Pam Wilson's notes from 1980s, from Lura Nash Arledge and Miss Sara Nash (who authored several Nash Family History books): [Note added by Pam Wilson Sept 2019: These notes seem to conflate two generations named Edward Nash, who need to be disambiguated. We now understand that the Edward Nash (before c 1770-1830) who married Lucinda Bell was the son of the Edward Nash (c1725-c1783) who married Elizabeth Miles. When these notes were written, the elder Edward was not known. However, some of these events may apply to the Edward Sr. instead of the Edward, Jr..]

Nash family believed to originally be from Wales. In 1889, a grandson Edward W. Nash said there were three brothers who came to America, one settling in MA, one in VA and one in NC

Although some say he was born in Wales, some believe that he was born c. 1755 "on James River below Richmond." His parents may have moved westward into Goochland and Albemarle counties in VA (may have lived in Albemarle Co, VA.), then to NC.

Edward Nash apparently headed south. By 1777 he had acquired land in Caswell Co, NC (an Edward and Thomas Nash were on the first tax list there, in the St. Lawrence District). He received vouchers and payment from Hillsborough District for serving in the NC Militia.

By family accounts, Edward was a Revolutionary War soldier wounded at Battle of Kings Mountain or Cowpens, SC. He was a Tory, by some accounts. According to Sara Nash, by family tradition he received a sword cut in the cheek at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse (3-15-1781] and served in the NC Militia in 3 states (NC, SC, and VA) under General Nathanael Greene. Also, he is said to have been present at Cornwallis' surrender at Yorktown [10-19-1781]. [Need to see NC Archives for documentation of military service]

After the war, he is on Caswell County tax lists through 1787 (and Thomas through 1788). Sara Nash also has found records of an Edward Nash during this period in Albemarle Co, VA (1776-1792]; it is unclear if this is the same Edward Nash. However, about 1781, Edward Nash married Lucinda Bell of NC, whose family probably had migrated from Albemarle Co, VA to Orange CO, NC [no marriage bond has been found].

They had several children by the time they moved to Laurens Co, SC, and settled in the Rabun Creek section, near the Old Indian Line, in 1789. They are believed to have been of the Methodist faith.

Edward was perhaps incorrectly listed in the 1790 census as Edward "Marsh".

In 1806, the family moved across Rabun's Creek into the Greenville District. There, Edward purchased land and operated grist and saw mills, shops and farm (Nash's Mill).

Also see letter from E.W. Nash, dated 1889, in James Nash's book (1973).

Family buried at Fairview Presbyterian Church cemetery, Greenville Co, SC.

9 children: 7m, 2f

Greenville Co, SC will (Will Book B, p. 116,dated 8-2-1825, probated 1-3-1831]: reprinted in Sara Nash's "Ancestors and Descendents"

(Source: James Henry Nash, 1973, The Georgia Descendants of Edward Nash, p. 7; see also extensive section on Edward Nash in Sara Nash's "Ancestors and Descendents" (1972)].

-----------------------------

Below, I've attached some excellent research notes and critical questions from Michael Parks written in 2010, which update our understanding of this family (http://www.bauer.uh.edu/parks/genealogy/nash.htm). . --Pam Wilson

Michael Parks wrote:

The origins of the Miles Nash families that appeared in DeKalb County Georgia in the 1800s is a somewhat muddled story. It is generally held that Miles Nash (1770-1840) recovered the confiscated land in Spartanburg South Carolina of his Tory father Edward Nash in the 1790s. This loyalist Edward Nash (bc 1725?-1783 SC?) is variously assumed to have been murdered by the victorious patriots at the end of the American Revolution in 1783 as part of the back country of South Carolina's notorious Whig retributions, revenge and punishments meeded [sic] out to those who has [sic] supported the British crown during the revolution.

This website attempts to document what is known about this relationship between the loyalist Edward Nash, his origins, his sons, his lands and his legacy. Most of this informaton borders on conjecture and guesswork. There are some vital records that provided facts that support portions of the generally accepted story of the Nash family origins. I will attempt to organize the factual data in temporal order and compare it to the genealogies that have been derived from these fragmented pieces.

