Thomas Millsaps1

M, ( - after 13 October 1759)

Charts Pedigree for Phoebe Alice Jones
Relationship 6th great-grandfather of James Jay McKinney.
Last Edited 2 Mar 2005
Reference MMMFMFMMMC
Researcher 0
Unrelated 0

Note "Some researchers report that Thomas’ father was William and his mother was Elizabeth Wood, and that Thomas married Mary Poplin. This writer has never seen any evidence to substantiate this."1 
Occupation* His primary occupation was that of a weaver, a fine profession of that day when, all were dependent upon the Arts and Crafts of handiwork. He supplemented his income by farming. Thomas was not a large slave owner but probably did own some slaves as Christopher Rorrey was bound to him until age 31 on 16 February 1748.1 
Note*8 December 1746 Augusta Co., VA, "Lord Fairfax issued a proclamation encouraging those persons who had settled upon his lands to continue thereon, and that they should have 400 acres for each settlement. A survey for Thomas was recorded 8 December 1746 for 400 acres on a branch of Smith Creek. Thomas received a land patent on the 5 September 1749 for this 400 acres from King George the II for which he paid 40 shillings. The land was located on a branch of Smith Creek in Augusta County, (present day Rockingham County, Virginia), about 2 miles south of the present day town of New Market. The closest town during that time to Thomas’ land was Tenth Legion about five miles to the south, with Staunton being about 15 miles to the south."
"The following is the patent which was granted to Thomas Millsaps. GEORGE the second, by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King Defender of the Faith--TO ALL TO WHOM these Presents shall come Greeting. Know Ye that for divers good causes and considerations, but more especially for and in consideration of the sum of FORTY SHILLINGS of good and lawful money for our use paid to our Receiver General of our Revenues in this our Colony and Dominion of Virginia. We have given, granted, and confirmed and by these presents for us our heirs and successors do give grant and confirm unto Thomas Millsaps one certain tract or parcel of land containing four hundred acres lying and being in the county of Augusta on a Branch of Smith Creek and bounded as followeth, to wit, Beginning at three Hiccory Saplins in a line of the Land of Benjamin Borden and with the line of the same North twenty degrees east to two white oaks and north east one hundred poles to the dividing line between us and Lord Fairfax and with the same north forty six degrees west two hundred and forty poles to three pines. Thence south west two hundred and fifty poles and south forty six degrees east three hundred and twenty poles to the Beginning. With all woods, underwoods, swamps, marshes, longrounds, meadows, feeding and his due share of all veins, mines, and quarries as well discovered as not discovered within the bounds aforesaid and being part of the said quantity of four hundred acres of land and the rivers, waters, and watercourses therein contained together with the privileges of hunting, hawking, fishing, fowling, and all other profits, commodities and hereditaments whatsoever to the same or any part thereof belonging or in anywise appertaining. To have, hold, possess and enjoy the said tract or parcel of land and all other the before granted premises and every part thereof with their and every of their appurtenances unto the said Thomas Millsaps and to his heirs and assigns for ever to the only use and behoof of him the said Thomas Millsaps his heirs and assigns for ever. To be held of us our heirs and successors as of our manor of East Greenwich in the County of Kent in free and common soccage and not in Capite or by Knights Service yielding and paying unto us our heirs and successors for every fifty acres of land and so proportionately for a lesser or greater quantity than fifty acres the fee rent of one shilling yearly to be paid upon the feast of Saint Michael the Arch Angel and also cultivation and improving three acres part of every fifty of the tract above mentioned within three years after the date of these presents provided always that if three years of the said fee rent shall at anytime be in arrear and unpaid or if the said Thomas”Millsaps his heirs or assigns do not within the space of three years next coming after the date of these presents cultivate and improve three acres part of every fifty of the tract above mentioned then the estate hereby granted shall cease and be utterly determined and thereafter it shall and may be lawful to and for us our heirs and successors to grant the same lands and premises with the appurtenances unto such other person or persons as we our heirs and successors shall think fit. In witness whereof we have caused these our letters patent to be made: Witness our trusty and well beloved Thomas Lee, Esq. President of our Council and Commander in chief of our said Colony and Dominion at Williamsburgh under the Seal of our said Colony the fifth day of September one thousand seven hundred and forty nine in the twenty third year of our reign.1 
