Discovering Our Lindsey & Breckenridge Ancestors: Shenandoah, New, Holston Rivers 1738-1796

1. Our Lindsey & Breckenridge Ancestors on the Shenandoah, New, and Holston Rivers 1738 -1796 Katie Angermeyer 2005

8. Moses Lindsey Sr. b. abt. 1760 d. bef. 1810 Washington Co. VA The Ancestors 4. Moses Lindsey Jr. b. abt. 1788 VA d. 1860-1870 Washington Co. VA 9. Letitia Breckenridge b. abt. 1755-1760 Augusta Co. VA d. aft. 1820 Washington Co. VA 2. David M. Lindsey b. 1813-1817 Washington Co. VA d. 1868 or 1901? Cedar Co. IA 10. John Myers b. 2 Feb 1774 VA d. Lafollette, Campbell Co. TN 5. Catharine (Caty) Myers b. abt. 1792 NC d. 1860-1870 Washington Co. VA 11. Mary Beeler b. 2 Aug 1774 VA d. 2 Jul 1852 1, James Alexander Lindsey b. 1850 Johnson Co. TN d. 1935 Kingfisher OK 12. Thomas Johnson Sr. b. abt. 1757 probably MD d. 1835 Carter/Johnson Co. TN 6. Thomas H. Johnson b. abt. 1786-7 MD d. abt. April 1865 Johnson Co. TN 13. Unknown 3. Barbara Johnson b. 1814 Carter/Johnson Co. TN d. 1891 Adair Co. IA 14. Moses Lindsey Sr. b. abt. 1760 d. bef. 1810 Washington Co. VA 7. Elizabeth Lindsey b. abt. 1793 VA d. 1856-1860 Johnson Co. TN 15. Letitia Breckenridge b. abt. 1755-1760 Augusta Co. VA d. aft. 1820 Washington Co. VA

32. Unknown b. d. 16. Matthew Lindsey b. [hypothetical] Scotland d. aft. 1791 Carter Co. TN 33. Unknown b. d. 8. Moses Lindsey Sr. b. abt. 1760 d. bef. 1810 Washington Co. VA 34. Unknown b. d. 17. Unknown b. d. 35. Unknown b. d. 4, Moses Lindsey Jr. (1788-186?) 7. Elizabeth Lindsey (1793-185?) 36. Alexander Breckenridge b. abt. 1680-1690 prob. N. Ireland d. bef. 11 Sep 1743 Orange Co. VA 18. George Breckenridge b. abt. 1714 [Londonderry] N. Ire. d. bef 29 Sep 1790 Wythe Co. VA 37. Jane Preston b. 1795 Lima-Vady, Londonderry, N. Ire. d. aft 24 May 1750 prob. Augusta Co. VA 9. Letitia Breckenridge b. abt. 1755-1760 Augusta Co. VA d. aft. 1820 Washington Co. VA 38. James Samuel Doak b. abt. 1670 Antrim, Ulster N. Ire. d. bef. 1727 Chester Co. PA 19. Ann Doak b. abt. 1718 [BallyNure,Antrim, Ulster, N. Ire – or VA?] d. abt. 1757 Augusta Co? VA 39. Elizabeth Unknown b. abt. 1681 d.

Here we are looking for the home of our earliest known Lindsey, who we believe is Matthew. We are along Sally Run in Wythe Co. VA

Matthew Lindsey in 1779 was appointed constable in Montgomery Co. VA. In the same year he owned land on Walkers Creek and Sally Run.

Sally Run woods

The mighty waters of Sally Run, flow to Reed Creek, then New River.

Umberger farm, was previously owned by Matthew Lindsey’s neighbor, Christopher Brown.

This is the land to the north of Umberger farm, believed to be home of Matthew Lindsey and later, Moses Lindsey.

Sally Run is in the drainage of the New River, which we see here at Foster Falls

There were important lead mines here. You can still see an old shot tower, where they made lead shot by dropping molten lead from the tower into water below.

Matthew Lindsey also owned land on Walkers Creek, which is just over the mountain from Sally Run.

There are still Lindsey’s living in the Walker’s Creek valley, descending from a Thomas Lindsey, who could possibly be a son of our Matthew.

Another possible Lindsey home, along Walkers Creek, Giles Co.

We don’t know who Matthew Lindsey’s wife was. He think he had sons, Moses, William Jesse, Samuel, and possibly Thomas.

Matthew Lindsey is believed to be involved in the iron industry. He bought iron rich land in 1791 along the Little Doe, in what is now Johnson Co. TN. This same land passed hands until it was owned by the iron master, Thomas Johnson, and his son Thomas H Johnson. Thomas H. Johnson married Matthew Lindsey’s granddaughter, Elizabeth. The plot thickens.

