| The Virgin Family in Washington County, Penna. |
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This is the story of Jeremiah Virgin and his sons: Reason,
Brice, John, Thomas, who lived in what is now South Franklin
Township between 1774, when Reason made a settlement and 1788,
when Brice was last taxed on Chartiers Creek. The area where they
lived was near the point where Monongalia, Ohio and Yohogania
Counties, Virginia came together (formed 1776). It was also at
the boundary between Amwell and Strabane Townships (formed 1781).
This account is written for two purposes:
(1) to show what sources give information on this family,
(2) to explore the genealogy of the Virgin family.
Apparently the family first settled (From Frederick Co,Md?)
on the east side of the Monongahela River soon after 1770 in
what is now Luzerne Township, Fayette County. Reason Virgin got
l land grant opposite the mouth of Ten Mile Creek (and land of
George Teagarden), adjoining Jonathan Arnold, his father-in-law.
In July 1773 Brice Virgin is listed in Westmoreland court records.
Fayette County was formed from 'lestmoreland later in 1783.
When Francis Main wrote his will September 30-1774, Jeremiah
was a neighbor, living on Chartiers Creek, now South Franklin
Township. He and his family had moved from Fayette County. This
date is confirmed by Reason Virgin's 1774 date of settlement on
his Virginia land certificate. Reason had married about 1771
Jemima, daughter of Jonathan Arnold. Brice was likely still single,
as were John, 21, and Thomas, 15. The daughters were Eleanor,
Clara and Lucy.
The beginning of the Revolution in Massachusetts in April 1775
caused Maryland and Pennsylvania to raise rifle companies. Michael
Cresap of Oldtown, Maryland, well-known in southwestern Pennsyl-
vania, raised a company in June 1775, which included Brice Virgin
as sergeant and John Virgin as private, plus 20 others from west
of the Monongahela. They enlisted for one year.
The company left Frederick, Maryland July 18-1775 and reached
Boston in August - marching the entire distance. Brice and John re-
turned home at the end of the year. Soon after (1776) Reason and
John went on an exploring trip to Bracken County, Kentucky.
In February 1775 Reason had been named constable and in December
l776 Brice became constable. At the outbreak of the war in the
west in January 1777 Reason became captaing Brice and John were
privates. The 1778 tax list for Ohio County, (West) Virginia included
Reason, Brice and John. Thomas was under 21.
About 1781 Jeremiah moved a few miles to the south to land
on Ten Mile Creek, and Reason returned to his Fayette County home.
The first tax list (1782) for Washington County shows Brice on
Chartiers Creek, and Jeremiah and younger sons, John and Thomas
on Ten Mile Creek. Soon after the reopening of the land office
in July 1784 each Virgin son obtained a land grant in Washington
County: Reason, Brice and John on Chartiers waters, Thomas on Ten
Mile. They sold their land in 1785, 86, 87.
The 1783 tax lists shows
Amwell Township Jeremiah 100 acres, 3 horses, 2 cows, 3 sheep
John 200 2
Thomas 100 2
Strabane Township Brice 400 2 4 7
In December 1785 Jeremiah sold the Ten Mile farm and moved back
to Chartiers Creek, where in May 1786 his daughter, Eleanor, was
married to Van Swearingen. A few months later Jeremiah moved to
Ohio County, (West) Virginia, where he was taxed in 1787. Swearin-
gen lived nearby, Jeremiah lived near his brother-in-law, John
Dickerson in Washington County. In 1777 Brice Virgin witnessed the
will of John. On November 13-1794 Jeremiah witnessed the will of
Asa, son of John Dickerson.
After Van Swearingen's death in 1793, Jeremiah Virgin lived
for a while with his daughter Eleanor. His place and date of death
are not known. Eleanor with her second husband, John Newhouse
moved to "The Barrens" of Kentucky in 1804. Reason went to Ken-
tucky about the same time. He died at Oldtown, Greenup County in
1819. Brice was lieutenant and Thomas private under neighbor, Cap-
tain William Leet in 1782. Brice left Washington County soon after
1788. In 1792 he was in Cincinnati, in 1810 a few miles to the
north in Butler County, Ohio.
