McDowell. John Lyle is a witness. ["A History of Rockbridge County, Virginia", by Oren Frederic Morton, pg. 55].

Page 122.--12th November, 1748. Benj. Borden to Hugh Cunningham. Teas Creek; corner John Carr. Teste: Josias Linn, Roger Keys, Robert Erwin.

Page 376.--29th November, 1749. Henry Martin, of East Jersey, to B. Borden, 674 acres. Corner John and James McDowell. Teste: John and Mathew Lyle, Roger Keys, Robert Losk.

1753 - Communicants at Timber Ridge Church - John Keys, Roger Keys. ["A History of Rockbridge County, Virginia", by Oren Frederic Morton, pg. 459].

Page 257.--8th March, 1753. Borden, &c., to Alexander Craighead, late of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 1753. Cor. Richard Woods; cor Peter Wallace, 553 acres of 92100 sold in testator's lifetime. Cap. Lapsley's line. Teste: Roger and John Keyes, Nathaniel Evins

Page 1.--30th March. 1753. Benjamin Borden's will, Gent. Stepsons, Saml. McDowell and James McDowell. Stepdaughter, Sarah McDowell. Wife. Magdalen. Negro wench named Moll. Daughter, Martha; daughter, Hannah. Executors, John Lyie. Archibald Alexander, and wife, Magdalen. Father. Benj. Borden. Brothers. Brother, Joseph. Teste: Roger Keys, John Keys, Jacob Gray. Proved, 21st November, 1753, by all witnesses. John Lyle refuses to execute, others qualify, with sureties John Lyle. Andrew Hays, Thos. Paxton.

Page 22.--6th February, 1754. Benj. Borden's appraisement, by Jno. Paxton. Daniel Lyle, John McAkee. James Trimble. Due by Jacob Gray. Roger Keys.

Page 62.--4th May, 1754. John Wilson's will, farmer--To son James Wilson (infant), 400 acres adjoining Duncan's line, and field commonly called Patterson's; to William (infant); to wife Anne; daughter Mary to live with her step-mother until of age; daughter Agness. Executors, Roger Keys and wife Anne. Teste: Alex. McMullen. Esther McMullen, Sarah Keys. Proved, 21st August, 1754, by Esther and Sarah. Roger Keys refuses to execute, and Anne qualifies, with sureties Roger Keys, Thomas Storey. (Note: John Wilson and Roger Keys noth married daughters of William Adair).

Page 102.--20th May, 1755. Borden's executors (Magdalen Bowyer, relict and administratrix of John McDowell, late of Orange County, and mother of Samuel McDowell, an orphan under 21 years, being eldest son and heir-at-law of said John McDowell to said Samuel McDowell under the tuition of his guardian, Richard Woods, Gent.). Benjamin, Sr., had agreed to sell in his lifetime to Jno. McDowell. John entered the land under the agreement. John was killed by Indians. John had had the land surveyed by Borden's surveyor, John Hart; contained 1,359 acres; of this, John McDowell had covenanted to sell to John Paul 400 acres, whereupon Paul and others brought suit, vs. Samuel, for title. Decree, 22d August, 1752. Conveys all residue of the 1,359 acres whereon John lived; Roger Key's land, John Lyle's line; Mathew Lyle's corner, 959 acres. Delivered: Samuel McDowell, March, 1764.

Vol. 1 - FEBRUARY 17, 1762. - (156) Rob. Armstrong is appointed guardian of Lydia, James and Jane Armstrong orphans of James Armstrong. William Wilson, orphan of John Wilson, chose Roger Keys his guardian. Church Wardens to bind out John and Christian Stiffey, Walter, James and Francis Dunn. Children of Philip Hoofman to be bound out. Commission for examination of Rachel, wife of Andrew Kerr. John Stuart, orphan of James Stuart, to be bound out.

Page 242.--17th February, 1762. Roger Keys' bond (with Samuel and James McDowell) as guardian (chosen) to William Wilson, orphan of John Wilson.

Page 395.--20th September, 1763. John Bowyer and Magdalen to James McDowell, £200, Rogers Keys' line, James Greenlee's line, Samuel McDowell's line. Delivered: Samuel McDowell, May, 1773.

Page 294.--17th October. 1763. William Adair's will--Daughter, Sarah Keys; to Roger Keys; to John Keys; to Saml. Keys; to Benj. Keys; to Sarah Keys; to Margaret Keys; to Wm. Wilson, Ann Poage, Nancy Wilson, the note of James Park, the money due by David Dredan; to Alex. McMolan; to Wm. McMolan; to William Wolson; to Ann Poage and Easter McMolan, Easter McMolan Poage, Ann Poage Baxter; to John Rays, whom I appoint executor. "Wolison on ye Sacrament." Executors, Roger Keys. Teste: John Paul, Sarah Keys, Margt. Keys. Proved, 15th November, 1763, by the witnesses. Executor qualified, with John Paul. (Note: apparently Roger Key's wife is Sarah Adair).

1778 - Tithables in Rockbridge County - Keys, Benjamin; Keys, Roger; Keys, Samuel. ["A History of Rockbridge County, Virginia", by Oren Frederic Morton, pg. 366].

1782 - Taxpayers in Rockbridge County - Keys, Samuel; Keys, Sarah. ["A History of Rockbridge County, Virginia", by Oren Frederic Morton, pg. 373]. (Note: Roger Keys had died the prior year).

[edit]

Rockbridge County, VA Records

Rockbridge County, Virginia. Deed book B. p.41.

17 March 1789 - John Keis / Keys and Agness his wife of Washington Co., VA, for one part and Samuel Keys of Rockbridge for the other part. For 50 pounds paid by Samuel Keys for 136 acres in Rockbridge Co. formerly the property of Roger Keis and at his death descended to the said John Keis and his heir at law, adj. the Borden patent line, Keys.

Signed: John Keys

Witnesses: John Evans, Matt’w Lyle, James Lyle

Recorded: April 1789 - Adam Freem DCT

Recorded: 1 June 1790 - above deed further proven by oath of Matthew Lyle as witness.

A. Keis DCT

[edit]

Research Notes

From Rootsweb.com post:

From: Shirley Folston <sfolston@digisys.net> Subject: Re: Adair, Sarah Date: Mon, 16 Feb 1998 22:56:57 -0700

Hi,

The adair that I am researching is Sarah, married Roger KEYS. We have been told that Roger was from Northern Ireland. I am not sure if Sara was also and they were married when they came to Virginia or if Roger met her in Virginia. We have also been told that he was in Pennsylvania before coming to Washington County, Virginia. Their children were born in Augusta , Virginia and Washington County, Virginia:

Samuel Keys married Esther Lyle abt. 1776

Margaret Keys married George McCawder

Sarah Keys married Thomas Hammond

Benjamin keys born abt 1754 Washington county, Virginiam married Elizabeth Stewart.

Benjaman and Elizabeth are the couple that we trace back to.

Does this fit in with anyone's research?

Shirley Folston

[edit]