Susannah Helvey

Susanna (Gale) Helvey (c1746-1794). Her parentage is uncertain. She was a sister, sister-in-law, or other relative of William Nathaniel Gale [William Nathaniel Gale], of Carter County, Tennessee. That is, he is said to have been an "uncle" of Susanna's daughter Catherine.

She has been speculated as a daughter of John Gale and Milcah Hill, but she is not among their known children (FamilySearch 2017). William Gale has been speculated as a son of John Gale and Sarah White (FamilySearch 2016).

Her will named a son John Corvin. He seems to have been her son-in-law but she might have had an earlier marriage, or Corvin might have been her maiden name.

She might have been Cherokee or part Cherokee. Several branches of her descendants have a tradition they are part Cherokee. Her son Jacob's descendants used the given name Qualla, which suggests a Cherokee connection.

The first record that bears her name is a land sale by her husband, Henry Helwick on 24 June 1777 in Shenandoah County, Virginia.

1778 - Order that Susannah Helvey, among others, be summoned as a witness to appear at the trial of William Strother who was accused of passing counterfeit money. Court held at Fort Chiswell, Montgomery, Virginia on Tuesday, the 7th of April, 1788. (Lewis Preston Summers, Annals of Southwest Virginia, 1769-1800 (Abingdon, Virginia, 1929), p. 689.)

In 1790, 265 acres were surveyed for Susanna Helvey, Henry Helvey (Jr.), and Jacob Helvey. (Wythe Co. Entry Bk. 1:2.) This survey related to property owned by Henry Helvey, Sr. and inherited by Susannah, Henry Helvey, Jr. and Jacob Helvey. On 30 May 1793 265 acres on Reed Creek were assigned to Susanna Helvey, Henry Helvey (Jr.) and Jacob Helvey by Jesse Evans, assignee of Robert Adams, assignee of Saml. McCraw, who received the land on a 1790 treasury warrant, corner to John Davis and John McNitt (McNutt) (Wythe Co. Survey Bk. 1:40.)

It is said that on her deathbed she would only allow her son John Corvin to care for her.

Her will, dated 27 January 1794 and proved 11 March 1794, named sons Henry Helvey, Jacob Helvey and John Corvin, and daughters Peggy Bragginick (Breckenridge), Molly Davis, Susanna Hops, Christiana Helvey, and Catharina Helvey. Elizabeth Davis is also mentioned, but she is not specifically named as a daughter as the others were. However, all six were given equal shares of Susannah's "moveables" (Wythe Co. Will Bk. 1:72-75).

In the name of God amen. I Susanna Helvey of the County of Wythe and State of Virginia being very sick and weak of body and of good perfect mind and memory. Thanks be given unto God calling unto mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament, that is to say principally and first of all, I give and recommend my soul into the hand of almighty God that gave it, and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in decent Christian burial at the discration of my executors. Nothing doubting but at the General resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God and as touching such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life. I give, devise & dispose of the same in the following manner & form. First, I give and bequeath to my son Henry Helvy is to have the one half of the land of my thirds toward John McNutts plantation, the one half of the orchard aforesaid & the sd Henry Helvy is to pay to Elisabeth Davis ten pounds & to Susanna Hops ten pounds and the sd Henry Helvy is then to have equal shears of the moveable belonging to Susanna Helvy.

Secondly I give and bequeath to my son Jacob Hevey first and of all one sorral coult and for the sd Jacob Helvey to have the house I now live in and the madow adjoining to it and the half of the orchard the sd Jacob Helvey is to pay to Christina Helvey ten pounds and to Catharina Helvey ten pounds when of age. The sd jacob Helvey is to have equal shears of the moveables belonging to Susanna Helvey.

Third, I give & bequeath to my son John Corvin one horse which he juices [chooses?] and in the movables to have equal shears.

Fourth, I give and bequeath to my daughter to have equal shear of my movables Peggy Bragginick.

Fifth, I give and bequeath to my daughter Molly Davis to have equil shear of my movables.

Sixth, Elizabeth Davis, Susanna Hops, Christiana Helvey & Catharina Helvey all to have equal shears of my moveables.

Seventh, Catharina Helvey is to have one suit of myne and one chest and then her equal shear.

Eighth, thirty dollars in cash is to be divided to my children.

Ninth, my bed to be divided in three equal shears to my three daughters Susanna Hops, Christiana Helvey & Catharina Helvey and what belongs to my bed. And I do hereby utterally disallow revoke and disannul all and every other former Testaments Wills Legacies Bequsts and Executors by me in any ways before named willed and bequeathed ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last Will and Testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this the seven and twentieth day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety four.

Signed sealed published pronounced and declared by the sd Susannah Helvey as her last Will and Testament in th presence of us who in her presence and in the presence of each other have hereby subscribed our names.

Susanna X Helvey her mark
Jonas Fortney
John Kettenreng
Martin Woolford

Her will was proved in Wythe County, dated 11 March 1794. [Will Bk. 1:72-75.],

At a Court held for the County of Wythe on Tuesday the 11th day of March 1794. This the last Will & Testament of Susanna Helvey dec'd was proven by these oaths of Jonas Fortney and Martin Woolford two of the witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded.

Teste D.M. Garock DC

Her estate was sold 12 June 1799 (Wythe Co. Will Bk. 2:372).

Estate of Susannah Helvy Decd. Buyers at the sale were: Andrew Brown, John Colvin, Christena Helvey, Jacob Helvey, William Crawford, Joseph Evans, John Harlerider, Daniel Wiseley, Elizabeth David, John Davis, John Corvan, Daniel Hetter, Peter Hetter, Walter Kinser, George Pruner, Walter Kinsor, Stuffle Brown, William Phipps, Alexander McNutt, Peter Bishop, John Belsher, Lewis Wolford, John Seifer, Stuffle Simmerman, Henry Humbarger, Michael Cruger Sr, George Kriger Sr, Peter Cline, Nicholas Cline, Richard Green. (Wythe Co. Deed Bk. 1:372 (1799)).

In 1800 "There was yet due to two of the legatees, to wit, Elizabeth Casebolt and Catherine Helvey, 27 pounds, 19 shillings, 10 pence each. The Settlement with the Executors of the estate of Henry Helvey decd. was returned to court and ordered to be Recorded 11 September 1800" (Wythe Co. Will Bk. 1:155-157). Elizabeth was probably living with John Casebolt in North Carolina and Catherine was probably living with Joseph Barron in Tennessee.

Sources

• Reference: FamilySearch Genealogy - SmartCopy: May 15 2016, 16:49:24 UTC
• Reference: FamilySearch Genealogy - SmartCopy: May 15 2016, 17:42:39 UTC
• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: May 5 2017, 17:12:06 UTC

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• Reference: FamilySearch Genealogy - SmartCopy: May 6 2017, 15:19:21 UTC