Virginia
The debate
about the wife of James Tarpley Jr.
(the
question
may
be- "Which James Tarpley Jr. are we talking about?")
| The Oldham family heirs have claimed
that James
Tarpley (born 8 May 1692 North Farnham Parish, Richmond Co., VA)
actually
married Mary Oldham rather than Mary Camp. In her article "Who was the
Mary, wife of James Tarpley of Richmond and Brunswick Co., VA?",
published
inThe Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 37, No. 1, p. 38, Jan.-Mar.
1993
Margaret Macdonald claims that Judge Zelma Wells Price in her book on
her
ancestry, Of Whom I Came, From Whence I Came published in 1963
made
some serious genealogical errors. Ms Macdonald contends that she
over looked key facts that should have told her that the James Tarpley
of Brunswick,. the son of James Tarpley who married Mary Biddlecomb,
had
married Mary Oldham.
It is conceivable that Mary Oldham did marry a James Tarpley. However, the numbers of records verifying the marriage to Mary Camp or Mary Oldham are virtually non-existant. Judge Price was basing her information on what was "good family sources" and Ms Macdonald is basing it on census, tax records and known wills. She gives no real proof of a recorded marriage any more than Judge Price. She is largely using naming patterns and a few existing records and is making some leaps of faith about the longevity of James Tarpley. According to Russ Williams' construction of Judge Price's research, Ms Macdonald seems to have skipped one generation of the Tarpley family and merged two different James Tarpley documents into one individual. According to her, James Tarpley Jr. is born 8 May 1692 and dies in 1781 in Brunswick County at the age of 89. The first birth date does belong to James Tarpley (b. 8 May 1692 North Farnham Parish, Richmond Co., VA), in my records, but who, according to other researchers, died about 1765 perhaps in or near Charlotte Co., VA. There is no will or record to verify this. He is, according to Judge Price, the James Tarpley who married Mary Camp 5 Jan 1733/34 King and Queen Co., VA. They in turn have a son, James Tarpley Jr. (b. 21 Jul 1743 North Farnham, VA) , who is about the right age to have married but we have no wife listed for him. (see James Tarpley II of my records) The death date Ms Macdonald uses for James Tarpley may be more accurately placed to the James Tarpley, son of William Tarpley (b. 16 Mar, 1695), according to my records, who in turn was the son of James Tarpley and Mary Biddlecomb. William Tarpley's wife is Mary. It is possible that William may have married an Oldham. This son of William, James Tarpley, seems to have married a ------ Williams, dau. of John Williams (b.c1701 d. 1751) whose wife is Mary. Other early Tarpley deeds suggest that this James Tarpley's wife is Tabitha. Some researchers have listed Tabitha as an Oldham. James and his wife Tabitha made a sale on Sept. 30, 1779, to Drury Matthews in fee simple, 200 acres of land in the Parish of St. Andrews in Brunswick Co., before Thomas Edmunds, William Walker, and John Hawkins, because it was convenient for her to travel to the courthouse to renounce her dower. Two of the men were to make sure that she did so voluntarily. John Hawkins and William Walker reported to the court on Jan. 30, 1781, that she did so. These documents do not make any references to any Oldham family in any capacity, even as a witness, whereas, you do find Hugh Williams listed. He seems to be a possible brother of Tabitha. Although Ms Macdonald states that Hugh is not the brother of Mary Tarpley, he could be the brother of Tabitha since Winifred Tarpley is listed as a niece in his will of 30 Oct 1780. The will (of my records) gives the death of James Tarpley I who is not disputed by either Judge Price or Ms Mcdonald. If the James Tarpley of my records existed there is no will to base his death date on. The only usable Tarpley will of the approximate time period is the one argued by Ms Macdonald to fit her 89 year old ancestor. This is the last will and testimony of James Tarpley found in Brunswick County, Virginia, order Book 2 , p. 167, as follows: Will of James Tarpley
Signed Sealed published &
The James Tarpley below (b. c 1752
d. 1791 of Russ Williams records) is listed in the will
of William Tarpley and is the one with the references to the Oldham
family
in Brunswick County . This James made his Last Will and Testament
in 2 Nov. 1791. Proved 6 Feb 1792. He lived in Charlotte County,
Virginia
and named one of his sons Oldham Tarpley who married, Mary, widow of
William
Brown. The will of this James Tarpley is quoted by Ms Macdonald
as
proof of the marriage of James Tarpley (born 8 May 1692) to Mary
Oldham.