Michael S. Parks (parks@uh.edu)
March 2010

Notes:

1758: Edward Nash married to Elizabeth Miles 2 Jun 1758 (banns issued) by Rev. Thomas Barton, Anglican pastor, who between 1755-1759 served in a variety of locations in rural Pennsylvania and also in northern Delaware, so although the records are with those of Rev. Barton's later church [St. James Church, Lancaster, Pennsylvania (http://www.pa-roots.com/index.php/pacounties/lancaster-county/295-b...)], the marriage likely took place elsewhere in the rural region.

1759: The couple, along with the Miles family, has moved to Orange County, North Carolina, where Edward appears as a witness to the Will of Mary Ann Currie, Sept 1759, ...sons John, James; daus Margaret, Mary. Executors: sons John and James. Witnesses: Edward Nash (see below)

1760 -- Edward Nash and William Miles survey land in Orange NC Michael Dickson was born about 1726 in probably Virginia. He was recorded as owning land on February 2, 1761 in Orange County, North Carolina...This property was surveyed on 31 May, 1760 by William Miles and Edward Nash. (See this detail below; see this source)

1762 -- Edward Nash purchases 300 acres of land from Michael Dickson in Orange County, NC. (see detail below)

1764: Edward Nash named in road order for Orange County, NC Orange County Court Minutes, [805]-248, November Term 1764: Ordered that a Road be laid out the best and most convenient way to Granville line near DAVID EMBREYS old place from HUGH BARNETT'S that leads to ROSTERS ferry by the following Jury to wit: ROBERT MCFARLAND JUNR., ROBERT MCFARLAND SENR., WILLIAM HAWKINS, HUGH BARNETT, WILLIAM CHAMBERS, BURGES HARRELSON, PAUL HARRELSON, WILLIAM BARNETT, J. HARLEY, JOHN LONG, JOHN DOUGLASS & MOSES WALKER, and that the same Jury lay out a Norther (sic) Road from that near MAYO'S and LAWRENCE RAMBO'S to Hico near JOHN PRYOR'S Esqr. and that the following hands assist in opening the said Roads towit: WILLIAM MILES, THOMAS BARNETT, HENRY WILLICE, GILES TUCKEY, JAMES CAVANAUGH, BENJN. LONG, EDWARD NASH, ROBERT HARRELSON, ROBERT BARNET, THOMAS MULLIN, DAVID EMBRE, JOHN TABOR, TIMOTHY TONY, SAMUEL MCMURRY, ROBERT MCFARLAND SENR., SILVESTER STOKES, ROBERT MCFARLAND JUNR., SILVESTER STOKES JUNR. MOSES WALKER, WILLIAM HAWKINS, JOHN HURTLEY, WALTER BUTLER, WILLIAM BARNETT, JOHN LUSK, JOHN LONG, THOMAS DOUGLAS, JOHN DOUGLASS, JAMES BYASS, JOSIAS OLDAY, JACOB WOMACK, HUGH BARNETT, PAUL HARELSON, PAUL HAM, BURGAS HARELSON, GARRET GUTTERLY, EDWARD CHAMBERS, MICHAEL COCKBURN & WILLIAM CHAMBERS JUNR. and that BURGESS HARELSON be appointed Overseer of that part leading to Granville line. (Source: Haun, Orange County, North Carolina, Court Minutes, 1762-1766, Book II, p.71)21

1771 -- Edward and two William Miles Appear on a Petition to form Caswell as a new County Edward Nash, William Miles, Senior and William Miles, Junior of Orange NC all signed a 1771 petition to Govenor Josiah Martin for the formation of a new county (later to be Caswell NC). (see below)

October 1775 -- Edward "acquires" land in Spartanburg South Carolina According to Sara Mary Nash's book, after 13 years Edward "acquires" 300 acres of South Carolina lands in Spartanburg on Two Mile Creek on the Enoree River from SC resident William Sargent. See detail below

