Walton, Jackson and Raper Family History, England to Virginia
(Click here for Descendants of Richard Walton)
(Click here for Descendants of John Jackson, Sr)
(Click here for Descendants of William Raper)
HISTORY
Due to the interest in lead mining, the Walton, Jackson and Raper families emigrated from County of Westmoreland, England to Wythe County Virginia in the late 1700s. More specifically, the Waltons lived in the village of Knock (Long Marton Parish). The Jacksons lived in the villages of Brampton (Long Marton Parish) and Dufton (Dufton Parish). The Waltons and Jacksons had also lived another nearby village of Appleby. The transcripts of the Long Marton Bishop lists many baptisms and marriages of the above families.
So, in 1793, Thomas Jackson settled near the lead mines in Wythe Co, VA and persuaded his brother and sister, John and Ann, their families, Richard Walton, and Mr. Parkins to join him in America.
Thomas Jackson never married. Ann Jackson Raper's husband, William, died of small pox near Richmond, VA, before they settled in Wythe Co. They had three sons, John, William, Robert and a daughter. Ann subsequently married Richard Walton and their children were George, Thomas and Hannah. Richard Walton purchased 1,001 acres of land in 1805, thus becoming the Walton homeplace.
This land was rich in iron deposits and through the years from 1790 to 1880, some thirty lead furnaces, forges and factories operated in Wythe Co. In 1801, Thomas Jackson and James Newell rented some lead mines. The mines were sold in 1806, to David Peirce, Daniel Sheffey, and Thomas Jackson purchased the mines, but this was not finalized until 1831 due to various lawsuits. Thomas Jackson died intestate in 1824. One-half his estate was left to his sister, Ann Jackson Raper Walton and her children, and the other half left to his brother, George Walton, and his children. His heirs, nephews, Robert, John, and William Raper,and William John Sanders, owning through his wife, Thomas's niece, Hannah Walton Sanders inherited interest in the lead mines. From 1834-1838 lead mines operated under the name of Raper and Sanders.
Walton Furnace, was named for George Walton, a son of Richard and Ann Walton and brother to Hannah Walton Sanders, Thomas Jackson's nephew. The furnace was built by Dr. Richard Walton Sanders and Milton Howard, and the land was leased from Jerome Blair. It was the first furnace to have employees on a monthly payroll. It operated for several years until it was leased to a company in Delaware in 1879. It ceased operation entirely in 1888.
The Thomas Jackson estate was known as Jackson's Ferry Farm. On a hill up from the banks of the New River, at Jackson's Ferry, Thomas Jackson built a stone Shot Tower which still stands today. Lead shot made there and dropped into the New River where it cooled. That portion of land where the Shot Tower stands was donated to the Daughters of the American Revolution. When I was a teenager, the Shot Tower stood in the middle of a cow pasture The homeplace is still owned by Jackson descendants. At that time (back in the 1960s) the Shot Tower could be freely entered. I remember going up the wooden stairs inside to the top of the structure.
The lead was discovered by Col. John Chiswell in 1757. The Ferry began in 1787 on property on the west side of New River, owned by Charles Lynch. William Bell had the first ferry in operation. Interestingly, Moses Austin came with his brother, Stephen Austin in 1788 and leased a mine, Aparently, they were not successful and in 1798, Moses and his wife and son, Stephen moved to Texas and bought another mine. This is the Stephen Austin who became "The Father of Texas". The town of Austinville where the Ferry ran, was obviously named for them.
The lead was transported by wagon to the New River, where it was put on canoes to cross the river, placed on wagons and transported to the furnaces. The final product was transported parts of Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky. In 1772 the Lead Mines were made county seat of Fincastle Co and the Courthouse was on Col. Chiswell's land, later owned by James Newell, Jr. James's daughter, Elizabeth inherited this land where the ferry was, and they later sold it to Robert Raper. He left it to his daughter, Mary Ann who married William Thorn. The ferry was later called Thorn Ferry.
