David Lavender 1788-1826

Oldest son of William Lavender, David died in April 1826 in the same two weeks as his parents and two younger brothers.

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Appears in the 1820 census for Newberry, SC with 3 boys under 16 (William, John, Hugh) and 1 girl under 10 (Jane), along with 4 male and 2 female slaves. Located between his father William Lavender, and his brother-in-law Robert Mars (husband of David's sister Sarah), and several lines below his (probable maternal grandfather) William Gamel.

In the July 1823 Estate Sale of neighbor Thomas Dugan, he acquires 26 head of geese, $11.18. (Online via "South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977, Newberry Wills book, 1805-1826, Vol. I", page 10-13 (two images, #22 and #23 in the online file).

Children of DAVID LAVENDER and ELENOR in the order listed in David's 1826 Will:

• WILLIAM LAVENDER, b. ca. July 1812, South Carolina; d. October 9, 1873, Mantua, Greene Co, AL. He remained with his mother all his life, an early census listed him as "idiot" whereas a later one said "deaf."
• JANE (Jean) LAVENDER, b. April 1814; d. November 20, 1827, Newberry Co., South Carolina.
• JOHN (SMITH?) LAVENDER -- d. before 1874. He married his first cousin, Julia Ann Frances Lavender.
• HUGH LAVENDER, b. Bet. 1817 & 1819, South Carolina; d. Bet. 1850 & August 1873; m. ELISA (ELIZA), Bef. 1850; b. Abt. 1821, Alabama; d. Aft. 1850.
• MARY ANN LAVENDER, b. Bet. 1816 & 1821; d. Aft. November 1876; m. BARNETT or BARRETT, Aft. 1850. See Estate settlement of William Lavender ~1812-1873, which occurred in 1874. In 1879 she married James Turner; she died in Greene Co., Ala.
• ROBERT SMITH LAVENDER -- b. ca. 1823 (or sometime after 1820 census)-d. August 12, 1849; buried in Greene Co., Alabama. Could have turned 21 as early as 1841; see below.

David Lavender's April 5, 1826 Will divides his estate among his wife Elenor and his six children, who were all under 21: William, Jane, John, Hugh, Mary, and Robert Smith Lavender. James McCrackin Jr. [David's brother-in-law] is named executor. David instructed that the children each turned 21, they were to receive their shares.

In the name of god. Amen,

I David Lavender of the District and State aforesaid being of sound and disposing mind & having before my eyes that I was born to die & the time uncertain & unknown to me and having a desire to dispose of my worldly property which it has please god to bestow upon me in the following manner I do therefore constitute this my last will and testament, viz.

1. In the first place I do give & bequeath unto my wife Elenor Lavender one third part of My estate both Real and personal after my just debts are Settled & and the other Remaining two thirds to be Equally divided among my six children.
2. 2nd I do give & bequeath to my oldest son William Lavender one sixth part of the Remaining two thirds of my Estate both personal and Real.
3. I do give & bequeath to my Daughter Jean Lavender also one sixth part of my Estate Real and personal the remaining two thirds.
4. I do give & bequeath to my son John Lavender one sixth part of the Remaining two thirds of my estate Real & personal.
5. I do give & bequeath to my son Hugh Lavender one sixth Part of my Estate Real & personal the remaining two thirds.
6. I do give & bequeath unto My Daughter Mary Ann one sixth part of My Estate both Real and Personal the two thirds remaining.
7. I do give & bequeath unto my son Robert Smith Lavender on Sixth part of the remaining two thirds of My Estate Both Real & personal

[and] it is My desire that my property may be kept together in the possession of my wife Elenor Lavender untill My children Arrive at the age of twenty one years, when the oldest arrives at the age of twenty one years I desire that he may Receive his distribution Share of My Estate & the Second likewise & Every child when they arrive at twenty one years to Receive their Distribution Shares in like manner. it is also my desire that My Executor pay off these legatees in property or Money as he sees most convenient & Suitable to the Estate and Legatees.

I do hereby nominate & appoint James McCrackin Jun. My lawful Executor to this my last will & testament In testimony whereof I Set my hand & seal April the fifth in the year of our lord one thousand Eight hundred & twenty Six & in the fiftieth year of the Independence of the united States of America.

test. David Lavender, Nathan P. Cook, Joseph Loveless, Hugh Lavender (David's younger brother, not his son)

Will duly proven May 1, 1826: James McCrackin, Jr. came into court and was duly sworn and obtained Letters Testamentary.