November 1775 -- Edward "disposes" of his Orange County NC land According to Sara Mary Nash's book, after 13 years Edward disposes of his Orange NC 300 acres on Adam's Creek he purchased from Michael Dickson deeding it to William Sargent -- now of Orange NC. Wife Elizabeth affixes her seal, Josiah Dickson (brother of Michael) was a witness. See detail below

Clearly these last two land transactions are a trade between Edward Nash and William Sargent -- 300 acres in Orange NC for 300 acres in Spartanburg SC. No consideration (money) is mentioned in the transactions. This transaction is important in connecting this Edward Nash to his son Miles Nash after the Revolutionary War.

Did Edward Nash serve in British army as family lore says?

Records for British Loyalist service in the American Revolution are now readily accessible. Looking for "Edward Nash", two possible soldiers can be found in Murtie June Clark's three volumes Loyalists in the Southern Campaign of the Revolutionary War:

Search [Ancestry.com's] Loyalists in the Southern Campaign of the Revolutionary War, Vol. I for "Nash"

All entries found for John and Edward Nash:

1) Pay Abstract Nr 76 Lt. Col Zachariah Gibbs Regiment of Spartanburg Militia, 96 Brigade, Soldiers Certification, those who served under Major Patrick Ferguson (Abs Nr 21 in the books of Capt. John Cunningham, late paymaster of Militia and in part paid by him), six months pay 13 Jun-14 Dec 1780, 22 Sep 1781, pg 278
5...Nash, John (see abs nr 68)

[Note: this places John Nash near the Battle of King's Mountain Oct. 7, 1780, where Maj. Patrick Ferguson was killed and the loyalist militia routed by the over-mountain men from Tennessee and North Carolina. Zacariah Gibb's unit was out foraging the night before the attack -- likely at Gibb's plantation near Cowpens. See King's Mountain and its heroes: history of the Battle of King's Mountain by Lyman Copeland Draper, Anthony Allaire, Isaac Shelby]

2) Pay Abstract Lt. Col Zachariah Gibbs Regiment of Spartanburg Militia, 96 Brigade, Captain James Gibbs, Company, six-months pay 14 Jun-13 Dec 1780 ...Captian Benjamin Wofford [see marriage below to

  the daughter of William Miles], pg 278  ...'''Private Edward Nash''',pg 278

3) Pay Abstract Major Zachariah Gibbs Regiment of Spartanburg Militia, 96 District, men who came to Orangeburg SC with Lt.Col. John H. Cruger and Captain William Young, six-months pay 14 Jun-13 Dec 1780 ...Private Edward Nash,pg 280

4) Pay Abstract Major Zachariah Gibbs Regiment of Spartan Militia, 96 Brigade, Lt. Richard Mays Company, 183 days pay 14 Jun-13 Dec 1780 ...Private John Nash, pg 282

5) Pay Abstract Col Thomas Pearson's Regiment, Little River Militia, 96 Brigade, soldiers posted on James Island Sc 90 days pay, 7 Dec 1781-6 Mar 1782, pg 304 71...Private John Nash, 64 days, 2 Jan-6 Mar 1782 witness John Young 72... Private Edward Nash, witness John Young

6) Pay Abstract Col Thomas Pearson's Regiment, Little River Militia, 96 Brigade, 60 days service, 7 Mar-5 May 1782, pg 307 Captain John Young 7...Private Nash, Edward 9...Private Nash, John

7) Pay Abstract Nr 155, Col Thomas Pearson's Regiment, Little River Militia, 96 Brigade, 10 Sep 1782, 92 days pay, 6 May-5 Aug 1782, pg 310 Lt Drury Mills 6...Private John Nash 7...Private Edward Nash

8) Pay Abstract Nr 167, Col Thomas Pearson's Regiment, Little River Militia, 96 Brigade, 61 days pay, 6 Aug-6 Oct 82, Lt Drury Mills, pg 316 2...Private Edward Nash

