Excellent point and a logical explanation. 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 8/18/2017 10:41 AM, sheri huerta 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 >>>>>> >>>>>> ______________________________________ >>>>>> To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the >> instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html >>>>>> This list is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of >> Museum and Library Services (IMLS). >>>>>> ______________________________________ >>>>>> To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the >> instructions at >>>>>> http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html >>>>>> >>>>>> This list is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of >> Museum and Library Services (IMLS). >>>>> ______________________________________ >>>>> To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the >> instructions at >>>>> http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html >>>>> >>>>> This list is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of >> Museum and Library Services (IMLS). >>>> ______________________________________ >>>> To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the >> instructions at >>>> http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html >>>> >>>> This list is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of >> Museum and Library Services (IMLS). >>>> >> ______________________________________ >> To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at >> http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html >> >> This list is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum >> and Library Services (IMLS). >> > ______________________________________ > To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at > http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html > > This list is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). > > ______________________________________ To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html This list is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).