Certainly Winifred Tarpley , James' sister, marries Isaac Oldham.
The family lineation that I have below comes from the records of Russ
Williams. William Tarpley family William Tarpley (son of James Tarpley I and Mary
Biddlecombe) Mary Tarpley b. Dec. 7, 1723 * m. George Taylor (son of Simon Taylor) had five children John Tarpley b. Sep. 29, 1729* d. after 1782 m. a Starling or Tillman) James Tarpley b. Dec. 8, 1731* d. St. Andrews Parish, Bruswick Co., VA 1780-81 m. ______ Williams (dau. of John and Mary Williams) Hannah Tarpley b. Jan. 6, 1735 North Farnham Parish, VA* *childrens birthdates listed in North Farnham Parish rec. [McGhan p. 457] [records of Russ Williams] James Tarpley family James Tarpley (son of William Tarpley and Mary___ )
Winnifred Tarpley md. Isaac Richard Oldham 29 Dec. 1786 Brunswick Co., VA William Tarpley m. Betty Almond Jr. (dau. of John Almond)
Jan. 1782
Charlotte Co., VA ____________________________________________________ James Tarpley family James Tarpley (son of James Tarpley and ____
Williams ) Mary Tarpley m. John
Eudailey 1
Oct. 1787 by Rev. Thomas Johnston The connection of James Tarpley(of my records) to the Mary Camp family is no easier to make. Judge Price does seem to be developing a family with little to no presently available documentation. What records she may have had have been lost in subsequent years. None of this precludes the fact that any of these James Tarpleys may have had a first or second marriage to a Mary Oldham or that James Tarpley actually married a widowed, Mary Oldham who may actually have been originally of the Camp family. MS Macdonald has used deductive reasoning to come to her conclusion that this is the only possible explanation based on her discovery of only three Mary Tarpleys in Virginia. She states that there is twenty years difference in the ages of James and Mary. She also claims that Mary Oldham was born 25 June 1712 in Farnham Parish, Virginia, the daughter of John Oldham who lived in the same area of James Tarpley (son of James Tarpley and ____ Williams ). This means that our suspect James Tarpley was twenty years old when she was born, he could easily have been married and raised other children before she was of marriagable age. It seems very reasonable to me based on discoveries in my other families that James could probably have had a second wife or even third wife and a prior family within the twenty years difference, especially if he has the kind of virility and longevity Ms Macdonald is projecting. Even Ms Macdonald says "The younger James Tarpley seems not to have married before 1733." She seems to be using the marriage date that we have for Mary Camp, as the marriage date to Mary Oldham and all subsequent children hers alone and I have no earlier marriage date for James. The will used to identify Mary Oldham as a Tarpley was not made until 29 Jan.1765. Ms Macdonald brings up an interesting series of coincidences and documents that do need to be fitted into the makeup of the Tarpley, Camp, and Oldham family history. But based on present information in her records, conflicts over dates, and other researchers best efforts, I am not convinced that we have all the facts or the correct individuals. The birth date of Mary, daughter of John and Sarah Oldham on June 25, 1712 is coming from the North Farnham Parish records but there is no marriage record for either Mary Camp or Mary Oldham to a James Tarpley. The date of birth Ms Macdonald uses is very troubling. The elimination of this James Tarpley/Mary Camp marriage would drastically alter the ancestoral line and elimnate the Tarpley / Brashear families. I need more proof, bible records, marriage records or other wills to nail this down. There are simply too many Tarpleys and Marys in the same region with the same names to make easy assumptions even if they are living on the same property. Until such time as as firm documentation is found, I will maintain the Mary Camp marriage and family as listed. |
1777, June 23 - James Tarpley ( of Ms Macdonald's records) is excused from paying further levies. No reason is given but it is theorized by Ms Macdonald that it was due to being eighty-five years of age. I have seen other examples for being excused including being lame or injured. I would also have expected that he would have received this kind of excuse at an earlier age than eight-five since very few people survived to this ancient age at that time. [Brunswick Co., VA Order Bk. 13, p. 156]
1779, March 6 - James Tarpley Sr.( of Ms Macdonald's records), sold to Wiliam Tarpley all of Brunswick, 200 acres for £100. James and Mary Tarpley were to have use of the plantation during their lifetime. Thomas Tarpley was a witness. [Brunswick Co., VA Deed Bk. 13, p. 243]
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