Robert Yancey

Robert married Parthena Yancey on 15 Aug 1833 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, USA. Parthena (daughter of Hezekiah Yancey and Sally Worsham) was born on 14 Feb 1813 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, USA; died on 13 Jun 1864 in Fayette County, Tennessee, USA; was buried in Oakland Cemetery, Oakland, Fayette County, TN. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. James E. Yancey was born cal 1835 in Fayette County, Tennessee, USA.
2. William Lafayette Yancey was born on 22 Sep 1837 in Warren, Fayette, Tennessee, USA; died on 19 Sep 1906 in Rector, Clay, Arkansas, USA; was buried in Greene County, Arkansas, USA.
3. Pamelia F. Yancey was born cal 1839 in Fayette Co, TN.

John married Mary Hamblin on 15 Oct 1799. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Robert Yancey, Sr. and Philadelphia Jones
About 1744-1818

Robert Yancey, son of Richard and Mary (Bolling) Yancey, was born in Louisa County, Virginia about 1744. He married Mrs. Philadelphia (Jones)Griffin, widow of Francis Griffin, about 1768 in Virginia. Francis Griffin died about three years earlier in 1765. It is likely that the Yanceys and Griffins had been neighbors and this is how Robert and Philadelphia met. Land Book "E" of Mecklenburg County describes 400 acres on the "Branches of Buffalo and Aarons Creek" belonging to Robert Yancey and adjoining Griffin and Cameron. Richard had come to Mecklenburg (then Lunenburg County) with his family around the age of ten. Philadelphia had been born there about 1743 and was the daughter of John Jones and Pheleshia Pugh. They must have felt very much at home in that southern Virginia region, for they raised eleven children and remained there until their deaths. Not much is known about this family, for most of the recorded evidence of them is from the Tax Digest of Mecklenburg County. Robert did record a will which was probated in 1819. Philadelphia predeceased her husband by nearly ten years. Her death occurred August 31, 1809. She and Robert are buried in Mecklenburg County, Virginia.

The children of Robert Yancey and Philadelphia Jones were:

John Yancey: married Mary Hamblin
Richard Yancey: married Mary Walton
Mary Yancey: married Robert Williamson
(Phila)Delphia Yancey: married John Tillotson
Anna Yancey married Peter Z. Overby
Elizabeth Yancey: married John Griffin
Robert Yancey, Jr.: married Agnes Wilkinson
Susannah Yancey: married John Williamson
Hezekiah Yancey: married Sally Worsham
Lucy Yancey: married Stark Daniel
Milly Yancey: married Mr. Griffin

Robert married Philadelphia Jones about 1768 in Mecklenburg County, VA. Philadelphia (daughter of John Jones and Pheleshia Pugh) was born about 1743 in Mecklenburg County, VA; died on 31 Aug 1809 in Mecklenburg County, VA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Thomas married Elizabeth Seat. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Batch #: 7322516, Sheet #: 64, Source Call #: 822844

BIOGRAPHY: Richard Yancey, son of Charles of King William County and Mary Bartlett, was born in the early 1700's in Virginia. In the mid 1730's, Richard is found living in Hanover County, Virginia. It is here that Richard probably met his wife. He and Mary were most likely married about 1735. It is believed that Mary may have been Mary Bolling, although no documentation is known to exist to confirm her maiden name. Their home in Hanover County would have been in the area that would become Louisa County in 1742.

The principal source of support for the family was the farm. Mary blessed Richard with ten children. This was of great importance to the yeoman planter, for a large family would translate into "free" farm labor. Land was easily acquired in America compared to the difficulty small farmers would have in England and Europe. In 1753 Richard sold their plantation of 250 acres to John Snelson and bought lands around and on Grassy Creek. The purchases were a part of the land granted to Drury Stith, Henry Morris, and Michael Cadet Young. Grassy Creek was located on the Virginia-North Carolina border in Lunenburg County but would become Mecklenburg County in 1764. Richard, Mary, eight sons and one daughter relocated and settled in their new home. They apparently settled quickly as Richard appears in the Vestry records of Cumberland Parish, Lunenburg County, in 1754 and their tenth child, Zachariah was born June 25, 1754 in the same county.

The late 1770's and early 1780's would have been a most difficult time for this pioneer family. The Revolutionary War was upon them and five of their sons are known to have been involved in the conflict. Their son Lewis was a private in the 8th Virginia Regiment and is thought to have been killed in action in 1777. Absalom was a private in the 14th Virginia Regiment in 1777 and in 1779 he is recorded with the 10th Virginia Regiment. In 1779, Richard transferred land on Beaver Creek to his son Charles. This may have been at a time when Richard was in ill health as his will was probated in 1780 in Mecklenburg County. Mary and all ten of their children were mentioned in the will. Two years after the death of her husband, Mary lost another son. The cause of Hezekiah's death in 1782 is unknown. He had served the Patriot cause in the Revolutionary War and was a member of Caldwell's Rangers in South Carolina in 1775. In Hezekiah's will he mentioned his brother Rueben (not one of the sons listed in the will of Richard). This has caused some confusion as to the exact make-up of the family. However, it is generally believed that Richard's son Joseph and this Rueben are the same person. Perhaps his name was Joseph Rueben Yancey. In 1779, Joseph (Rueben?) was a Quartermaster Sergeant, 3rd Regiment in South Carolina. He seems to have died before 1790. Zachariah's military record suggests he was a surveyor.

Mary continued to lived in Mecklenburg for several years after Richard's death. In 1782, records indicate Mary also supported the patriots of the Revolutionary War by supplying beef to the militia. She died in 1795 in Mecklenburg County and her last will and testament is recorded there. In her will Mary refers to all of her children except Lewis, Hezekiah, and Joseph.

Sources:
1. Early Wills 1765-1800 Mecklenburg County Virginia. See page 97. A copy of this book can be found at the State Archives, Atlanta GA.
2. The Early Yanceys in America; by Dennis J. Yancey
3. Early Virginia public land records.

Richard married Mary. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Will: 9 Jan 1792, Mecklenberg County, VA

John married Pheleshia Pugh in 1738 in Mecklenberg County, VA. Pheleshia (daughter of David Pugh) was born about 1721 in Lunenberg County, VA; died in 1792 in Mecklenberg County, VA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]