9) Pay Abstract Nr 167, Col Thomas Pearson's Regiment, Little River Militia, 96 Brigade, Charleston SC, 148 days pay, 6 Aug-31 Dec 1782 (duplicate, Alphabetic Abstract), pg 319 ...John Nash ...Edward Nash (rec'd for my two sick sons, John

  and Edward, Elizabeth Nash)

10) Pay Abstract Nr 68 Col. Daniel Plummer's Regiment, Fair Forest Militia 96th District, Served under Major Ferguson, 183 days pay from 13 Jun-14 Dec 1780, abstract Nr 12 on Books of Captain John Cunningham, late paymaster of Militia, paid in part by him 1...Private Nash, John

11) From North Carolina and recommended by Col. Samuel Campbell, pg 524 (August 11, 1782) Nr 16...Refugee Mills, Elizabeth, Widow Nr 18...Refugee Nash, Elizabeth rec'd by Henry Wiley

Search this Loyalists in the Southern Campaign of the Revolutionary War, Vol. III [database] for Nash Entries for "Edward Nash"

1) Muster Roll of Capt Stephens Hoyt's Company, Prince of Wales American Regiment, commanded by Brig. General Montfort Brown, Charleston, S.C. 24 Feb 1781 to Apr 1781 60 days, pg 239 ...Sergeant Edward Nash, prisoner with the rebels

2) Muster Roll of Capt Stephens Hoyt's Company, Prince of Wales American Regiment, commanded by Brig. General Montfort Brown, Charleston, S.C. 25 Apr 1781 to 24 Jun 1781 61 days, pg 239 ...Sergeant Edward Nash, prisoner with the rebels

3) Muster Roll of Capt Stephens Hoyt's Company, Prince of Wales American Regiment, commanded by Brig. General Montfort Brown, Beaufort S.C. 25 Oct 1781 to 24 Dec 1781 61 days, pg 240 ...Sergeant Edward Nash, prisoner with the rebels

4) Muster Roll of Capt Stephens Hoyt's Company, Prince of Wales American Regiment, commanded by Brig. General Montfort Brown, James Island S.C. 25 Apr 1782 to 24 Jun 1782 61 days, pg 241 ...Sergeant Edward Nash, prisoner with the enemy

5) Muster Roll of Capt Stephens Hoyt's Company, Prince of Wales American Regiment, Denyse's, near New Utrecht 25 Dec 1782 to 24 Feb 1783 61 days, pg 242 ...Private Edward Nash, prisoner with the rebels

The two "Edward Nash" entries are quite different. The first (on the left of the table above [the first list]) shows two Nash brothers -- John and Edward serving relatively continuously from June 1780 until December 1782 (two and half years). Their service in the 96th district militias (first the Spartanburg Militia, then the Little River Militia) indicates that they were from the Spartanburg area where Edward Nash obtained land in 1775. The last entry that shows two refugees in Charleston in August 1782: Mrs. Elizabeth Nash and Elizabeth Mills ("widow" -- more on this later). Item #9 shows that Elizabeth Nash received the pay of here two sick sons: John and Edward in 1782. I would infer from these entries that these are the sons of Edward Nash and Elizabeth Miles and do not represent Edward Nash (Senior's) service.

