My Long Hunters

Here is a link to a site that has a record for a property dispute in 1868 between Jesse G and Ursley (Bledsoe) Roberts and her brother Winder Bledsoe after their Father had died.

http://www.lva.virginia.gov/chancery/case_detail.asp?CFN=105-1868-007

Jesse and Ursley were my great, great grandparents.

When one hears the name “Lee”, typically Robert E. Lee comes to mind.  However, it is named after Robert E. Lee’s father, “Light Horse Harry” Lee.

Light Horse Harry’s real name was Henry Lee III.  Here is a synopsis of his military career from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Lee_III:

Lee graduated from the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) in 1773, and began pursuing a legal career. With the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, he became a captain in a Virginia dragoon detachment, which was attached to the 1st Continental Light Dragoons. In 1778, Lee was promoted to major and given the command of a mixed corps of cavalry and infantry known as Lee’s Legion, with which he won a great reputation as a leader of light troops.

It was during his time as commander of the Legion that Lee earned the sobriquet of “Light-Horse Harry” for his horsemanship. On September 22, 1779 the Continental Congress voted to present Lee with a gold medal—a reward given to no other officer below a general’s rank—for the Legion’s actions during the Battle of Paulus Hook in New Jersey, on August 19 of that year.^[4][5]

Lee was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and was assigned with his Legion to the southern theater of war. Lee’s Legion raided the British outpost of Georgetown, South Carolina with General Francis Marion in January 1781 and helped screen the American army in their Race to the Dan River the following month. Lee united with General Francis Marion the Swamp Fox and General Andrew Pickens in the spring of 1781 to capture numerous British outposts in South Carolina and Georgia including Fort Watson, Fort Motte, Fort Granby, Fort Galphin, Fort Grierson, and Fort Cornwallis, Augusta, Georgia. They conducted a campaign of terror and intimidation against Loyalists in the region, highlighted in Pyle’s Massacre. Lee and his legion also served at the Battle of Guilford Court House, the Siege of Ninety-Six, and the Battle of Eutaw Springs. He was present at Cornwallis‘s surrender at Yorktown, but left the Army shortly after claiming fatigue and disappointment with his treatment from fellow officers. During the infamous Whiskey Rebellion, Lee commanded the 13,000 militiamen sent to quash the rebels.

Henry was the Governor of Virginia in 1793 when Lee County was formed from Russell County.  It was named in his honor.

Although I could not find a historical reference for this, it’s most likely that Blackwater takes its name from the Blackwater Creek that runs through it and then Southwest into Hancock County, Tennessee.  You can see a map of it here:  http://www.placekeeper.com/Virginia/Map/Blackwater_Creek-1463534.html.  This very creek runs through my parents’ property.

Any time that a river or stream contained tannins from trees and soil that make it dark, it is referred to as “blackwater”.  So, this is the likely reason for the name.  It’s also interesting to note that there is a Blackwater River in Southeast Virginia and a Blackwater Creek in Lynchburg, Virginia.  There is also a Blackwater River in Ireland.  It’s also possible that the name was brought here by the Scots-Irish settlers.

When my Uncle Paul Baker bought land in Milton, Florida, and convinced his parents to move there, they named the canal that went through the area the Blackwater Canal.  They also named their road Blackwater Drive.  These names were in honor of their former home place.  Ironically, there is also a Blackwater River that runs near there.

One of the reasons that my ancestors settled in Blackwater, Virginia, was due to the salt lick located near where the Blackwater Post Office is/was located today.  This attracted abundant game and provided a source for salt to preserve their meat.

I was searching for other references to it and was pleased to see that Wikipeida had linked to my web site as a source of information for the Blackwater salt lick.  Please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_lick.

Blackwater Lick Primitive Baptist Church, also known as “Big Door”, was named after the nearby salt lick when it was organized on September 27, 1847.  This church is currently located on Route 604 directly across the street from the old Blackwater School. Here is a helpful website that gives some details:  http://www.associationofprimitivebaptists.org/2002proceedings.html.

Here is another reference from the family line for Doswell Rogers at http://www.crossedbrushstudio.com/windowsintoourpast/Vol7/doswellrogers.htm.

Joseph Rogers  had an agreement with old William Roberts  whereby he acquired an equitable interest to 1/8^th to four tracts of land lying on Blackwater and including in one tract the same interest to the Blackwater saltworks.  The legal Title to the last was still in William Roberts name at the time of Joseph Rogers death and the widow, Susannah Rogers  who was then m. to James Walling  was entitled to one third of one eight of the said land as her dower, Since she wanted to sell these lands the title had to be cleared.

In 1819 and in 1821 Susannah ( Rogers ) Wallen  was trying to clear the Title to land in which she had interest as her Dower Right.  The case eventually settles out of court for her Dower interest in the land.  From what I have here, it appears that William Roberts  (brother-in-law of Joseph Rogers ) sold her Dower and she then took it to court.  A settlement was reached while the children were still under age.

Deed Book 5 – pages 5, 6, 7   Lee County, Virginia[xlvi]

Joseph Rogers  had an agreement with old William Roberts  [husband of Catherine Rogers ,  sister of Joseph] whereby he acquired an equitable interest to 1/8^th to four tracts of land lying on Blackwater and including in one tract the same interest to the Blackwater saltworks.  The legal Title to the last was still in William Roberts name at the time of Joseph Rogers  death and the widow, Susannah Rogers  who was then m. to James Walling  was entitled to one third of one eight of the said land as her dower, Since she wanted to sell these lands the title had to be cleared.

However, we find that her children take the case back to Court in 1842.  All the parties in the suit are related to one another.

ROGERS LAWSUIT

Chancery Order Book 1 – 1832-1868 – page 90 – Lee County Virginia[xlvii]

At Rules held in the Clerk’s office of the Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery, for Lee County, on Monday the 7^th day of November 1842.

Henry Rogers , Edley H. Rogers ,  William M. Davis  and Louisa his  wife, formerly Louisa Rogers  and Thomas Russell  and Lucinda his wife , formerly Lucinda Rogers  heirs at Law of Joseph Rogers ,  deceased.                         

Complaint against:  James Roberts , William Roberts , Thomas Roberts , John Robert s , Jesse Roberts , Emanuel Roberts , George B. Roberts  and Jesse Robinett  and Susan his wife, heirs of William Roberts, deceased and Emanual Roberts , Elizabeth Roberts  and Joseph Roberts , heirs at law of Joseph Roberts, deceased and George Rogers ,  Commodore Rogers , Mary Rogers  and Joseph Rogers ,  heirs of Elizabeth Rogers ,  deceased. And Sally Lawson , Peggy Lawson , Susan Lawson  and Catherine Lawson , heirs of Mary Lawson , deceased. Defendants

The defendants, James Roberts , William Roberts , George B. Roberts , George Rogers ,  Commodore Rogers , Mary Rogers ,  and Joseph Rogers ,  not having entered their appearance and give security according to the Act of Assembly and the Rules of this Court and it appearing from satisfactory evidence that they are not inhabitants of this commonwealth, it is ordered that the Defendants do appear here on the first Monday in February next and answer the bill of the complaints and that a copy of this order be forwith inserted in some public newspaper published in this commonwealth for two months successively, and posted at the front door of the Courthouse of this County.