Richard “Dickie” Ware

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/L6J4-BJJ

Richard “Dickie” Ware BIRTH 1758 DEATH 1834 (aged 75–76) BURIAL Valley Head Cemetery Valley Head, Randolph County, West Virginia

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/51617893

BIOGRAPHY OF: Richard Ware

wvmunzaadded this on 24 Oct 2009

"Richard Ware may have been born in Scotland, about 1764, and came to America with a brother settling in Alexander, Virginia in 1774. Richard and Mary "Polly" Wilson were married 24 June 1804. George Wilson, his father-in-law, lived at Elkwater, Virginia. Surely Richard and Polly had a strong spirit of adventure to have made their home at Valley Head, a beautiful wild forested land with the waters of the Tygart Valley River nearby. Fish and wildlife were abundant. I think this reminded him of his homeland and that it would be a perfect place to raise sheep, cows, horses and pigs, just like in Scotland. Of course he had to build a home large enough for a growing family, but after all, there were many neighbors to help him. His land would be a place to farm. The meadows and hillsides were a wonderful place for hunting all kinds of animals. The last buffalo in West Virginia was killed in Valley Head, Randolph County in 1825. His rifle was very important in this land for food or to kill dangerous animals such as, panthers and wolves. The fur trade was important too. This was also Indian ground. For many years the Shawnee and Mingo tribes like to come back to Valley Head to hunt. My father lived a short time on Windy Run and found several Indian relics and flint arrowheads. He also found some on his own farm on Conley Run, not too far from Valley Head. Richard had a tomahawk, but I never heard where it came from. Previous to peace with the Indians, some forts were built along the Tygart Valley River for the protection of the pioneer settlers, but at the Richard settled here, there was peace in the valley. The Scots were known for their individualism, independence, self reliance and resourcefulness. I am sure this applied to Richard and Polly as they struggled for survival in this new and vital land".(1)

Richard Ware was a constable in Randolph County from 1799-1804. His duties during this period of time were the same as sheriff. Presumably he worked in the Valley Head, Elkwater area which was near his home.(2)

Richard served in the War of 1812 under the command of Lt. Colonel William Boyd's Co., 9th Regiment, Virginia Militia. He served for 9 days from 2 Dec to 10 Dec, 1814.(3) He was given several land grants in Randolph County, Virginia. Many soldiers were given these land grants. The Grants were made by Lord Fairfax of Virginia prior to the Virginia Land Office, by the Commonwealth of Virginia of Lands now embracing the state of West Virginia, and by the state of West Virginia under its first constitution. Richard received 100 acres of land was joint owner of another 500 acres with Michael Huffman between 1825 and 1832 in Randolph County, Virginia.(4)

Richard and Polly were the first pioneers to be buried in the Valley Head Cemetery, a piece of land donated by Richard to the community as a burial place. He died in 1834 of dropsy, and Polly died of tuberculosis in 1828. A tall tombstone marks their burial place in the center of the cemetery. Their children were: Matilda, Lucinda, Elizabeth, Richard Brooks, George Washington, James Randolph, Jacob See, John Newton, Benoni T, Hiram, Edward and Andrew. Many of these children, grandchildren and other family members are also buried in this area.

Footnotes:

(1) "The Channel Family" by Rose Channel / Phillips (Compiled papers, 1983). Note: These papers are 'family lore' and cannot be considered as facts.

(2) "Mountain Heritage Self-government", 4th Edition, p.45, by Dr. Norman Simpkins (McClain Printing Co, Parsons, West Virginia. 1980).

(3) "Virginia Militia in the War of 1812", Vol. II, (Genealogical Publishing Co, Baltimore, Maryland, 2001). These Muster Rolls were part of a supplement to the Pay Rolls printed and distributed in 1851.

(4) Virginia Land Office Patens & Grants/Northern Neck Grants & Surveys. Part of the index to the recorded copies of grants issued by the Virginia Land Office. The collection is housed in the Archives at The Library of Virginia.

RESEARCH LOG: Richard Ware

wvmunzaadded this on 24 Oct 2009

Name: Richard Ware Male

Born: abt. 1754 or 1764; Married: 24 Jun 1804; Died: abt. 1834

1. 12/19/00 Found military information at The Library of Virginia [database online] giving pay rolls and muster rolls for War of 1812. He served as a private with the 3rd Regiment (Dickinson's) Virginia Militia and with the 9th Regiment (Boyd's) Virginia Militia.