The second entry shows a Sgt. Edward Nash in the loyalist Prince of Wales American Regiment -- aka PWAR (see this) from 1781 until 1783. He is always listed as a prisoner with the rebels. His service overlaps the Edward Nash service dates shown in column 1 (i.e., they could not be the same person). This regiment was NOT raised in South Carolina. The Governor of the Bahamas, Monfort Browne, was arrested by the Amerian Navy in 1776 and Browne was placed under house arrest in Connecticut. Here he became acquainted with many loyalists and proposed to raise a brigade of 4,000 men [a difficult task while under house arrest]. His proposal came to the attention of British General Howe and as a result Browne was exchanged in August 1776. He was commissioned a brigadier general in 1777. By April the regiment numbered 520 troops recruited from New Jersey, New York and Connecticut. After service in New England (losing 200 men), the Prince of Wales American regiment's 443 soldiers left in 1778 for Rhode Island where it remained for a year. They returned to New York and in March 1780, 292 soldiers left for the campaign in South Carolina. The unit participated in the siege of Charleston (March 29-May 12 1780). The unit was decimated at the battle of Hanging Rock, South Carolina in August 1780. The unit fought at the Battle of Camden in August 1780 and then garrisoned in Charleston. By May of 1781, the unit reported: "Prisoners with the Enemy, taken since the Siege of Charlestown: 6 sergeants, 3 corporals, 26 privates" -- one of which must be the Sgt. Edward Nash listed above. Some of the soldiers had been detailed to Banastre Tarlton's unit and were at the Battle of Cowpens (Jan 17, 1781) where many prisoners were taken.

What conclusion can be made from these two sets of military records? First I think it unlikely that the Sgt. Edward Nash in the Prince of Wales American regiment is the Edward Nash who married Elizabeth Miles and lived in Spartanburg SC. If he was married in 1758 in Pennsylvania he must have been born no later than 1740 making him at least 40 by the 1780 time frame. Further, how likely was a landowner in the South Carolina up country to become a sergeant in a New England Loyalist unit that arrived in South Carolina in early 1780? His age and geography make his service in the PWAR a slim possibility. I also think the two loyalist soldiers shown above in the loyalist 96th Militias are his sons.

What happened to Edward Nash at the end of the war?

Phil Norfleet's website Whig Militia Commanders' Enemies Lists of 1783 discusses the retribution exacted on the loyalist of the South Carolina up-country at the end of the revolution:

"...the South Carolina Fifth General Assembly passed Ordinance No. 1189 entitled Disposing Of The Estates Of Certain Persons, Subjects And Adherents Of The British Government; And For Other Purposes Therein Mentioned.

According to this ordinance, the real and personal property of former citizens who had chosen to join the British were vested in the Commissioners of Forfeited Estates. It was a comprehensive act, but had no lists of names. The commanding officers of the State's militia regiments ware instructed, when asked by the commissioners, to make lists of those men who had joined the British. Men so identified had six months from the end of the legislative session to return to the State for trial. Ten (10) militia commanders made returns, resulting in a total of 689 names. These returns constitute the largest listing of Loyalists/Tories ever promulgated by the Whig Government of South Carolina...

A total of 689 names were provided in the returns, that were received from the ten (10) militia commanders as follows:...

6. Colonel Benjamin Roebuck - 94 Names...

Nash, Edward..."

Sara Mary Nash's version of this story is more detailed. She says:

"In the South Carolina Department of Archives, among other such reports to Governor John Rutledge is that of Col. Benjamin Roebuck, dated May 22, 1783, 'A List of those men who adhered to the British Government to wit those who are now acting with them as also those who died in there service belonging to the Spartanburg regiment. Commanded by Col. Benjamin Roebuck.' The name of Edward Nash appears therein, first as 'living' (25 names), then crosssed off and entered as 'dead' (48 names). On the back of the document is noted: 'Return of Persons former citizens of this state Spartan district who has adhered to the British Government and gone off with the enemy or died in their service'." (see Sara Mary Nash, pg 101)

The central conclusion here is that Edward Nash is dead by 1783.

The details are not known but one may surmise that like many loyalists he sufferred the wrath of the patriots -- losing both his land and his life. His son Miles Nash will at least recover the land (see below) in 1792.

