James Skaggs and Frances "Fanny" Beeler
James Skaggs' birthdate and location are unknown. (For errors found in trees, see note below on #8 James Skaggs.)
From his probate, there is an indication that James had a first marriage, but married his second wife before he was divorced from his first wife.
Frances "Fanny" Beeler was born [when?] [Find George Beeler's minor children in the October 7, 1800 guardianship bonds, in its child list gives "Fanny Beeler, b ca 1785, d 1819."]
James and Frances were married on February 26, 1808 in Green County, Kentucky. [Note: Are there other records that tie these two together? Do any of their children's deaths list both as a parent? Or is this just an assumed relationship based on a marriage record that does not fit any of the other James below? Is linking West Virginia Fanny to the Green County bride in 1808 an assumption?] [To estimate their ages, if they were young newlyweds around the age of 20, their birthdates would have been around 1788.]
James and Frances have a daughter, Nancy Merge Skaggs, in 1809 in Kentucky. She would marry Matthew T. W. Benton and have 10 children. She died [when?]
1810 Census in Green County, Kentucky (page 9): 2 males under 10 (who? and who?), 1 male 26-44 (James), 1 female under 10 (Nancy), 1 female 26-44 (Frances), for a total of 3 children under the age of 16 and 2 adults over the age of 25. (Note: this is only a possibility because this census fits no other James Skaggs; see below. If it is him, then the two male children under 10 would have possibly died. They could have also been sons from his first wife and, if not, born prior to the marriage to Francis. If it is him, a male 26-44 in 1810 was born 1766-1784, so he would have been 27-45 when he died in 1811, and Francis would have been in the same range.)
Since their daughter Frances is born in Missouri, that would mean they moved between the 1810 census and when Frances was born in Missouri that same year. Did they move while Frances was pregnant?
In 1810, James and Frances have a daughter, Frances Skaggs in Missouri. She would marry James Rutledge and die in 1883 at the age of 73 years. [This is MY LINE.] She would name her first son after her brother, Hiram.
James Skaggs died in August 1811 and his estate was administered by Benjamin Skaggs. See James Skaggs Estate File. [Note: Transcribe File] He lived at Indian Creek, St. Louis District.
This is a small snippet of the probate estate file with Frances Rutledge's name, which gives documentation that she is the daughter of James and Frances Skaggs.
In November 1811, James and Frances have a son, Hiram Henry Skaggs. His birth is noted as St. Louis, Missouri. He was born after his father's death. He would marry Perninah Teresina Hall. They would have 9 children. One of his daughters is named Frannie after his sister. He died in 1870 in Clarke County, Mississippi at the age of 59 years. [Need documentation][I have DNA matches to decendants of Hiram.]
Franny dies March 1832 in Sangamon County, Illinois. [Need documentation; where does this info come from? When did Franny move to Illinois? She married a Hamby?]
NAME VARIATIONS
Skaggs | Scaggs | Skeggs | Skegs | Sceggs
DNA
There are some DNA notes in the below list.
My DNA matches with Benjamin Skaggs being the son of Richard Skaggs, and James being Benjamin's son, I have realistic DNA matches that range from 8 CM to 15 CM.
To be a 6th cousin, we would have the same 5th Great Grand. Benjamin Skaggs as the father of James Skaggs is my Uncle's 6th Great Grand (since I am using his DNA as it goes up a generation more).
To be a 7th cousin, we would have the same 6th Great Grand. To be the 8th cousin, we would have the same 7th Great Grand in common.
Suggested DNA Painter suggests relationships for that CM amount are most common is 6th cousin 6C (range 0-71 with average of 18) 6C1R 5C 6C2R 4C1R 5C1R 7C Half 3C2R 4C2R 5C2R 7C1R 3C3R 4C3R 5C3R.
7th cousin is range 0-57 with average of 14. 8th cousin is range 0-42 with average of 11.
My matches are:
((6th cousin) Karen Day, 10 cM — via son of Benjamin, Chester Andrew Skaggs (being the administrator of Benjamin's probate)→ Hudson → Francis → James E. → Dorothy → Doreen
(6th cousin) Bruce Allen Ferris, 8 cM — via son of Benjamin, Chester Andrew Skaggs→ Hudson → Francis → James E. → Eldon → Private
(6th cousin) Tiffany Vining, 13 cM — via son of Benjmain, Chester Andrew Skaggs→ Hudson → Sarah → Lena Mae → Herbert → Private
(6th cousin) Karen Amey, 15 cM — via son of Benjamin, John Skaggs→ Thomas → William J. → James E. → Clem → Melva Jean
(5th cousin, once removed) Sue Thompson 9 cM - via son of Benjamin, John Skaggs → Elizabeth Skaggs → John F. → Warren
(5th cousin, once removed) Leman Ash 8cM - via daughter, Nancy Skaggs → Martin M Humphrey → Bessie D → Leona R. → Alice May →
(6th cousin) Denise George, 9 cM — via daughter, Nancy Skaggs→ Martin M. Humprhey→ Lillie → Dessie → Evelyn → Private
Other children of Benjamin are Sarah, James Stephen, and Richard. Richard is the only one at this time I have ocnfirmed as he is mentioned in the probate. It could be the had no descendants.
