Wow, Sheri... I had never thought or even knew about this happening. Definitely a different direction to search but... while doing deed searches for someone, I ran across one in 1804, where he emancipated a 36 year old slave woman named Nancy Johnson.
Eric
> On August 18, 2017 at 10:41 AM sheri huerta <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>
> Eric,
>
> Is there a chance that Wills served as a local [slave] patroller? I've
> studied patrol records from 1800 to 1860 in northern Virginia and county
> patrol appointments would designate a "Captain" and sometimes list a group
> of men to serve under the patrol captain (listed as Privates). Patrollers
> typically were assigned from men already listed in the local militia rolls.
> If patrol appointments are not available in county records, check the
> annual county levy for payments made to patrollers or court loose papers
> for the actual patrol records listing time served and / or payments
> received.
>
> Depending on the time and place, a captain might be paid at a higher rate
> per tour / hour than the privates and the difference in payments for the
> same number of tours served can help differentiate the ranks. County court
> minutes might also include the names of men ordered to serve as patrollers
> for a specified term or persons authorized to form a patrol. If Wills was
> in Richmond by 1800, he could have served in some patrol or militia
> capacity during the Gabriel uprising, thus establishing his leadership or
> militia service in the local area. If he served as a patroller and rose
> through the ranks to the position of an appointed captain, this could also
> help explain the local origins for his title of Captain.
>
> Sheri Huerta, PhD
>
>
> On Fri, Aug 18, 2017 at 12:27 AM, Eric Huffstutler <[log in to unmask]>
> wrote:
>
> > 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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