Barbara, thank you for the additional information. My problem is that, Charles Wills was a prominent citizen who owned property, businesses, houses including a mansion, and up to at least 12 slaves but, died around age 44 without a known registered will. I did run across his probate inventory and the children fought over property so, the estate was not completely settled until 9 years after his death Even so, I have yet to locate any kind of death notice for him. Also, he and his family attended St. John's Church about 3 blocks away from the main house (which we own built 1809), but there was vandalism concerning their cemetery burial book that covers the years he would have been buried (1820) and, many older headstones were destroyed years ago due to the church having been abandoned at one time. The only records I have run across for him are tax records starting in 1801 here in Richmond. deeds, his property inventory. Then, the wedding announcements for two of his three daughters (he also had 2 sons who were prominent in their own right, and had portraits of them done by James Westhall Ford), which in 1820 and another after death 1828 mentions him as Captain.
Was it common practice for people to willie nillie assign people ranks in local militias? I suspect he may have been in Camp Holly Springs or the Richmond City militia?
Eric
> On August 17, 2017 at 10:08 PM Barbara Vines Little <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>
> Don Wilson mentioned the appointment of militia officers. There are
> occasional record books that are found in various county records or in
> archives; however, these are random examples. Militia records were
> normally not placed with the county clerk for safekeeping. It is
> possible that a petition or letter might be found in the governor's
> papers, but this would be extremely rare. You might try a local
> newspaper if one exists. Barring the absence of a record showing a
> militia appointment, I would assume that it was an honorary title.
> However, unless you can provide the information on when and where (the
> specific record) you located the information that he was addressed as a
> Capt., anything anyone provides is simply a guess.
>
> Barbara Vines Little, CG, FNGS, FUGA, FVGS
> PO Box 1273
> Orange, VA 22960
>
> 540-832-3473
> [log in to unmask]
>
> CG, Certified Genealogist, is a service mark of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, used
> under license by board-certified genealogists after periodic evaluation; the board name is
> registered in the US Patent & Trademark Office.
>
> On 8/17/2017 11:20 AM, Eric Huffstutler wrote:
> > Barbara... someone mentioned that there are records of peacetime militia in Virginia that may give some insight? His title seems to show up by the time he died in 1820 as one daughter married that year and mentions "Capt" Charles Wills and another daughter in 1828 that mentions 'the late' Capt Charles Wills.
> >
> >
> > Eric
> >
> >
> >> On August 17, 2017 at 11:10 AM Barbara Vines Little <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> >>
> >> I suspect that this was a honorary title appended primarily because of
> >> age and local social standing.
> >>
> >> Barbara Vines Little, CG, FNGS, FUGA, FVGS
> >> PO Box 1273
> >> Orange, VA 22960
> >>
> >> 540-832-3473
> >> [log in to unmask]
> >>
> >> CG, Certified Genealogist, is a service mark of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, used
> >> under license by board-certified genealogists after periodic evaluation; the board name is
> >> registered in the US Patent & Trademark Office.
> >>
> >> On 8/17/2017 10:52 AM, Wilson, Donald L wrote:
> >>
> >> > >
> >>> Eric - I see the militia records you cite. I don't see a record of him as captain. Could you tell us exactly where you find him with that appellation?
> >>>
> >>> If he were captain of a local militia company, there should be a record of his appointment/commission among the court orders of his county or city. If he were a sea captain, we would expect him to have spent many years at sea, rising through the ranks, before he would be commissioned. He would have a much higher status than a militia captain. A list of naval captains during the War of 1812 (until Feb. 1815) can be found at https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/organization-and-administration/historical-leadership/naval-officers-of-the-war-of-1812/captains-of-the-war-of-1812.html. No one named Wills there.
> >>>
> >>> Donald L. Wilson, Virginiana Librarian
> >>> The Ruth E. Lloyd Information Center
> >>> for Genealogy and Local History (RELIC)
> >>> Prince William Public Library System
> >>> Bull Run Regional Library
> >>> 8051 Ashton Avenue, Manassas, VA 20109-2892
> >>> 703-792-4540
> >>> www.pwcgov.org/library/RELIC
> >>>
> >>> -----Original Message-----
> >>> From: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Eric Huffstutler
> >>> Sent: Wednesday, August 16, 2017 11:24 PM
> >>> To: [log in to unmask]
> >>> Subject: Capt. Charles Wills - War 1812 question
> >>>
> >>> Sending the below query for help again since I received no responses... thank you!
> >>>
> >>> "Capt" Charles Wills - War 1812 question
> >>>
> >>> I have a bit of a puzzle that someone here may be able to help with or, have access to various databases on those who served in the War of 1812.
> >>>
> >>> Charles Wills, born c.1776 in Isle of Wight County, Virginia and died 1820 in Richmond, Virginia. I see what appears to be him entered and left as rank "Private" in both COMPANY: 2 REG'T (BALLOWE'S) VIRGINIA MILITIA. and COMPANY: 19 REGIMENT (AMBLER'S) VIRGINIA MILITIA.
> >>>
> >>> The problem is that he is later seen as "Captain" Charles Wills by the time he died. I am seeking when or where this occurred? I know there were local militias such as Camp Holly Springs and Richmond City Militia but unaware if he served in them post war? A few people believe he may have been a ship captain?
> >>>
> >>> Any help greatly appreciated!
> >>>
> >>> Eric
> >>>
> >>> ______________________________________
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> >>> >
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