The last record of John Virgin is as a witness in Ohio Co 179O.
There is no record of Thomas Virgin after he sold his land in 1785.
It would be interesting to find out what became of them, and to
find out where they lived before coming to Pennsylvania.
The following data were obtained from records available in
Washington, Pennsylvania.
1774 Reason made settlement Chartiers Creek
Va Genealogist 7, 162
Sep 30 Jeremiah neighbor of Francis Main on Chartiers
Washington co Will Bk 1, 37
1775 Feb 23 Reason constable in West Augusta District
Crumrines Hist Wash Co 206
May 17 Reason on road survey Crumrine 207
Jul 18 Brice and John join Capt Michael Cresap and leave
Frederick, Md for Boston, Mass - 1 year enlistment
Leckey: Ten Mi Country 15
Sep 20 Reason on road survey Crumrine 209
1776 Jan 17 Reason replaced as constable
Crumrine 210
June Brice and John return
Reason and John to Bracken Co, Ky
Leckey 16, 17
Nov 3 Three Virginia counties formed - Monogalia, Ohio, Yohogania
Dec 23 Brice constable Yohogania Co
Crumrine 213
1777 Jan 7 Reason captain, John private in Ohio Co militia
Crumrines Va Court Records 365
Jan 28 Reason at Council of War, Washington, Pa
Crumrines Hist 185
Reason mentioned several times
Va Court Rec 377-389
Jun 8 Reason at Fort Henry (Wheeling)
Crumrine: Hist 85
Aug 4 Reason's house meeting place to set Ohio-Monongalia
boundary Crumrine 214
Aug 27 Brice sued by Richard Yeates, Yohogania co
Crumrine 215
Sep 4 Reason took Oath of Allegiance, Ohio Co
Wingertner: Hist of Wheeling i 63
Oct 8 John took Oath of Allegiance, Ohio Co
Wingertner i 69
Nov 15 Brice witness to John Dickerson will
Wash Co W B 1, 45
1778 Nov 3 Reason, Brice, John taxed Ohio Co (Thos not 21)
WPGSQ 12, 25
1779 Jan 9 Reason sold land to Daniel Leet - Brice witness
Ohio Co Deed Book 1, 24
Nov 8 Brice on eligibility list - in service
WPGSQ 12, 25
Dec 12 Reason applied for Va land certificate
WVU Liby, Ohio Co Entry Bk
1780 Jun 22 Reason's certificate entered
Crumrine 797
1781 Mar 28 Washington County, Pennsylvania formed
1782 Jeremiah, Brice, Thomas taxed Washington Co
Tax Lists Citizens Library
Jan Brice and Reason on Wash Co jury, Reason removed
Crumrine 239
Jul 4 Brice and Thomas in Wash Co militia
Crumrine 130
1783 Jeremiah, Brice, John, Thomas on tax list
Rigby land adjoins Jeremiah
Veurs land adjoins Thomas
W & J Liby Histl Coll warrants
1784 Jeremiah, John, Thomas on tax list
Jul 1 Land Office reopens
Jul 7 Brice lt in Wash co militia - Crumrine 137
Aug 3 Brice sold land to James Wilson
Wash Co Deed Bk A 303
1785 Brice on tax list
Mar 4 Thomas and John warrant land
Horn Papers iii map 65
Jun l0 Leet adjoins Reason Crumrine 797
Jul 12 Brice sold land to Reason
Deed Bk B 167
Oct 9 Thomas sold land to John Dodd
Deed Bk B 272
Nov 13, 14 Reason and John land surveyed
Horn iii 65
Nov 19 Brownlee land adjoins John - Crumrine 801