A LIST OF OTHER JAMES SKAGGS
These lines generally moved along the Great Wagon Road down through Southwestern Virginia (New River Valley / Montgomery / Fincastle Counties) before traveling via the Wilderness Road through the Cumberland Gap into Green River Country (Green, Taylor, and Barren Counties), Kentucky.
Oh my goodness, after I began compiling the list, I see others have done the same already. Nice!)
Also note the Tale of the Three Henry Skaggs.
1. James Skaggs, Sr. (If my tree is correct, this is my 8th Great-Grandfather, father of Richard Skaggs, Benjamin Skaggs, and the above Skaggs.) DNA: R-BY44771
b. c 1700 Virginia OR Maryland (per Lyman Draper) OR at sea (unproven lore)
d. c. 1779–1782 (New River, Montgomery County, formerly Augusta County, OR Fincastle County Virginia)
Spouse: Rachel (Incorrect in some trees as Rachel Susannah Moredock) | m. c. 1720 | d. 1789, Montgomery County Virginia.
The longhunter patriarch; never left Virginia. Some have his title as Captain. The old lore says an Irishman who fled Londonderry in 1688–89.
2. James (Thomas) Skaggs, Jr. (If my tree is correct, this is my 7th Great-Granduncle; this is the brother to my 7th Great Richard Skaggs.) DNA: R-BY44771
b. c 1734 Fincastle, Botetourt County, Virginia
d. after 1825 Lawrence County, Kentucky
Spouses: Mary (m. c 1755, Virginia)
Parents: Son of Sr. #1 above and Rachel.
Built James Skaggs Station on Brush Creek, Green County, Kentucky (1780, burned 1781). Trees have his middle name as Thomas, but I do not know if that is accurate.)
Some researches (Cheryl T. Duke ) link this man to my ancestor, but other state outright, "This is not the James Skaggs who died in St. Louis, Missouri in 1811."
3. "Longman" James Scaggs DNA: R-FT48276
b. before 1735 Maryland Colony OR Augusta County, Virginia
d. 1813-14 Warren County, Kentucky (will dated July 21, 1813, proved July 1814); some have 1815-1820 Green County or Barren County Kentucky
Spouse: Susanna Moredock
Parents: Charles Scaggs (born 1709, Prince George's County, Maryland) and Elizabeth Brashears;
A different Skaggs Y-DNA line entirely. Operated a ferry at New River, the Wilderness Road crossing.
4. Lt. James C. Skaggs DNA: R-FT12801.
b. c 1763 Laurens District, South Carolina
d. Dec. 12, 1838 Knox County, Tennessee
Spouse: Elizabeth m. after the Revolution in South Carolina
Parents: Charles Skaggs Sr. (brother of #3 above) & possibly Mary
Revolutionary War pensioner, ancestor of the "Safeway" Skaggs family; never lived in Virginia or Kentucky.
5. James Skaggs
b. 1774 birthplace undocumented
d. 1822
Spouses: Catherine Reaser (Spotsylvania County, Virginia) and Mary Brinker (Frederick County, Virginia OR Prince George's County, Maryland).
Parents: Unknown
An eastern Virginia and Maryland man, thinly documented.
6. James Skaggs DNA: R-BY44771
b. c 1773-75 near Little River, Montgomery County, Virginia
d. June 6, 1831 Fredericktown, Madison County, Missouri (will executed April 9, 1831)
Spouse: Anna McColgan m. Feb. 14, 1795, Green County, Kentucky (Nice history here!)
Parents: Henry "Longhunter" Skaggs & Mary Thompson (Henry's descendants test in the Long Hunters line).
Ten children, all born Green County, Kentucky; moved to Missouri in the late 1820s.
7. James Skaggs, Jr. DNA: R-FT48276
b. Aug. 5, 1789 Eastern Tennessee
d. Sept. 27, 1861 Warren County, Kentucky
Spouse: Dorothy "Dollie" Dunham m. Aug. 1, 1811, Warren County, Kentucky.
Parents: #3 (Longman James) & Susanna Moredock
Lifelong Warren County, Kentucky, resident.
8. James A. Skaggs (Esq) DNA: R1b
b. February 25, 1780 in Greenbrier County, Virginia
d. Between October 1863 and October 1864 in Ansted per Fayette County probate record.
Spouse: Elizabeth Miller - bond dated 1805 in Monroe County, Virginia
Parents: Charles Scaggs (c 1754–1800), grandson of Thomas (Maryland line)
He spent his whole life in the New River Gorge, West Virginia area; Sheriff of Fayette County in 1837, in the censuses 1820 through 1860. Monroe County is where the 1805 marriage bond was signed; that was Elizabeth Miller's family's county. A separate Skaggs family (R1b haplogroup), unrelated to the longhunter lines.