David Lavender's 1826 Will appears online in "South Carolina Probate Records Bound Volumes, 1671-1977 Newberry Wills book, 1825-1840, Vol. L", p. 37 in the volume, Image 32 in the online file. A typed transcription appears in South Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1670-1980 for David Lavender, Newberry Index and will, Vol 3, Books L-N, 1823-1840, Image 16 in the online file. The Appraisal of David's Estate appears on the second image of the FamilySearch.org online version of the Probate, on Image 33, right side (see in MEDIA). It mentions nine enslaved people by name (names in italics are tracked in later records, as they remained with/near David's wife and sons in Mantua, Greene Co., Alabama, including after the Civil War):

• Lucky (woman) and the following girls/boys
• Lucinda
• Thomas
• Solomon
• Harvey
• LoryAnn
• Ezekiel
• Margaret (woman) and her child George

The above-mentioned online images were made by the LDS Church from South Carolina Dept. of Archives and History transcriptions of original Estate/Probate documents in Newberry County, SC Probate Office. The entire file of original documents was viewed by D. Lavender in Newberry in 2005.

In 1836 David's widow Elenor Lavender sold their land on Indian Creek, Newberry District, to local merchant (and neighbor) M.W. Gracy (Minor W. Gracey; Image 53/324). See Deed in MEDIA. Elenor moved to Greene County, Alabama, and died in Mantua, Ala. in 1873.'

The slaves referenced in the David Lavender Estate Appraisal are named again in an 1833 Equity Court filing in Newberry District, where Elenor is required (agrees) to pay each of her children (David Lavender's heirs) the appraised sum for each individual, and each individual is "assigned" to one of the heirs. See in MEDIA. The assignments were:

• Solomon to William Lavender (~1812-1873)
• Lucinda and child to John Smith Lavender
• Harvey & Francis to Hugh Lavender (~1817-ca. 1854)
• George & Jesse to Mary A. Lavender (later Barnett). Jesse lives next to Mary Barnett in 1870, Mantua, Greene County, near Elenor and Mary Ann's other relatives.
• Margaret & child to Robert Smith Lavender (~1823-1849; his wife moved to DeSoto Co., Mississippi after 1850 census; Robert gave specific instructions that three people -- Axine, Martin and Dock -- remain with her.

The next appearance of David and Elender Lavender's slaves comes 24 years later, in the 1850 US Slave Schedule for Pickens County, Alabama, where five individuals (not named) are listed under Elender's name, with another five with her neighbor or co-inhabitant, widowed daughter-in-law Ruth. Four individuals are old enough to have been with David and Elender in South Carolina:

1. Ellender Lavender Female 56 born 1794 Black
2. Ellender Lavender Male 34 born 1816 Black. Possibly Thomas. A black farmer named Thomas Lavender, 55 (b. ~1815), lives in the Mantua, Greene County area in the 1870 census, on the same page as Elender and her son William. He has 8 children living at home (crossing two census images); one is Ellen, age 13.
3. Ellender Lavender Male 30 born 1820 Black. Possibly George, possibly Harvey/Henry. A mixed-raced farmer named George Lavender, 45 (b. ~1824/25), lives in the Mantua, Greene County area in the 1870 census. More likely Harvey (Henry), a mixed-race farmer, age 50 (b. ~1820), living in Mantua, Greene County in the 1870 census.
4. Ellender Lavender Male 19 born 1831 Black. Could be Jesse, age 42 born SC in 1870 census.
5. Ellender Lavender Female 14 born 1836 Black
6. Ruth Lavender (widow of Elender Lavender's son Rob't Smith Lavender d. 1849) Male 45 1805 Black. Probably Dave, age 65 in the 1870 census.
7. Ruth Lavender Male 15 born 1835 Black
8. Ruth Lavender Female 15 born 1835 Black
9. Ruth Lavender Male 12 born 1838 Black
10. Ruth Lavender Male 8 born 1842 Black

In 1851, relative (probably nephew) John P. McCracken, administrator of the Estate of David's son Robert S. Lavender ~1820-1849, petitioned the State to allow him to move to Mississippi (where Robert's widow was relocating) the "slaves, cattle, stock, and mules etc. belonging to the deceased" (Acts of the General Assembly of the State of Alabama).

