My Long Hunters

I was reading through the Wallens’ journeys from Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts, to Kyles Ford, Tennessee, and beyond. I thought it was interesting and wanted to share.

1623-Ralph and Joyce Wallen arrive at Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts, aboard the “Anne”.
1627-Thomas Wallen Sr. born.
1643-Joyce Wallen dies.
1650s-Wallens relocate to Providence, Rhode Island, where Thomas marries Mary Abbot. Thomas buys land there through the 1660s.
1654-Thomas Wallen Jr. is born in Providence, Rhode Island.
1669-Mary Abbot Wallen dies. Thomas marries Margaret Colwell.
1674-Thomas Sr. dies in Providence, Rhode Island.
1695-Thomas Jr. marries Sarah Elwell in Providence, Rhode Island.
@1700-Thomas Jr. moves to Cohansey, Salem co, NJ.
1708-Elisha Wallen Sr. born in Cohansey, Salem co, NJ.
1724-Thomas Jr. dies in Cohansey, Salem co, NJ. In his will, he gives Sarah permission to “bind out to a trade” Elisha till he’s 21. Elisha runs away to Bucks County, Pennsylvania, where he connects with the Blevins, Cox’s, Roberts, and other families. They relocate to Prince George’s County, MD, along with Elisha’s brothers James and William to live on land purchased by their father, Thomas Walling, Jr. some years before. Elisha marries Mary Blevins.
1732-Elisha Wallen Jr, “The Longhunter”, is born in Price George’s County, Md.
1734-Joseph Wallen is born in Price George’s County, Md.
1733 Wallens appeared on a list of tithables in the Monocosie Hundred in Prince George’s Co, Md.
1745 Elisha Wallen appeared in Lunenburg Co. from Smith Rivers where he made his home at a place called “Roundabout”, located about two miles east of the present town of Martinsville, Va.
1746-Some families from Maryland, including James and Daniel Blevins, well known hunters, made their homes on Smith River. A survey was made from the Walden’s to the Blevins’ for a wagon road.
1748-Thomas Jr. was appointed constable of Western Lunenburg Co. from Smith River to the Wart Mountains (territory later to become Henry and Patrick Counties) and entered and had surveyed 400 acres of land on the Sandy River (6 July 1748).
June 1748- Elisha was appointed surveyor of part of a new road from the Staunton River to the Mayo Settlement, leading from Bannister to the Smith River. From 1751 to 1757, this land was in Halifax Co., and beginning in 1767, was in Pittsylvania County.
1761-Elisha Jr went on his first long hunt, along with Jack Blevins, William Pittman, Henry Scaggs, Charles Cox, William Newman, and William Harrison. Elisha moved out to the new country and made his home for a while on the Holston River, 18 miles above Knoxville, Tennessee. He later travelled west and settled in Washington County, Missouri where he died in 1814.
1767-Joseph Wallen marries Milly Jones
17 July 1767-a list of tithables taken by Peter Copeland, Gentleman, for Lunenburg co., shows Elisha Wallen, Sr. and his sons Joseph and James Wallen and Capt. Williams Blevins. A county military organization was set up for Pittsylvania County in 1767. Among those listed is “Captain Elisha Walden.”
1771-James Carr Wallen is born in Virginia, probably Halifax
1777-The War Services Administration has a Revolutionary War Record for one Elisha Walden, who served in Lee’s Legion between 1777 and 1779. If we accept July 1708 as Elisha’s birthdate, the it would seem that this war record refers to his son, Elisha Jr.
1787-Elisha and Joseph Wallen receive land grants in Sullivan County, Tennessee, (Kyle’s Ford) for their service in the Revolutionary War. James Carr Wallen is the only son of Joseph Wallen to settle on this land. He builds the log house that still stands there to this day.
1791-James Carr Wallen marries Mary Johnson.
July 14, 1816, William J. “Big Sandy” Wallen is born in Kyle’s Ford, Tennessee.