Matthew Lindsey had a son, William Jesse Lindsey, who was a builder of iron forges and furnaces. He lived in Carter Co. and later Campbell Co. TN. If the son was in this industry, likely the father was too.

Moses Lindsey (Sr.), we know married Letitia Breckenridge in Montgomery Co. VA 1785. The George Breckenridge family lived not far from Sally Run.

Lindsey & Breckenridge Lands in Wythe, Bland and Giles Counties Virginia

Letitia’s paternal grandparents: Tinkling Spring Presbyterian Church Alexander Breckenridge and his wife Jane Preston immigrated from Ulster, North Ireland with children, including George. They settled in 1738 near Staunton and were part of the Tinkling Springs Presbyterian Congregation. Alexander Breckenridge and probably Jane Preston, too, are buried at the Tinkling Spring cemetery.

Rev. Samuel Doak, first Presbyterian minister in Tennessee, was Letitia Breckenridge’s cousin. Letitia Breckenridge’s Maternal grandparents were James Samuel Doak and Elizabeth. They were from County Antrim, North Ireland, and probably lived their lives there.

Ann Doak emigrated with her brothers and sisters in 1740-41 after a severe winter in N. Ireland. They first went to Pennsylvania, and then soon went with so many other Scots-Irish to the Valley of Virginia, where they are shown as neighbors of the Breckenridge brothers at the Beverley Patent near Staunton.

Beverley Patent lands, have George and Robert Breckenridge neighboring to Samuel, David and John Doak.

George Breckenridge and Ann Doak’s children were born near Staunton. At least one child, Alexander, was baptised by Rev. John Craig, of the Tinkling Spring Presbyterian Church in 1743. This Alexander later built the cabin in 1769 which was one of the first in Washington Co. VA. Our ancestor, Letitia Breckenridge was born near Staunton between 1755 and 1760. Gardens at Smithfield

Augusta County Virginia Tinkling Spring Presbyterian Church and early Breckenridge Land

In 1769, George Breckenridge first appears in what is now Wythe Co., on land on Cove Creek, probably along Peppers Ferry Road, near Wytheville. George was ordained as an elder in the Unity Congregation of Presbyterians along Reed Creek. Letitia would have spent some of her childhood here.

Early George and Ann Breckenridge territory, Peppers Ferry Rd., Wytheville, VA

At the same time George Breckenridge was made elder of Unity on Reed Creek, his brother Robert and his first cousin, Col. William Preston were ordained as elders of the DaNean Congregation of Presbyterians in what is now Botetourt Co.These congregations were formed by people from the Tinkling Spring Church of Augusta Co.Much more is known about cousin Col. William Preston. See Patricia Givens Johnson “William Preston and the Allegheny Patriots”

When the Breckenridges moved to the New River area near Wytheville in 1769, they would have stopped at Greenfield, at the home of George’s cousin, Col. William Preston. Greenfield was at a crossroad, and was a place where many travelers were given shelter.

Robert Breckenridge, Georges brother, who was ordained with William Preston as Elder of the DeNean Congregation, moved to Botetourt County in about 1769. Descendents of Robert Breckenridge built Grove Hill near Fincastle.

Lucy B. is our third cousin 4x removed. A great-granddaughter of Robert Breckenridge had kept a diary during the Civil War. This is now published.

Botetourt County Virginia Robert Breckinridge and William Preston homes

Col. William Preston moved to be closer to his constituency and built Smithfield in 1773-1774 in the New River Valley at Blacksburg.

His cousin, George Breckenridge and family could have stayed here when they traveled. Cousin George Breckenridge and family may have stayed at Smithfield on their travels to and from Augusta or Botetourt.

The Smithfield kitchen garden.

While Col. Preston resided in a home built in the style of Williamsburg,Virginia, most others on the frontier were in living log homes. Weavers cabin at Smithfield

Alexander Breckenridge cabin, built in 1769 near Abingdon, VA. He was one of the first settlers. Letitia Breckenridge was Alex’s little sister. She would have likely stayed here when the family came to hear the gun-toting Rev. Charles Cummings preach. Still standing on the grounds of the Abingdon Library.

There you have one small part of our Lindsey family tree.

This story to be continued with the Lindsey clan in Washington County Virginia 1797 - 1870

Discovering Our Lindsey & Breckenridge Ancestors: Shenandoah, New, Holston Rivers 1738-1796

Discovering Our Lindsey & Breckenridge Ancestors: Shenandoah, New, Holston Rivers 1738-1796

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