In 1867, the following Black men named Lavender, living in Mantua, Greene County on or near land still owned by Lavenders, registered to vote (Alabama Voter Registrations 1867, via Ancestry.com; requires membership):

• Dan Lavender
• Edward Lavender
• John Lavender
• Soloman Lavender
• George Lavender
• Cruso Lavender
• Tom Lavender
• Harvey (Henry)
• Davis Lavender (Dave)
• Jesse Lavender
• Morgan Lavender

In the 1870 census for Mantua, Greene County:

1. C Lavender (Page/Image 5/40, Mantua); Male 32 Black b. 1838 Alabama; wife Sarah Lavender 29 b. 1841 Ala.; children H Lavender Fem 7 1863 Ala; W Lavender Male 5 1865 Ala; Pink Lavender Fem 3 1867 Ala. In the 1880 census, Pink is 11 and a male, a laborer. Mother Sarah is listed as 30 years of age born Ala.; C. is no longer there.
2. Dave or Danl Lavender (Page/Image 5/40, Mantua) 40 Black b. 1830 South Carolina Laborer on Farm; wife Jane, Black b. 1835 South Carolina, children H. (male) 18, Jno, 17, Jas. 16, H. (Female) 16, F. (Male) 14, Andy 13, Ad[e]line (Fem.) 12, Bell 11 -- all children born Alabama in after 1852.
3. Edmond 30 (Mu) b. Alabama, Emmeline 25 (Mu) b. Alabama; Scot (4), Mac (1) (same page as C and Dave). This family also seen in 1880, when they had son Harvey b. 1872 Ala., Davey b. 1874 Ala., Mary b. 1876 Ala., Elizabeth b. 1878 Ala. In 1880 they live near [James] Ivy Lavender. In 1900 Edmond (widowed) is still there with daus. Nora b. 1882 and Lela b. 1884. Says Edmond was born Ala., with parents born SC. In 1900 Mack is 32, married to Emma (Horton; mar. 1895), with children Robert, Pink, Henry and Emmeline. In 1930 census Mack & Emma were still living in Mantua.
4. George, age 45, b. ~1824/25 SC, mixed-race, farmer, on census page 8, 20 pages from the Lavenders below, but near affiliated families Eatman and Snoddy.
5. Thomas, census page 25, age 55 born ~1815 SC, Black. Same page as Elender (David's widow) and her son William. Tom has 8 children at home (crossing two census pages); one is Lewis (16), Ellen (13), as well a Derry (9) and Dosky (7) who appear in later records.
6. Harvey, as Henry, age 50, born ~1820 SC, mixed-race, farmer, on census page 39; wife Rachel born ~1822 SC, children Sarah, Angelina, Benjamin in household next to widow of Smith Lavender (Martha/Matilda) and her grown children.
7. Sol[omon], age 52, born ~1818 SC, Black. Same page as Henry but higher; domestic servant with L.A. Lavender, Smith Lavender's son. L.A. b. 1837/38 would have grown up with Sol, and with Jesse and Dave from the next census-page lines.
8. Jesse, age 42, born ~1828 SC, Black; two lines below Sol., next to Mary A. Barnet, daughter of David Lavender of this Profile page (and L.A. Lavender's cousin). Jesse was "assigned" to Mary Ann in an 1834 division of David Lavender's property (DL personal copies of Probate documents)
9. Dave, (on Image 40) age 65, born ~1805 SC, Black. A blacksmith (as was Smith Lavender). With Lucinda, age 57, born ~1813 SC (Black; the "girl" Lucinda who is referenced in the David Lavender Will of 1826 ? see above). Their daughter is Martha, age 14 (born ~1856). Is this the same Dave, in the 1880 census in Pickens County, but about 14 miles north in Olney ? With him is dau. Martha, age 22 (born ~1858) and a son Sammy, 11 (b. ~1869, but he wasn't on 1870 census).

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All of the Newberry, SC Lavender family's gravestones in King's Creek Cemetery, Newberry Co. say "died 1825." In fact the father, William Lavender, died March 30, 1826 (not 1825) without a Will. Son David Lavender did leave a Will which he signed and dated April 5, 1826.