Sarah Jane Gholson

Notes:

http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/g/h/o/Linda-K-Gholsonhoffine/GENE1-0003.html

SARAH3 GHOLSON (ANTHONY2, ANTHONY1) was born 1745, and died Aft. 1779. She married CHARLES POWELL 1765 in Spotsylvania Co., Virginia.

Notes for SARAH GHOLSON:
Sarah"s father was Anthony Gholson, Jr. and his wife Jane. Her mother was Mary Sandrifge the daughter of William and Ann Sandridge of Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Sarah was named for her grandmother, Sarah Jane Gholson. Anthony Gholson, JR. married Mary Sandridge probably around 1744. Sarah grew up in St. George's Parish, in Spotsylvania County, next to the Sandridge family. Her father kept this land until June 4,1764, when he sold it to Peter Marye, so Sarah probably spent most of her childhood in this area. Her father, Anthony Gholson, Jr. was not a wealthy plantation owner but rather a moderatlely well off planter. He owned several slaves, research indicates his wife's family was somewhat better situated financially.
Spotyslvania County was still back country when Sarah was growing up and raising her own children there. The fall line ran through this piedmont county, distinguishing it from the tidewater counties in Virginia.
In general, piedmont country was more sparsly settled than the coastal areas, with more wilderness, fewer less well-maintained roads, and less ready access to commodity markets.
Sarah Gholson married Charles Powell by early 1765, if not before. Her first child, a daughter named Agatha, was born Novemeber 3, 1765. Sarah says Charles Powell owned only a horse and wearing apparel when they were married. As she owned the 100 acres of farmland William Sandridge willed her, it seems likely Charles and Sarah lived on this land when they were first married. Her father probably moved to Louisa County after he sold his land in 1764, but since Louisa is a bordering county to Spotyslvania. I doubt they lived far from each other.
Sarah gave birth to five more children at this Spotsylvania homestead: Lucy in 1767, Anthony, her first son which she names for her father, in 1769, Rhoda in 1772, Charles, Jr. in 1774, and Lewis in 1776. Charles and Sarah sold this landon July 22, 1776. Charles served in Captain Stubblefield's company of the Spotsylvania Militia and signed a petition to the legislature on November 14, 1776 with this company. Anthony Gholson, Jr. bought 225 acres of land in Halifax County on February 10,1777. They must have moved to Halifax County between these two dates.
By the time of this move, Sarah had two daughters old enough to help with the household. Agatha, twelve years old, and Lucy, ten years old. Anthony, at eight years old , was probably just beginning to help his father in the fields. If Charles and Sarah did noy already own slaves, it is likely her father's slaves helped Sarah with her work.
In Halifax County, Charles and Sarah may have lieved with her parents. Her Father died in 1779, leaving his land to his wife durning her lifetime, and to his youngest son, Dabney after her death. Dabney would have been only about 10 years old at theis time and Charles Powell may have managed the land for the widow Mary Gholson. From the early tax lists of Halifax County, it is evident that Charles at least lived close to Mary Gholson. From recourds found in james M. Black's book, I believe Mary Gholson's land bordered the south side of the Dan River in the western part of Halifax County.
Halifax County was also piedmont land and was even more primitive tha Spotsylvania County. Since Anthony and Charles were surely tobacco farmers, and tobacco wore out the land so quickly, they likely moved to Halifax to obtain fresh tobacco farming land. It could be that they moved to distance themselves from the intense action of the Revolutionary War. It seems significate to me that we find so many names of Spotyslvania families in Halifax County with our family. Several families must have made this move together for some reason. Spotsylvania was first settled in the early 1700's, but Halifax although it had been inhabited by colonist for over 25 years, was still thinly populated in 1777.
A HISTORY OF HALIFAX COUNTY GIVES THIS ACCOUNT OF LIVING __CONDITIONS
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"This was "back Country", remote from Tidewater, in a day of difficult travel. Our planters lived of necessity on the simple scale. All mercantile goods had to come overland from Petersburg, some seventy miles or more away, and all tobacco had to find it's way back there. many large tracts of land had been taken up years before by great landowners of Tidewater. The land was rich in promise; there were broad and fertile river lowgrounds, and creek bottoms , as well. But the problem of the planter was to get his produce to market, and this was always to be a determining factor in the history of our economy.
A traveler who visited Mecklenburg County on the eve of the Revolution, Dr. John F. D. Symthe, wrote of the back country people:
A planter raises his own meats, beef, and bacon, his own corn and bread, his drink, cider, and brandy, his fruit, apples, peaches, ect. and great part of his clothing, which is cotton.
He has no market to repair but the nearest store;which chiefly supplies him with finery,articles for agriculture, and what else may be his staple produce, and is always in arrears.
The houses here are almost always all of wood, covered with the same; the roof with shingles, the sides and ends with thin boards, and not always lathed and plastered within; only those of the better sort are finished in that manner, and painted on the outside. The chimneys are sometimes of brick, but more commonly of wood, coated on the inside with clay. The windows of the best sort have windows in them, the rest have none, and only wooden shutters".
