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Thomas Flora, Jr., of Hampshire Co., [W]VA
Facts and Events
Records in Maryland
- 2 Feb 1761; Thomas Flora patented 50 acres called "Flora's Choice" located on the Potomoc River about two miles below Sideling Hill Creek in the western-most part of Washington County, then in Frederick County, which he sold in 1773 to Robert Flora. Ancestry.com
- 25 Oct 1805: Land Records of Allegany County, Maryland Book D Page 437 continued wittness's were John Weatherington of Hampshire County, Va,(W. Va) who swore that as a hired man to William Lynn, former owner of "Linns Purchase" he could point out a boundry. Ignatius Beavins of Allegany County, Maryland swore that about 18 years ago, he was at the house of Charles Hettrick with Thomas Darnel and at that time was shown a boundry. Thomas Flora of Hampshire County, Va.(W. Va) aged about 69 years swore that about 34 years ago, that one See (Lee?) employed him and one John McDonald to carry the chain for a survey and he could point out a boundry. Advertisements were placed on the door of the Allegany County Courthouse and at Joseph Clarkes, Basil Bevins and Samuel Osmans announcing the meeting for marking the boundry of "Linns Purchase". Recorded October 25, 1805 John J, Bugh and Christian Deetz of Allegany County bind themselves to John Eckhart for the full sum of $240 for the negro girl, Jill. Recorded October 23, 1805. Source: Western Maryland Historical Library
Records in Virginia
- 1795: Hampshire County, VA Deed: Lewis Throckmorton to Thomas Flora. [Source: Early Records, Hampshire County, Virginia: Now West Virginia, pg. 69].
- 27 Sept 1800; Hampshire County, VA Deed: John Friend of Hampshire Co., to Thomas Flora of Hampshire Co.. Recorded 27 Sep 1800. Wit: Joseph Flora, Gabriel Friend, Margaret Flora, Archibald Flora. [Source: Early Records, Hampshire County, Virginia: Now West Virginia, pg. 21].
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References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Ancestry.com. Public Member Trees: (Note: not considered a reliable primary source).
- .
- RootsWeb's WorldConnect Project.
(8) FLORA, THOMAS, JR. Born 1735-1736 according to a deposition made in Allegany County (Maryland) Court in which he stated in October of 1805 that he was aged around 69 years. See Allegany County Maryland Records, Book D, page 437.
From Early Allegany County (Maryland) Records, Vol. I., compiled by Margaret Curst and Helen Straw, Cresap Chapter, DAR, 1964, page 53, it is learned that Thomas Flora's wife was named Prudence and that he and his wife were Dunkard Baptists. In this deposition they swore that in their presence on 18 Oct. 1790 William Biggerstaff asked John Puraley (Percell?) if he wished his estate to be given to his housekeeper, Jean Flora; and he answered "yes." In subsequent records of the administration of John Puraley's estate, his name is spelled Percell/Persall and Jean Flora is referred to as "Jane." It is not now known who Jean/Jane Flora was. Thomas and Prudence had no daughters by that name unless it is an unknown middle name.
Thomas Flora, Jr., is named in a land record of Frederick County, Maryland, when he was assigned fifty acres of land "by virtue of an assignment of a warrant . . . from Thomas Mills . . ." the tract was called "Flora's Choice" and was bounded by the Potomac River about two miles below the mouth of the Sideling Hill Creek. This description places this tract in the western-most part of present day Washington County, Maryland, then in Frederick County. This transaction was dated 2 Feb. 1761. See Land Records, Vols. BC & GS #22, Maryland Hall of Records, pages 296-301. This part of western Maryland was devastated by the Indians during the French and Indian Wards, 1754-1763. Thomas sold this tract to Robert Flora on 24 August 1773. See Frederick County, Maryland, Land Records, Book U, pages 1-3.
On 9 June 1770, Thomas "Flowers" of Frederick County, Maryland, received a patent of forty acres called "Better Than Mount Misery." See Land Office Patents BC & GS 48, pages 34 and 35. Thomas Flora and his family were in Hampshire County, Virginia, by 1782 when he is on the Virginia tax records. Early maps of Morgan County, Virginia, show "Flora's Mills" on the Potomac River just west of the present day town of Paw Paw. Morgan County was organized from Hampshire and Berkeley Counties, Virginia (now West Virginia), in 1820. According to Morgan County historians, "Flora's Mills" were saw mills powered by the waters of the Potomac River. Some descendants of Thomas Flora continue to live in this area after more than two hundred years. To date land records have not been found in Hampshire County for Thomas Flora for the years 1770-1782, but several land transactions have been found after 1782.
