Tuesday, September 8, 2015

ROBERT SCOTT b 1750 & wife GRACE of Pulaski Co Kentucky and Fayette Co Indiana

After fifteen years of research, I now have sufficient evidence to be reasonably certain that ROBERT SCOTT b about 1750 Pennsylvania or Virginia & GRACE his wife, of Pulaski Co Kentucky (1799-1816) were the parents of my great x 3 grandfather THOMAS SCOTT who married ELIZABETH JONES on March 3, 1802 in Pulaski Co Kentucky.

For years, the only documentation I had suggesting ROBERT SCOTT as the father of THOMAS SCOTT was a marriage record, which shows ROBERT SCOTT as surety, and ELIZABETH's parents, NICHOLAS & MARTHA PATSY (MOORE) JONES noting that "their daughter was of age". Another source for this marriage shows that Rev THOMAS HILL, the 1st pastor of the White Oak Baptist Church, presided.




Tax lists also showed that ROBERT SCOTT, as well as the bride's father NICHOLAS JONES, & the bride's grandfather ARTHUR MOORE were all living in Pulaski Co Kentucky in 1800.  But I had no way of knowing at the time whether ROBERT SCOTT was THOMAS'  father, uncle or brother.

Now, many years later, I have finally found more detailed records which clarify the relationship.

Location, Location, Location:  Pitman Creek

--Beginning in 1799, ROBERT SCOTT is on the tax lists of Pulaski Co Kentucky, living on 200 acres Pitman Creek.  It is likely that he was living in Fayette Co Kentucky previous to 1799.

--In 1801, THOMAS SCOTT is listed in ROBERT's household on 200 acres on Pitman Creek, but not taxed on land (meaning THOMAS was over age 21, but still living at home, with no land of his own yet)

--In 1802,  THOMAS SCOTT & JOHN SCOTT are listed in ROBERT's household on 200 acres on Pitman Creek, but neither were taxed on land.

--In 1803-1807, JOHN SCOTT is listed as living in ROBERT's household on 160 acres on Pitman Creek, but not taxed.  THOMAS SCOTT was living next door on 50 acres on Pitman Creek and taxed on this land. THOMAS SCOTT left Pulaski Co Kentucky for Rutherford Co Tennessee in about 1808, with his father-in-law NICHOLAS JONES, and wife's grandfather ARTHUR MOORE.

--In 1808-1815, ROBERT SCOTT was still living on 100-160 acres on Pitman Creek; son JOHN SCOTT eventually was taxed on his own land.

--On June 6, 1800, NICHOLAS JONES received a land grant:  "Surveyed for Nicholas Jones 150 acres of Second Rate land, by virtue of a certificate No 420 Removed from a Military Survey according to law, lying and being in the county of Pulaski and on the waters of Pitman Creek."

--ARTHUR MOORE, ELIZABETH JONES' grandfather, also likely settled in this area.  His son-in-law, LINDSEY HARTGROVE, also received a land grant July 26, 1802 in Pulaski Co Kentucky, on Pitman Creek.

--ANDREW WOOLVERTON/WOLVERTON, the father of THOMAS & WILLIAM WOOLVERTON, two brothers who married two of ROBERT & GRACE SCOTT's daughters (see below), also lived on Pitman Creek 1798-1803, as per tax lists,  before moving to Maury Co Tennessee.

The White Oak Baptist Church

ROBERT SCOTT was one of the founding members of the White Oak Baptist Church, in Nancy, Pulaski Co Kentucky, along with Rev THOMAS HILL, NATHANIEL SHREWSBURY, THOMAS HANSFORD, & ELIJAH BARNES. On July 17, 1801, they established this church with 35 members.

Rev THOMAS HILL was the first pastor.  He also presided over several of the weddings of ROBERT SCOTT's children:

--THOMAS SCOTT & ELIZABETH JONES March 3, 1802, ROBERT SCOTT Surety

--ANNE NANCY SCOTT & THOMAS WOOLVERTON/WOLVERTON Jan 31, 1804 (daughter of ROBERT & GRACE SCOTT, according to the marriage record)

--RACHEL SCOTT & WILLIAM WOOLVERTON/WOLVERTON Jan 2, 1808 ( I now have two DNA matches to descendants of this couple)

--JOHN SCOTT & SUSANNA GREEN, daughter of Capt THOMAS GREEN   Feb 15, 1811

--ROBERT SCOTT likely had two other sons:  RUBIN/REUBEN SCOTT b about 1787, and ALLEN/ALLIN SCOTT born about 1790. They are in tax lists with ROBERT, but are not in marriage records for Pulaski Co Kentucky.

(Rev THOMAS HILL also presided over the weddings of two of ARTHUR MOORE's four youngest children; the two others were married by THOMAS HANSFORD. So the MOOREs were apparently also members of the White Oak Baptist Church)


To Fayette County Indiana after 1816

In the spring of 1816, ROBERT SCOTT & his wife GRACE sold all of their land on Pitman Creek in Pulaski Co Kentucky; here are abstracts of the deeds:

--April 15,1816 Pulaski Co KY; land deed ROBERT SCOTT & wife GRACE to AARON DOSS; 50 ac on Pitman Creek of the Cumberland River; wife GRACE relinquishes her dower rights.
--April 15, 1816 Pulaski Co KY; land deed ROBERT SCOTT & wife GRACE to JOHN LANGDON; 70 ac on Pitman Creek; wife GRACE relinquishes her dower rights.
--April 15, 1816 Pulaski Co KY; land deed ROBERT SCOTT & wife GRACE to ASA DODSON; 80 ac on Pitman Creek; wife GRACE relinquishes her dower right.

Shortly thereafter, ROBERT SCOTT & GRACE migrated to Indiana, along with their son JOHN SCOTT and his wife SUSANNA (GREEN) SCOTT. 

SUSANNA's father Capt THOMAS GREEN also moved to Indiana, and died there Feb 1838, having drowned in the Driftwood River in Bartholomew County, Indiana, according to several accounts.

ROBERT & GRACE and son JOHN SCOTT settled before 1820 in the vicinity of Connersville, Fayette Co Indiana. 

Rev THOMAS HILL also migrated to Indiana at this time, and died in Coffee Creek, Jennings Co Indiana, a short distance south of Connersville.

In the 1820 Fayette Co Indiana census, ROBERT SCOTT (male over 45,  woman age 26-44 & 2 young girls under 15 in household) was living next door to JOHN SCOTT. Wife GRACE must have died before this census was taken.

In the 1830 Fayette Co Indiana census ROBERT SCOTT age 70-80, with a woman age 30-39 in household, was living next door to JOHN SCOTT.

ROBERT SCOTT & GRACE his wife are buried in the Connersville City Cemetery in Connersville, Fayette Co Indiana.  Unfortunately there are no dates on their gravestones, which appear to have been   erected long after their deaths (Grace died before 1820, Robert after 1830). They are buried in the same plot as the family of their son JOHN SCOTT.


Thanks very much to Ellen Radford, who this past summer shared with me the Pulaski County Kentucky tax lists 1799-1875 for this SCOTT family.  The information in those tax lists really started the ball rolling, and led me to even more information.

Have a great day!

Betty

© Betty Tartas  2015












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