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These were the conditions Charles and Sarah lived under in Halifax County. It was probably a fairly comfortable life for them, with few real hardships other than the hazards of failed crops always faced by farmers until war exploded into their world.
Charles served in the Halifax Militia durning the Revolution. We do not know how much service he actually saw. If he did not serve in the regular Continental Army, he probably was at home much of the time. After the destruction of Norfolk in 1775, Virginia saw very little military action until 1779 when the British started a campaign of destruction against Virginia becasue she was such an important supplier of men, materials, and financial backing for the Rebel cause. There was much action in the Southern theatre after this time, and the Virginia Militia was called on again and again to support this cause. Units from the southwest Virginia were at Kings Mountain, South Carolina and at Guilfords Court House, North Carolina in 1780. Such was the nature of this war, that the same men who marched the torturous miles and fought the awful battles also had to sow and reap the cropsto feed them selves and their families. It was imperative for the men of the Malitia tobe home to tend the crops but the enemy would not wait for the harvest.
Durning this time Sarah had two more children;Mary Ann (Polly) in 1779, and Sarah Jane,in 1782, just after the end of the Revolutionary War. /She may have had to do a man's work while Charles was fighting. She and Charles probably endured many hardships durning the War.
The next move for Charles and Sarah, I believe in the winter of 1789, was a giant step into a different world, the wilderness of Kentucky.
Sarah probably was excited about going into a new land even in view of the hardships she must have known she and her family would face. Her sister, Susanna Gholson Prewitt, almost 20 years her junior, the wife of Anthony Prewitt, either made the journey with her or was waiting in Mercer County, Kentucky, but died shortly after the move. Possibly, her sister, Mary, wife of James Jones, and her sister, Elizabeth, wife of David Jones, also accompanied the Pwell family to Kentucky. Many families from Halifax County can be found in the early records of Mercer County and surrounding areas. Sarah had many neighbors and friends in Kentucky that she already knew from Virginia.
Sarah was leaving three married children, Agatha, Lucy and Anthony, behind in Virginia. She was surely aware she would most likely never see them again, and possibly never hear from them again. It is possible word of family members was carried back and forth between Halifax County and Kentucky by frontier parties returning for supplies, but it is doubtful if she had much contact with these three children, after she moved to Kentucky. Over the years, she must have wondered many times how they and their families were faring.
By the time Sarah Powell started down the Wilderness Road for a new life in the Kentucky wilderness, she would have been about 45 years old. Just imagine, starting over in the wilderness society at 45. Charles Jr. and Lewis were old enough to do a man's work as well as provide food for the table by hunting and fishing. Seventeen year old Rhoda and ten year old Polly were of an age to be skilled in weaving, sewing and other household skills. Sarah Jane would have been able to do some household chores.
On March 11,1790 Rhoda married George Cole, and left her mother to handle the household on Doctors Fork with only the aid of her slaves and the two young sisters. Sarah probably had a rough time the first few years in the wilderness, trying to make a home for her family with onlythe bare essentials of housekeeping. Still she preserved, and to the best of our knowledge, raised all her children to adulthood. That in itself was no small feat in the era in which she lived.
In 1807, after all her children had married and left the home , she and Charles seperated. She accused him of several indignities, including beating her. I believe she went to live with her youngest child, Sarah Jane Bottom and her husband Edmund Bottom, who lived close by Charles and Sarah on Chaplain River. A female, over 45, is listed with Edmund Bottom on the Mercer County census in 1810, and in 1830 a female 90 to 100. This would mean Sarah was born by 1740. She lived with her daughter 27 years, helping her to raise Sarah's eight children.
Sarah secured a separation agreement with Charles Powell ( see copy attached) that gave her an income for life. In 1807 it was uncommon for a woman in Sarah's position to leave her husband. It was equally uncommon for her to pursue a settlement with her husband in the courts, and it was almost unheard of for a womanto win in such a suit. Sarah had to be made of stern stuff.
Sarah Gholson Powell died sometime before October 4,1834, when her estate was appraised in Mercer County, Will Book 10, page 243. The only asset listed is one bond on Jeremiah Briscoe for $1000, plus interest $26288.33 1/8, minus subdry credits of $1560.00, balance due $1068.331/8.
This would be an estate of considerable value for a 90 year old woman in 1834, but it has not been determined if her heirs collected the balance on this note. Although Charles referred to her as old and infirm in 1807, she outlived him by 24 years.
Sarah Gholson Powell participated in the colonization of a new world, the founding opf a new nation, and the settlement of a wilderness state. Although the part she played in all this might be considered small by some people, we who are numbered amoung her descendants, owe her a great deal. If you a Powell woman, sometimes feel the fire of the Powell temper raising within you, maybe it is Sarah's will of Steel flowing through your veins. She was a woman of uncommon courage and valor.