Many researchers put this man as the same as mine because the marriage in 1805 predates the 1808 marriage to Frances Bealer. Researchers are searching for the first wife of my ancestor and tried to fit this in, especially since the children's names are similar (see this Wikitree by Cari (Ebert) Starosta). These two are NOT the same man. First, a man who died in 1811 cannot be Sheriff in 1837. Second, he never left West Virginia. Third, his probate file of 1864 is well after 1811. Because of this error, many researchers list my ancestor's birthdate as this man's, but currently there is no documentation for my ancestor's birth. (For instance, Allen Whitworth's Geneanet uses the name of "James Perry Skaggs" with this birthdate.)
He's of the Maryland Skaggs line (Y-DNA R1b), while my longhunter Skaggses are R1a.
#9. Reverand James Skaggs, Jr.
b. about 1752, Virginia (tree version, unsourced; Manx gives 1765, which does not fit his children born from 1775)
d. January 1814, Hardin County, Kentucky (claimed in Reverend William Downs's song, not a death record; certainly dead by 23 September 1816) He wrote his will in Hardin County on 18 January 1814 and died sometime after ?
Spouse: Nancy Mayse; 1782, Virginia
Parents: #2 James Skaggs above & Mary.
#2's son James is named, with Stephen and Henry, in the 15 November 1793 Brush Creek deed, when #2 sold them the 450 acres. By the 23 September 1816 Green County order, all three of those sons were already dead. And in 1819, William Skaggs was made guardian to the infant heirs of that son James.
--Could this be my James Skaggs? A death date in a song is not solid proof and could be him with a death in 1811 instead. Nancy Mayse could be my James Skaggs' first wife. Nancy's youngest child, Moses Madison Skaggs, born in 1808 in Kentucky, is the same year that my Francis Skaggs ances is born in February 1808. This fits the statement in my James's probate that he was not yet divorced from his first wife. Nancy is said to live until about 1827. If I merge the two James, then Benjamin as a son of Richard would be Reverend James's first cousin, and Andrew is Benjamin's son, then he would be first cousin once removed.
10. James Lindsey Skaggs
b. 1780, Virginia
d. May 1, 1858, Grayson County, Kentucky
Spouse: Kessiah Ann Witten, 1789-1860, married December 3, 1807, Tazewell, Virginia
Parents: Hunter Henry Skaggs and Nancy Davis
11. James Squire Skaggs
b. 1784, Virginia
d. February 1870, Edmonson County, Kentucky
Spouse: Elizabeth F. Willis, 1784-1860
Parents: Aaron Skaggs Jr. and Sarah Lyon ( Son of Aaron Skaggs Jr., who was killed before 1802, not the longhunter line.)
1810 Kentucky Census
There are three James Skaggs heads in Green County in 1810:
1.
#6 James Skaggs - 1810 Census in Green County, Kentucky (page 7): 4 males under 10, 1 male 26-44, 3 females 10-16, 1 female 26-44
2.
Possibly my James Skaggs - 1810 Census in Green County, Kentucky (page 9): 2 males under 10, 1 male 26-44, 1 female under 10, 1 female 26-44, for a total of 3 children under the age of 16 and 2 adults over the age of 25.
Reviewing possible James Skaggs to this census. #1 died before 1781; not him; #2, born about 1734, would be age 45+; #3 was in Warren County, Kentucky, and was over 75, not 26-44. #4, born about 1763, would be 45+ & never lived in Virginia or Kentucky. #5, born 1774, fits the age bracket, but the Manx summary places him in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, then Frederick County, Virginia and Prince George's County, Maryland, not Kentucky. #6 is page 7, as above. #7 was born in 1789, so 21 in 1810, in the 16-25 bracket, and he did not marry until August 1811 in Warren County. #8 was in West Virginia, his wife Elizabeth was about 23 in 1810, not 26-44, and his first three children were Phebe in 1806, Thomas in 1808 and Susan in 1810, which is 1 boy and 2 girls, not the 2 boys and 1 girl listed. This leaves my James as a possibility for this census.
3.
#2 James Skaggs - 1810 Census in Greensburgh, Green County, Kentucky (page 12): 1 male under 10, 1 male 45 and up, 1 female 10-16, 1 female 45 and up
Reviewing possible James Skaggs to this census. #2 is the only who is in the 45-and-up bracket and still alive then. The Manx summary also puts him deeding Green County land in 1816 and dying after 1820 in Lawrence County, Kentucky. However, there are 2 children in the household and all of #2's children were all adults by 1810. Grandchildren maybe. It could also be his adult son, #9 James Skaggs, who was also old enough to be 45+ in 1810 and was dead by 1816.
4.
#10. James Lindsey Skaggs -1810 Census Grayson County, Kentucky (page 5): 1 male under 10 (Aaron), 1 male 16-25 (James), 1 female 16-26 (Kessiah)
4.
#9. Reverand James Skaggs, Jr. (Jas Skeigs) - 1810 Census Hardin County, Kentucky, Elizabethtown (page 9): 3 male under 10, 3 male 10-15, 1 male 16-25, 1 male 45 and over.
5.
#11. James Squire Skaggs - 1810 Census Adair County, Kentucky, Columbia (page 21): 1 male under 10, 1 male 16-25, 1 female 16-25.
6.
There is also a James Skaggs in the 1810 Census for Rockcreek and Eastern Branch Hundreds, Prince George's, Maryland, with 2 slaves and 10 household members.