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Robert Sumner

Birthdate:
Birthplace: Loudoun County, Province of Virginia
Death: December 01, 1779 (62-63)
New Garden, Guilford County, North Carolina, United States
Place of Burial: Jamestown, Guilford County, North Carolina, United States of America
Immediate Family:

Son of James Sumner and Mary [Sumner] Sanders
Husband of Phebe Ann Beals and Phoebe Bowater Sumner
Father of Bowater Baldwin Sumner; William Sumner; Caleb Sumner; Joshua Sumner, Sr.; Phoebe Ann Garrett and 5 others
Brother of Luke Sumner; James Sumner; Esther Sumner; David Sumner; Robert Sumner and 6 others

Occupation: Quaker
Managed by: Richard Stanley Teague
Last Updated:

About Robert Sumner

Burial record:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56355414/robert-sumner

Robert was born abt 1716, possible son of James and Mary (Blanchard) Sumner of VA and later Perquimans Co NC. He married widow Phebe (Beals) Canaday in 1746 in Fairfax Co VA, widow of Charles Canaday.

Children with Phebe: 1) William Sumner (1747-1801), m: Eleanor Edwards, d/o Hanuel & Eleanor (Scaife) Edwards. 2) Bowater Sumner (1749-1829), m: Rebeckah Burris, d/o John C & Esther (Terry) Burris. 3) Caleb Sumner Sr (1751-1831), m: Mary Elizabeth (Cook) Carson, widow of Uriah Carson & d/o Thomas & Mary (Underwood) Cook. 4) Joshua Sumner (1753-1858); m: Sarah "Sally" Cox. 5) Phebe Ann Sumner (1755-1811), m: Welcome Garrett, s/o John & Sarah Nancy (Bowater) Garrett. 6) Thomas Sumner (1757-1838), m1: Hannah Hiatt, d/o Joseph & Hannah (Harrell) Hiatt; m2: Martha (Rich) Williams, widow of Ennion Williams, d/o John & Susan (Frazier) Rich. 7) Prudence Beals Sumner (1760-1835), m: Garrett Gibson, s/o Valentine & Elizabeth Gibson. 8) Abigail Sumner (1762-1854), m: John B Carson, s/o Uriah & Mary Elizabeth (Cook) Carson. 9) Sarah Jane Sumner (1765-1857), m: Nimrod Fender, s/o Christian & Anna Maria (Minter) Fender. 10) Robert Sumner Jr (1767-1777)

At the time of their marriage, Robert was not a Quaker and the marriage was considered "out of unity", so Phebe was disowned by the church. On 26 Jun 1749, Robert joined the Quaker faith. The family was received at the Fairfax MM in Loudon Co VA and Phebe was restored to the church.

In 1751, Robert moved his young family from VA to NC, where they became members of the Carver's Creek MM in Bladen Co NC in Feb 1751 and the Cane Creek MM in Orange Co NC in Jul 1751. Finally settling near Rowan Co (now in Guilford) NC, they were received into the New Garden MM in 1754.

One transcribed Quaker record says Robert died 1 Dec 1779, however, this is a mistranscription and the 9 is actually a 5. See New Garden Quaker record, legibly dated 24 Feb 1776, whereby "this Meeting apponts Isaac Jones overseer in the room of Robert Sumner deceas'd". Also evidenced, Robert was deceased by the time his son Thomas married Hannah Hiatt on 8 Oct 1777.

Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy New Garden MM, Vol 1, Pg 22, NC: "Thomas Sumner, Surry Co., son of Robert, deceased, m. Hannah Hiatt dt. Joseph, same place, 8-10-1777 [Oct 8, 1777] at Tom's Creek. Wit: David Ballard, John Jackson, William Beales, John Hiatt, Thos. Beales, Isaac Jones, Ann Hiatt, Ruth Jackson, Mary Carson, Sarah Beales, John Burras, Phebe Beales"

Source for children, dates and marriages: Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy Vol 1, Pg 10, NC

Notes: In 1742 Fairfax Co VA was formed from the northern part of Prince William Co VA. In 1757, the northwestern two-thirds of Fairfax Co became known as Loudoun Co VA. Do not yet know which exact area of VA Robert was born, but it seems to be Prince William Co.

Prior to 1752, Quaker records were read in the 'Old Style', using the Julian calendar; the first month was March and the last month was February. In and after 1752, dates were read in the 'New Style', using the present day Gregorian calendar; the first month is January and the last December.

Many, many thanks to Russell Kahn for the pictures!


Will: 31 OCT 1775 Surry County., North Carolina

Burial: DEC 1779 New Garden, Guilford, North Carolina

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Robert Sumner's Timeline

1716
1716
Loudoun County, Province of Virginia
1747
September 29, 1747
Waterford, Fairfax, Virginia, British Colonial America
1749
October 20, 1749
Waterford, Loudoun County, Virginia, United States
1751
July 3, 1751
Bladen County, North Carolina
1753
November 2, 1753
New Garden, Guilford County, North Carolina, British Colonial America
1755
May 18, 1755
Rowan County, NC, United States
1757
December 20, 1757
Guilford County, Province of North Carolina
1760
March 10, 1760
New Garden Friends Meeting, High Point, Guilford County, Province of North Carolina