References: Taken directly from "the Powell Times and Lines"
The life and Times of Charles Powell Sr. and Sarah Gholson Powell, Mercer County, Kentucky. Volume 1, No. 2 Winter of 1993 Published by Three Sisters Publications Route 1, Box 201 Green Forest Ar. 72638

Sarah married Charles Powell. Charles (son of William Powell and Elizabeth Mrs. William Powell) was born Abt 1740, Colonial Virginia; died 1810, Mercer Co., Kentucky. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Married:
Children of Charles Powel, Sr.

[Agatha] Agathy Powel was born November 3, 1765
[Lucy] Lewsey Powel was born September 26, 1767
[Anthony] Anthoney Powel was born November 19, 1769
Rhoda Powel was born march 9, 1772
Charles Powel was born July 5, 1774
Lewis Powel was born October 29, 1776
Mary Ann Powel was born July 30, 1779
Sarah Powel was born February 1, 1782

1. Agatha Powell was born 3 Nov 1765, Spotsylvania County, Virginia; died Yes, date unknown.
2. Lucy Powell was born 26 Sep 1767, Spotsylvania County, Virginia; died 18 Nov 1859, Halifax County, Virginia.
3. Anthony Powell was born 19 Nov 1769, Spotsylvania County, Virginia; died 9 Jun 1819, Halifax Co., Virginia.
4. Charles to Kentucky Powell, Jr. was born 5 Jul 1774, Spotsylvania Co., Virginia; died 5 Jun 1819, Kentucky.

Notes:

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=fletaaday&id=I2706

Anthony Gholson
Sex: M
Birth: Bet 1707 and 1708 in Spotsylvania Co., VA.
Death: 1779 in Halifax Co. VA.
Note:

Halifax Co. Land Records Book 10 page 265 Dated 10 Feb 1777 Anthony Gholson of Louisa Co. purchased of John Williamson of Halifax Co. for 125 pounds 225 acres "lying and being on the South Side of Dan on the lower side of Deep Bottom creek...Down new Road" bound by John Dickies, William Wiley and Joyn Raney, Joseph Talbert, Elizabeth Miller- "its being a tract of land bequeathed to Jacob Miller by the last will and testament of Harmen Miller Dec. and conveyed by deed from the said Jacob Miller to John Williamson"

Book 14 page 485 dated 3 Jan 1789 - Dabney Goalson sold to John Goalson 100 acres for 100 pounds land described as "being upper part of the land given to me by my fathers last will...beginning on Charles Powell line" bound by John Dickie, Charles Powell, James Watkins - Witnesses Charles Powell, Thomas Hix, Arch Commical . This proves that Charles Powells land bordered Anthony Gholson's land and was also on the South Side of the Dan.

Anthony Gholson, Jr. was probably born and raised in Spotsylvania County, VA and married Mary Sandridge, daughter of William and Ann Sandridge , by 1743. He & Mary lived close by her parents on land he purchased from William Sandridge from 1744 until 1764, when he probably moved to Lousia County. In 1777 he migrated to Halifax County, V A and it seems most of his married children migrated with him. Anthony Jr. died in 1779. Mary Gholson married John Brown Aug. 8, 1788, Halifax Co. VA and died after 1798. The known children of Anthony Jr. & Mary are as follows.

Sarah mar. Charles Powell ca 1765 Ann mar. Mr. Fleming John mar. Ann Pettus * to Wilkes County, GA Joseph b. ca 1751, mar. Frances Waddell Mary b. ca 1753 mar. James Jones Elizabeth b. ca 1755 mar. David Jones Eunice Gholson Dabney b. ca 1759, mar. 1 Elizabeth Pulliam, mar. 2. Mary Bullock * to Wilkes Co. GA Susanna b. ca 1761, mar. Anthony Prewett * to Mercer Co., KY

Name:
Halifax County Virginia Land Records

Book 10 Page 265
Recorded August Court 1777
Dated 10 Feb. 1777 - Anthony Gholson of Louisa Co. purchased of John Williamson of Halifax Co. for 125 pounds, 225 acres "lying and being in the County of Halifax aforesaid and on the South side of Dan on the lower side of Deep Bottom creek...Down new Road" - Bounded by John Dickies, William Wiley and John Raney, Joseph Talbert, Elizabeth Miller - land formerly owned by Jacob Miller - Witnesses: James Coleman, Joseph Talbert, Thomas B??, John Gholson

Book 14 page 485
Dated 3 Jan. 1789 - Dabney Goalson sold to John Goalson - 100 acres for 100 pounds - land described as "being upper part of the land given to me by my fathers last will...beginning on Charles Powell line" - Bounded by John Dickie, Charles Powell, James Watkins - Witnesses: Charles Powell, Thomas Hix, Arch Commical
Note: This record describing the land received from Anthony Gholson as beginning at Charles Powell line proves Charles' land was adjacent to his father's-in-law land on the South side of the Dan. There were many other Powells in the land records (William, Luke, David, Mark, John, Joshua, and another Charles) but the land was mostly in Northern Halifax Co. on and near the Bannister River. I have not connected any of these other Powells with our Charles, but it is possible there is a connection.

Anthony married Mary Sandridge 1764, Virginia. Mary was born 1722, Spotsylvania County, Virginia; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]