Lewis Throckmorton conveyed 37 1/2 acres to Thomas Flora, both of Hampshire County, Virginia, as recorded 13 April 1795. Witnesses were Jacob Flora, Jacob Chrisman, and Mary Chrisman. See Hampshire County, Virginia, Deed Book 12, page 217. The last two witnesses were daughter and son of Thomas. Margaret Flora married Basil Athy; and their first child, Elijah, was born 2 October 1802. Therefore, this record pinpoints Margaret's marriage date as no earlier than 27 September 1800 and probably no later than January 1802.
In June of 1782, Thomas Flora was taxed on 110 acres in Hampshire County, Virginia. See Hampshire County, Virginia, Land Book, 1782-1797, State Auditor's Office, Charleston, West Virginia. By 1796, Thomas Flora was taxed on 110 acres and 17 1/2 acres. In 1801 he was taxed on 110, 37 1/2, and 91 acres. By 1809 the 91 acres had been dropped from the Flora tax record.
From Land Records of Allegany County, Maryland, Book D., page 437, 25 October 1805: "Samuel Osman of Allegany County, having lost his original deed to a tract of land in Allegany County known as "Linns Purchase," asks a commission consisting of Orvil McCracken, William Sherecliff, James Tidball, Jennings Beckwith, and John Devilbliss of Allegany County to cause a resurvey on said land with sworn wittness to testify as to boundary lines. The witnesses were: John Weatherington of Hampshire County, Va. (W. Va.), who swore that as a hired man to William Lynn, former owner of "Linn's Purchase," he could point out a boundary. Ignatius Bevins of Allegany County, Maryland, swore that about 18 years ago he was at the house of Charles Hettrick with Thomas Darnel and at that time was shown a boundary. Thomas Flora of Hampshire County, Va. (W.Va.), aged about 69 years, swore that about 34 years ago one See (Lee?) employed him and one John McDonald to carry the chain for a survey and that he could point out a boundary. Advertisements were placed on the door of the Allegany Court House and at Joseph Clarkes, Basil Bevins and Samuel Osmans announcing the meeting for marking the boundary of "Linn's Purchase."
Thomas Flora appears on the 1810 Hampshire County, Virginia, Census. He must have died ca. 1811-1812 as 1811 was the last year in which taxes were paid in his name. In 1812 Thomas Flora's heirs paid tax on 110 and 37 1/2 acres "adjoining Eleanor McDonald" on the Potomac River. These tax records continue through 1819.
In 1820 Morgan County was established from Hampshire and Berkeley Counties, but the county lines dividing Hampshire and Berkeley Counties were not established until a year or two later.
In 1822 Prudence "Flower" paid taxes in Morgan County, Virginia, on 137 acres (10 acres missing?), 13 miles west of Bath (Berkeley Springs). The land was valued at $15 per acre; buildings were valued at $200; total valuation was $2,055; and tax was $1.85. Prudence Flora/Flower/Flourer continued to pay taxes on the above tract(s) through 1839, but the distance from Bath was corrected to 16 miles southwest of Bath (Bath now called Berkeley Springs).
Starting in 1840, the same tract was listed as owned by the "eleven heirs" of Thomas Flora." On the 1830 census the home of Absalom Flora had a female listed as 80-90 years of age. It can be concluded from these records that Prudence Flora, wife of Thomas, died in 1839 or 1840 at nearly 100 years of age.
Between 1840 and 1870, Absalom Kesler, son of Rachel Kesler, daughter of Thomas and Prudence Flora, acquired all of the 1/11 shares of the heirs of Thomas Flora as in demonstrated in the following records.
From Morgan Co. Order Book, Vol. 2, April Term of Court, pages 226 & 227: The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad applied to the court of Morgan County "for the appointment of commissioners to assess the damages . . . sustained by the landowners hereinafter named," followed by groupings of landowners who lived near each other and the date when the commissioners would view the land to determine the amount of damages done by the construction of the railroad. Once such group named these Floras: Basil Athy and wife, Abijah Flora; Absalom Flora; Archibald Flora; Isaac Flora; heirs of Joseph Flora (Joseph died in 1833 in Richland County, Ohio, per his will, leaving his wife Rachel and children Deborah; Susan; Catherine; Alexander N.; Archibald Flora; and Nancy Flora ( wife of John Kline); Philip Hartley and wife; Rachel Kesler; Thomas Tarvin and wife; and Sarah Warfield. Viewing date set at 18 May 1839. This list seems to include ten of the eleven heirs of Thomas Flora. For some unaccountable reason, in the advertisement of the Martinsburg Gazette of Feb. 20, 1839, page 2, column 6, which preceded the court hearings the names of Ann Smith and husband Jacob are omitted but are in a later land record where they conveyed their share of Thomas Flora's estate to Absalom Kesler. Adding Ann Smith to the above list completes it to the "eleven heirs of Thomas Flora."