The Death of Capt. William Miles

One of the connective threads of the Edward Nash story is Sara Mary Nash's tale of the death of Capt. William Miles -- perhaps the brother-in-law of Edward Nash (see for example: (a) the 1771 petition signed by Edward Nash and father/son William Miles; (b) the 1758 marriage of Edward Nash to Elizabeth Miles; and (c) the 1760 survey by Edward and William Miles of Michael Dickson's land -- above). Capt. William Miles is shown as a Captain in the First Spartanburg Regiment of South Carolina Militia, established in January 1777. According to Sara Mary Nash:

"...Capt. William Miles named Edward Nash (with Joseph Barnett) executor of his nuncupative will [which means: delivered orally to witnesses rather than written] as he lay dying on Dec 4 1779 (96th District Will, Box 65, Pkg 1585, Abbeville Courthouse, SC) Witnesses were William Nash [??? Doesn't Sara really mean Edward ???], Ann Hendricks, Joseph Barnett. Legatees were wife Sarah, daughters Nicey and Lucy, an unborn child. William Miles, Sr. was to manage the plantation" (see Sara Mary Nash, Chapter X, pages 100-101)

Further, Sarah Mary Nash reports on page 101:

"On March 2, 1780 Agnes Morse and Isaac Hendricks personally appeared before John Pearson J.P. and declared on oath that they were with Capt. William Miles in his last moments, that he being shot by a Tory, that he continued in his senses long enough as he could speak as he gave his verball will. The will was proved June 14 1783, a note on the back saying, 'One of the executors are dead and the other refuseth the executorship'. " (see Sara Mary Nash, Chapter X, pg 101)

In Roster of South Carolina Patriots in the American Revolution. Volume II, K-Z by Bobby Gilmer Moss:

"Miles, William
He served under Col. Thomas and was killed by Tories" (see Dollar, Reuben)

Reuben Dollar's entry in Vol. I says:

"While residing in Spartanburg District, he served in the Spartan Rangers under Captain William Miles and Col. Thomas. At one time he was stationed at Prince's Fort. After Miles was killed in a skirmish with the Tories, he became an orderly sergeant under Capt. Mason Foley..."

Two web documents among the Abbeville SC Equity Records, abstracted by Kristen D. Randle records refer to William Miles in 1796 petitions that confirm this detail:

Miles, Wm. dec[eased] -- father of Wm. Miles: Wm Miles St. Jr.(dec) had two daughters, Lucy and Nicey Miles, wf Nathaniel Power. Wills of both William and Sarah 2 mile creek. Wit Joseph Bernett and Ann Hendrix

This says of Nathaniel Power:

"Nancy (Morse) Power married Nathaniel Power in South Carolina. Nancy appears to have died there prior to 1800. In 1797 Nathaniel sold property in Spartanburg County, SC that was signed by his wife, Nancy. In 1800 Nathaniel sold land and his wife was listed as Unicey, daughter of William Miles.[Spartanburg County, SC DeedBook G, p80-81.] Nathaniel bought land in Madison County, AL in 1809, the same year that Benjamin Wofford Sr. and his sons, Benjamin Jr., and Joseph, and Benjamin Bucy were there. However, Nathanial was still in Laurens County in 1810. In 1814, 1815, and 1816 he bought more land in Alabama and apparently moved to Madison County, AL about that time."

[Note that Benjamin Wofford marries the other daughter -- Lucy -- of the deceased Wiliiam Miles -- below]

Wofford, Benj jr. Pennington, John et al -- Benj + Lucy (fmrly Miles, daughter of Wm Miles dec 1779) Spartanburg. Pennington wf, Sally (Miles - wid of Wm Miles.) [note this Benjamin Wofford was a Captain in Zacariah Bibb's loyalist militia unit -- see above] [note that John Pennington marries William Miles widow -- Sally (though it may be Sara as on will above]

The conclusions can be drawn about this relative to Edward Nash are limited. It is still conjecture -- but a strong one -- that Capt. William Miles was a likely brother-in-law of Edward Nash. Thus, Edward's wife Elizabeth was the daughter of William Miles Senior. Thus as Sara Mary Nash notes, the family name "Miles" begins to appear in the descendants of Edward Nash.

listed in first US Census 1790 in St Anne's Parish, Albemarle County, Virginia

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Nash-3083
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/L1FZ-FXG