Now back to Richard Walton. Richard died in 1828, will probated 09-08-1828 (Wythe Co. Will Book 3, p.329). He left his wife, Ann, for her lifetime, one-third of the plantation, two feather beds and furniture, her pick of his horses, two cows, calves, 2 slaves and $100. He left his son, George, the rest of the plantation, other land purchased from Robert Raper, and interest in Herbert's Ferry (Jackson's Ferry), and four slaves, but one to remain with Ann, until her death. He left his daughter, Hannah, who married William John Sanders, two slaves, and their children. To the children by his wife's first marriage, John, William, Robert Raper and Mary Parkin, he left $100 each. The will requested that if Negro, Lewis were purchased, that he go with Phillis and Sway, as he was their reputed father. He also asked that his slaves be treated with humanity. The rest of the estate was divided equally between his children, George and Hannah.
When Ann Jackson Raper Walton died, in her will, she bequeathed all her estate to son, Robert, and $500 to son, John, $1000 to son, William, and $333.33 to her grandchildren, Elizabeth and John Robert Parkin, and daughter Mary Raper Parkin. When the following grandchildren came of age, she gave $160.67 to Thomas, George and Hannah Raper, and Hannah was to receive all the silver spoons (Wythe Co Will Book 6, p. 241). Since her children from her second marriage were left her brother, Thomas Jackson's estate, they were not provided for in their mother's will. Her son, George Walton took up residence at the Walton homeplace after his father died in 1828.
Richard and Ann Walton are buried at the Jackson Cemetery in Austinville (Wythe Co, VA). Also buried there are Thomas Jackson, John and Isabelle Jackson.
In 1825,the Jackson estate was partitioned. George Walton received the Jackson Ferry farm with the exception of the Shot Tower. In 1831, George and his wife, Senah Newell Sanders, and his sister and her husband, William John and Hannah Walton Sanders, retained interest in the ferry with the Jacksons and retained rights to cross the New River free of charge (Wythe Co. Deed Book, 10,p 164, Book 12, p. 120). In 1841, George bought property fromm Alexander Matthews. In 1856, his widow, Senah Walton, sold it to Richard Sanders and wife, Elizabeth, Stephen D. Sanders and wife, Catherine A.P. Sandeers, John P.M. Sanders and Elizabeth Chaffin. These were all brothers and children of William John and Hannah Walton Sanders. In 1842, George bought land on the north side of the New River, from William Sanders and Robert and Catherine Sanders, totaling 590 acres. In 1846, George sold the land to Stephen Sanders. (Wythe Co. Deed Book 15, pp. 206, 413; Book 16, p. 587; Book 17, p. 259; 21, p.200. This land was across the road from the Jackson's Ferry on New River where the Shot Tower stands.
George Walton died in 1840. In his will (Wythe Co. Will Book, 7 p. 244), having no children, he left his homeplace and all his land to his nephew, Richard Walton Sanders (son of sister, Hannah Walton Sanders).He left his interest in the lead mines to his three nephews, Richard Walton Sanders, Stephen Drake sanders and John P.M. Sanders (all sons of his sister, Hannah). He left his wife, Senah, all the family Negros,and various household items and some horses). He left the rest of his horses to Richard Walton Sanders, along with some other items, and nine slaves. George Walton is buried in a rock wall enclosure, north of his residence and is the only grave there. His nephews erected this with an epitaph, "The noblest work of God, an honest man."
Contact me at [email protected]
Please see the Diary of Hannah Walton Sanders
The diary's entries are from Jan-Jun 1860 and Jan-June 1861, ending with the beginning the the Civil War. It is an every day account of the lives of the family of Hannah Walton Sanders, who lived in Wythe Co. VA across New River from the old Shot Tower at Jackson's Ferry.
REFERENCES
The Sanders Saga, by Catherine Sanders McConnell, McClure Press, 1972, pp. 213-215, 222-223.
Early Adventures on the Western Waters, Vol. III, Part 1, The New River of Virginia in Pioneer Days 1745-1805, by Mary B.Kegley,Walsworth Pub. Co., Marceline, Missouri pp.355-360.
Donna Minke [email protected]
Myrna Raper Peters [email protected]