Dec 31 Jeremiah sold land to Cahhill Dennis
Horn iii 65
1786 Thomas and John on tax list
Feb 21 Reason warrant to accept - Horn iii 65
Mar 2 Reason land patented Horn iii 65
Apr 18 Thomas land surveyed Horn iii 65
May Eleanor marries Van Swearingen
Rev Pension W5415
Jun 20 Reason sold land to David Adams of Franklin Co, Pa
Deed Bk C 90
Reason bought 2 slaves from David Adams
Deed Bk C 97
Aug 21 John sold land to Van Swearinaren
Deed Bk C 134
1787 Brice on tax list
Jun 25 Reason sold land to James Ross
Deed Bk I 160
Aug 9 Brice land warranted Horn iii 65
1788 Brice on tax list
May 11 Brice land surveyed in name of Reason
Horn iii 65
Persons interested in the Virgin family
Helen E. Vogt, 121 Blaine Ave., Brownsville PA 15417
Dolores C. Rutherford, 1758 Carmelo Dr., Carmichael CA 95608
John E. Davis, l000 San Pedro Ave., Coral Gables FL 33156
Jeremiah Virgin m Lucy Dickerson
1. Reason Virgin b: c1744 d 1819 Oldtown, Ky m c1771 Jemima Arnold,
daughter of Jonathan (d 1799 Luzerne Twp) and Sarah Arnold
a. Kinsey b c1772 d c1815 Oldtown m c1794 Rachel (daughter of
George)Teagarden b Mar 13-1774 d 1828 Porter Twp, Scioto co, O
Children: (to Mason co, Ill) Mary (Auxier), Jemima (Sikes),
Rachel (Sikes), George Teagarden, Abraham 1800-1878, Reason
1803-1872, Charity (Clark), Kinzey 1807-1852, Ephriam
b. Eli b c1774 d 1819 Fayette Co, Pa m c1797 Nancy Hyatt-
she m2 Henry Heaton
Children: John Hyatt 1798-1858 Menard Co IL, Belinda (Railey),
Reason, Eli 1803-1826, Katherine (Doty), Nancy (Hill),
Ruth (Church), Noah Hyatt 1812-1892 Plattsville WI,
William, Jesse
c. Reason - Ky
d. Rachel m David Enslow, Scioto Co, Ohio
e. Delilah f. Hannah
g. Eleanor
h. Rebecca
i. Cassandra
j. Elizabeth
2. Brice Virgin b c1746 d 1821 Butler co, Ohio; to Ky 1790, Ohio 1792
Children: Thomas P. William Greenlee, Jeremiah (Ind), Hiram,
Matthew, John, Cassandra, Mary, Reason 1779-1873 Fairbury IL
3. John Virgin b c1753, single 1786 - Ed 1790 Hamilton Co, Ohio
4. Thomas Virgin b c1759, single 1784 - ?d 1830 Hamilton Co
At Hull surrender 1812 Detroit
Children: Jeremiah, Joseph, Hall (Ia), Thomas (Cal), Allen,
and daughter
5. Eleanor b 1763 living Columbus, Ohio 1850 ml May 1786 Van
Swearingen 1743-1793 Ohio co, W Va: m2 John Newhouse d 1830
Children (Swearingen): Van 1787-1822 Clermont Co, Ohio, Lucy
(Stephenson), Thomas - also Newhouse children
6. Clara b c1766 m Stuart
7. Lucy b 1769 d 1847 Oldtown, Ky m 1800 (Cincinnati) J Downs
Children: Sarah (Virgin), Emzy (male), Jeremiah, Eleanor
Lucy said that George Washington was at her father's house in 1773.
Raymond M. Bell
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This article was transcribed by Bobbi Jo Harville of Middleburg, FL in April 1998.
| Raymond M. Bell Anthology Genealogy in Washington Co., PA |
Published with permission of Raymond M. Bell.