Made copies of General Index Cards at The National Archives Southeast Region, Atlanta 10/19/07

2. 8/15/01 Found land grant information at The Library of Virginia [database online] giving copies of original deed's for his service in the War of 1812. He received 100 acres 11 Nov 1825, 400 acres with Michael Huffman 9 Sep 1828 and 100 acres with Michael Huffman 29 Aug 1832 all in Randolph Co. Deed abstracts have been made.

3. 11/30/03 Found in book Randolph County, [West] Virginia Deeds and Will Abstracts, Early Marriages and Sims Land Grant Index by Larry G Shuck, p.38 of Randolph Co Deed Book 3 for 1796-1805 p.30 Richard Ware is witness to sale of property 28 Mar 1800 by John Crouch.

Found again p.52 & 53 of Randolph Co Will Book 1 for 1787-1814 p.38 Richard Ware was at inventory of clerks for Jacob Westfall 23 Feb 1801.

Found again p.74 of Randolph Co Will Book Vol 3 1834-1854 p.13 & 14 will written 19 Mar 1834, probate and proven in court Jun 1834, appraisal and sale of Richard Ware's property 5 Sep 1834.

4. 12/15/03 Found in book Randolph County, [West] Virginia Deeds and Will Abstracts, Early Marriages and Sims Land Grant Index by Larry G Shuck, p.109 of Randolph County Early Marriages 1804; Groom: Richard Ware; Bride: Polly Wilson; Daughter of George Wilson; Married by: Robert Maxwell.

5. 9/12/05 Found in 1820 & 1830 census. Could not find him in 1810 census. He or his family does not appear anywhere in Randolph Co during the 1810 census. A search for his wife's father, George Wilson could not be found in 1810. His date of birth, as everyone takes from the Rose Channel/ Phillips papers, must not be correct, because during the 1830 census he was 76 years old but listed between 60 & 70? He might have been born in 1764 and not 1754 ( a type-o in the Channel papers?). This would mean that he was 40 and not 50 when he married Mary Wilson and was 63 and not 73 when his last son John Newton was born! The 1820 census is not much help because of the age spread of 45 & up.

His wife Mary died in 1828, age-43, after giving birth to her last son John Newton and does not appear in the 1830 census. The two females who do appear are his daughters Matilda (age-25) and probably Elizabeth (age-13 in wrong column). She probably would not have left home before she was 13. There are two males under age five who are John Newton (age-3) and probably Matilda's first son, William, who would be 8 months old when the census was enumeratored by Abraham Hutton on 2 Nov 1830. All of the male's are accounted for and in the right age column except for Richard, unless he was actually born in 1764, making him 66 and in the right column!

6. 11/29/07 Found copy of Muster Roll for Richard Ware's service during the War of 1812 in book Virginia Militia in the War of 1812, Volume II, Genealogy Publishing Co, Baltimore, Maryland 2001. He served 9 days under Lt Colonel William Boyd, 9th Reg, Virginia Militia. What did they do for 9 days? Information where he served in the 3rd Reg commanded by Dickinson was not found.

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LAST WILL and TESTAMENT: Richard Ware

wvmunzaadded this on 24 Oct 2009

I Richard Ware of the County Randolph do hereby make up my last will and testament in manner and form following that is to say.

First I desire that all the perishable part of my estate, after paying my debts and funeral expenses, to equally divided amongst my children Matilda, Lucinda, Elizabeth, Richard B., George, James, Jacob and John Ware.

Secondly, Benoni T. Ware, I give one hundred acres of land of a four hundred acre survey held by me and Michael Huffman and to be taken from the said four hundred acre survey agreeable to an artical of agreement between Michael Huffman and me.

Thirdly, I give to my sons James, Jacob and John Ware, one hundred acres of land from my home plantation.

Fourthly, I give to my sons, Richard B. and George, two hundred acres of land entered in my name on the Windy Run, and

lastly, do constitute and appoint my son, Hiram Ware, Executor of this my last will and testament in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affirmed my seal this nineteenth day of March 1834.

Signed, sealed, published and delivered by Richard Ware at and for his last will and testament in the presence and hearing of us who at his request and in his presence have subscribed our names as witnesses. John Crouch, Matthew Whitman. Randolph County Court, June Term 1834. This last will and testament of Richard Ware deceased was proven in court and order to be.

Richard “Dickie” Ware BIRTH 1758 DEATH 1834 (aged 75–76) BURIAL Valley Head Cemetery Valley Head, Randolph County, West Virginia

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/51617893/richard-ware

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Feb 4 2024, 21:56:12 UTC