From Morgan County Will Book I: Will of Absalom Flora, dated 27 Dec. 1839, proved and recorded 24 Feb. 1840. Leaves $50 to William J. Flora when he reaches age 17 (Probably Japer Flora of later records). Bequeaths equal shares after the $50 to his sister, Rachel Kesler; brother, Archibald; sister Ann Smith; and niece, Mary Flora (this would be Isaac's daughter). Absalom Kesler was one of the witnesses.
From Morgan County Deeds, Vol 3, page 216, 11 Oct. 1841: Thomas Tarvin and Deborah, his wife, of Campbell Co., KY, for $40 paid in hand, convey an undivided tract of land of the estate of Thomas Flora . . . to Adam Kesler . . . etc.
The Commonwealth of Thomas Tarvin
Kentucky, Campbell Co. Deborah Tarvin (both signed)
From Morgan County Deed Book 3, pages 409-411, 18 Dec. 1843: Samuel Stump conveyed the 1/11 share in Thomas Flora's estate belonging to Basil Athy and his wife Margaret, "daughter of Thomas Flora, deceased," to Absalom Kesler. This was in settlement of a note given by Basil Athy and wife in 1825 in which they gave as security their shares in the estates of John Athy, father of Basil, and Thomas Flora, father of Margaret.
From Morgan County Deed Book I, page 152, 24 Dec. 1843: Rachel Kesler, formerly Rachel Flora, daughter of Thomas Flora, . . . assigns . . . her right and title to said lands of Thomas Flora to Absalom Kesler, also her right to 1/4 of 88 acres, . . . her portion in Absalom Flora's Will.
her
Rachel X Kessler mark
From Morgan County Deed Book 4, page 399, 25 June 1847: Jacob Smith and Ann his wife sold to Absalom Kessler their 1/11 part of two tracts of land Thomas Flora died seized of, the said Ann being a daughter and one of the eleven legal heirs of Thomas Flora deceased, and the said Ann, being a sister to Absalom Flora, who made a will . . . convey to Absalom Kesler her 1/4 share in 88 1/4 acres, etc.
Jacob X Smith
Ann Smith
From Morgan County Deed Book 4, page 442, 25 Oct. 1847: William Thompson (Sheriff of Morgan County) sold at the door of the courthouse the property of William Harmison (Evidently for unpaid taxes). Harmison's property consisted of (among others) one fourth part of 88 1/2 acres of land conveyed to him by Mary Flora, together with her interest in the lands of Thomas Flora deceased. In an earlier deed, dated 25 Feb. 1846, William Harmison is named as the buyer of the above land sold to him by Mary Flora, who identified herself as the only child of Isaac Flora, deceased. She conveyed to Harmison the 1 /11 share of her father in the estate of Thomas Flora, and the 1/4 interest in the 88 1/4 acres given her by the will of Absalom Flora, deceased. (She is named as Absalom Flora's niece in his will.)
By 1850 these shares of Thomas Flora's estate had been sold: Deborah Tarvin, Margaret Athy, Isaac Flora (by his daughter Mary), Ann Smith and Rachel Kesler - all bought by Rachel Kesler's son Absalom Kesler. Six shares then remained unsold, designated on the tax books as "6/11 of the two tracts of land of the estate of Thomas Flora." It is so designated until 1870 when it disappears from the tax books. In 1865 "paid by Absalom Kesler" is scrawled across the tax entry. Very likely Absalom Kesler acquired the last 6/11 of the land by paying taxes due on it. The six shares so lost would have been those of : Archibald's (dead by 1850), Absalom's (dead by 1840), Sarah Warfield's, Abijah's (dead by 1840), Ruth Hartley's (disappeared from census and probably dead by 1850), and Joseph's (dead by 1833). So little would have come to each heir of those six, it probably was not worthwhile for them to take the legal steps to claim their shares. Thus, after 60 years, Thomas Flora's estate finally came to a close.
Thomas and Prudence Flora's children were (probably not in order of birth): Abijah, married Margaret ______; Isaac, married (?); Joseph, married Rachel _______; Deborah, married Thomas Tarvin; Rachel, married John Kesler; Sarah, married Sylvester (or Sylvanus) Warfield; Ruth, married Philip Hartley; Margaret, married Basil Athy; Ann, married Jacob Smith; Archibald, married Barbara Hardy; and Absalom.
http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~florey/genealogy/thomas.html
- Jackson, Ron V. Virginia, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1607-1890.
Name: Thomas Flora
State: VA
County: Hampshire County
Township: 13 00
Year: 1782
Record Type: Continental Census
Page: 27
Database: VA Early Census Index
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