Note4 September 1747 Augusta Co., VA, He appeared in the record books of Augusta County, Virginia in 1747 when he was a witness to several land deed transactions for Augusta County. He witnessed the sale of 400 acres from John Millan and wife, Hannah, to Travis Hughes, late of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania on the 4 September 1747.1 
Note16 February 1748 Augusta Co., VA, Christopher Rorrey was bound to him until age 31.1 
Note26 March 1755 Augusta Co., VA, "Thomas, also, had 50 acres of land surveyed for him on the waters of Smith Creek on limestone ridge on the 26 March 1755. What happened to this land could never be determined."1 
Will*13 October 1759 Augusta Co., VA, “IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN-the thirteenth day of October in the year of our Lord 1759, I Thomas Millsaps of Augusta County and Colony of Virginia being sick and weak in body but of perfect mind and memory, thanks be given unto God, therefore calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men, one to die, do make and ordain this my last will and testament, that is to say principally and first of all, I give and recommend my soul into the hands of God that gave it and for my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in a Christian like manner at the discretion of my Executors nothing doubting but at the General Resurection I shall receive the same again by the Mighty Power of God to bless me in this life, I give devise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form: Imprimis it is my will and I do order in the first place all my just debts and funeral charges be paid and satisfied. Item, my will is and I do order that my well beloved wife Mary Millsaps shall have her equal share of moveables with the rest of my children hereafter named and the benefit of all the house I now live in and field and garden that is joyning to the house during her widowhood. Item, my will is and I do ordain that my son Robert Millsaps and Thomas Millsaps and my daughters Eliner Milsaps and Mary Milsaps shall have their equal shares, of my moveables. Item, my will is and I do ordain that my daughter Jean Macgee shall have five shillings sterling my will is I do order that my daughter Eliner Milsaps and Mary Milsaps shall have their equal shares of my moveables. Item my will is and I do order that my daughter Elizabeth Dillen have her part of the moveables. Item my will is and I do order that my son Joseph Milsaps and my son William Milsaps shall have my land equally divided between them and my son Joseph shall have that part of my land that is called Robins Cabbin and joyning on William Carrols land and on my lands line to him his heirs and assigns forever and likewise his part of the moveables. Item my will is and I do order that my son William Milsaps shall have the other part of my land where I now live to him his heirs and assigns forever only that my wife shall have that part of it as is above mentioned to her during her widowhood or life and then my son William shall have it and the other part of my improvement to be rented out for the benefit of my said son William til he come of age & his part of the moveables and likewise constitute make and ordain my trusty friend Andrew Bird and my well beloved wife Mary Milsaps my Executor & Executrix of this my last will and testament. I do hereby utterly disallow revoke and dismiss all other former testaments wills legacy and executors by me before this time named ratified and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year above written. Signed sealed published and pronounced and declared by this Thomas Milsaps as his last will and testament in the presence of us the subscribers. Note that before signing dc sealing my will is and I do order that my son William Milsaps shall pay to his two sisters Eliner and Mary Milsaps three pounds to each of them out of the rent of the land.”
THOMAS MILSAP

Witness: Andrew Bird and John Phillips
At a court held for Augusta County on 20 May 1760, this last will and testament of Thomas Milsaps deceased, was proved by the oaths of the witness thereto subscribed and admitted to record and on the motion of Mary Milsaps and Andrew Bird Executors therein named who made oath according to law, certificate is granted them for obtaining a probate thereof in due form they having with Mounce Bird and William McGee their securities, acknowledged their bond according to law."

"KNOW ALL MEN by these presents that we Mary Milsaps, Andrew Bird, Mounce Bird, and William McGee are held and firmly bound unto John Buchanan, Robert Brackenridge, Alexander Sawyer & Pat Martin, Justices in the commission of the peace for Augusta County, for and in behalf and to the sole use and behoof of the Justices of the said county and their successors, in the sum of three hundred pounds to be paid to these Justices, their executors administrators or assign to the which payment well and truly be made, we bind ourselves and our heirs Executors of Administrators joyntly and generally firmly by these presents sealed with our seals dated this 22 day of MAY Anno Dom 1760. The condition of this obligation is such that if the above bound
Mary Milsaps and Andrew Bird, Executors of the last will and testament of Thomas Milsaps, deceased do make or cause to be made a true and perfect inventory of all and singular the goods chattles and credits of the deceased which have or shall come to the hands possesion or knowledge of the said Mary Milsap and Andrew Bird or into the hand or possesion of any other person or persons for them and the same so made do exhibit into the county court of Augusta at such time as they shall be thereunto required by the said court and the same goods chattels and credits of the said deceased which at any time after shall come to the hand possesion and knowledge of the said Mary & Andrew or into the Hands and Possession of any other Person or Persons for them do well and truly Administer According to law and further do make a just and true account of their actings and doings therein. When thereto required by the said court -and also shall well and truly pay and Deliver all the Legacies contained and specified in the said Testament as far as the said goods chattels will thereunto extend and the law shall charge then this obligation to be void and of none effect or else to remain in full force and virtus.
Sealed & delivered in the presence of Mary Milsaps, Andrew Bird, Mounce Bird, and William Magee."1 
Death*after 13 October 1759 Augusta Co., VA 
Note2 June 1760 Augusta Co., VA, In the present age of materialism it is hard ta fathom the meager possessions of our forefathers and mothers. An inventory at Thomas’ death shows the typical
possessions of most of our early ancestors of that time. 'THE INVENTORY OF THOMAS MILLSAPS ESTATE, valued and appraised, JUNE ye 7, 1760.' "[Everything in pounds] 1 red cow, red faced (7.4), 1 young cow & calf (2) brown cow & bull (2.5), pride cow & calfs (2) 3 two yrs old steers(4.1) , black heffer (1.05) 1 bay horse, 7 years old (6), 1 brown mare & colt (9), 1 grey mare & yearling colts (8), 1 black horse, 6 years old (9), 1___ bay horse (5), 1 field of rye (6), 1 acre of wheat (.8), 6 grown hogs & five shotes (2.8), 1 hume and hackling (2.5), 10 bushels of barley (1.5), 60 bushels of wheat (9), 21 bushels of rye (2.2), 1 chest & old lock (.10), 1 dowe hose and old box (.3), peter and pins (1), 2 pots & kittle and flesh forks and 1 saddle (1.0), one box iron & heaters (.6), 1 old bed and bed cloth (1.0), 1 old sheet and wool (.1), some broken hemp (.6), 1 wooling wheel (.5), some old milk vessels (.3), some old vessels (.6), 1 meat tub and one barrel (.7), 1 spoon mold (.6), 6 sickles (.6), some old iron (.6), 1 pr. of braces and old sock chain (.10), 3 ole hoes (.5), 1 pr. of plow irons and plow tackling (1.0) 1 hand saw and draw knife (.5) 8 old axes and grubbing hoe (.13) 1 pr. iron wedges (.2) auger dung fork, on pitching fork, 1 pr. (.6) old tongs 1 grindstone (.3) 2 chairs, one half bushel, one riddle, 2 bee hives (.7), 1 spinning wheel (.14), 19 head of sheep (6) 1 pair pot hooks (.1), 1 pair course reading glasses (.5) 1 head and geers, 2 heffers and 1 two yr. old steer (3.15) 1 note of cash (1.15.9), 4 yearling cattle (3.35)
Satisfied and under hands this 9th day of June 1760. Signed: Monc’h Waren and Abraham Bird. Recorded 19 November 1760.
The above witness, Abraham Bird, was the son of Abraham Bird who died in 1750 and had three sons; Mounce, Andrew, and Abraham. They were close neighbors to Thomas.
 

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Citations

  1. [S90] Luther Wayne Capooth, The History of the Millsaps (Baltimore, MD: Gateway Press, 1993).