Category Archives: Ransone

Perkins, Ransone

Flemstead Ransone of Halifax, Cumberland & Buckingham Cos., VA, 1700s

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Flemstead Ransone, sometimes found as “Ransom”, is the fifth generation of his family to live in Virginia. He first appears in the Cumberland County, Virginia court order book on 24 September 1754, as a witness, so he likely was at least 16 years old and probably 21 or older. That would place his birth between 1733-1738.

Flemstead Ransone married Elizabeth (MNU), but little is known about his family. Elizabeth’s name is known to us because she and Flemstead’s names appear Cumberland County deeds from the 1770s to the 1790s.

Deed of Flemstead & Henry Ransone, 18 November 1790
Cumberland County, Virginia Deed Book 7: 35
Source: FamilySearch

The court recorded this deed from Flemstead and Henry Ransone for the sale of land to William Meredith. However, it noted that their wives, Elizabeth and Sarah, could not conveniently travel to the courthouse to acknowledge the release of dower rights. Clerks of the court appended a statement dated 18 November 1790 that each had been examined privately and gave free consent to the sale. Therefore, we know that Elizabeth was still living as of that date.

Flemstead Ransone died between 8 July 1793, when he was mentioned in a Buckingham County, Virginia court record as not taking an oath and 27 March 1797, when a Cumberland County, Virginia land deed mentions the estate of Flemstead Ransone, along with John F. Ransone and William Ransone selling land to Tscharner Woodson.


Cumberland County, VA Deed Book 8:272
Source: FamilySearch

The most interesting part of this deed is in the opening:

This Indenture made this fifth day of September one thousand seven hundred and ninety eight Between Ambrose Ransone Administrator with the Will annexed of Flamstead Ransone dec’d. .

There is no transcription of the will of Flemstead Ransone following this deed! However, the will of “Flamstead Ransome” was filed in Buckingham County in 1796 and has been published in the Magazine of Virginia Genealogy! This will was in exhibit in the U.S. Supreme Court case Hopkirk v. Ransome heard by Chief Justice John Marshall.

Children (Those in blue are proven, Mary and Henry are assumed to be.):

1. Ambrose, born 1761-1770; died 12 July 1843, Batavia, Clermont, Ohio; married Ann Andrews, 30 December 1793, Cumberland County, Virginia. He was an abolitionist. In the lawsuit between John F. and Henry, Ambrose deposed that they were his brothers, both younger than him.
2. Mary, born c1764; died after 25 July 1803, date of her husband’s will; married Henry Purkins, c1787
3. Henry, born before c1765; in a lawsuit with John F. from 1797-1799; died before 6 March 1822 when sarah’s dower rights were settled; married Sarah P. Wright, 24 December 1786, Cumberland County, Virginia
4. Catherine, born c1768; (1) married Gabriel Wright, 26 December 1785, Cumberland County, Virginia with consent of her father, Flemstead Ransone (2) John Sharpe, who died before 14 March 1823, Prince Edward County, VA [Deed Book 18:133]
5. John F., born c1770; married Elizabeth (MNU)
6. Elizabeth, born c1774; died after 5 September 1798; married James Price and lived in Prince Edward County, Virginia
7. William, born c1775; married Susan Dejarnette, 15 August 1799, Halifax County, Virginia
8. Lucy; born c1777; died after 5 September 1798, living in Buckingham County and unmarried at that time.

Mary is placed in Flemstead’s family because she and Henry named a son Flemstead and her son, John, and his wife, Rhoda Walters Woosley in turn named a son John Ransone Perkins.

Also lending credence to the idea that she was a daughter of Flemstead is a Virginia chancery court lawsuit between John F. and Henry Ransone, brothers, who sued over the sale of enslaved persons who were part of their father’s estate. Henry Purkins, in his deposition, stated at he was present during the settlement of the sale. His wife being a legatee of Flemstead would explain his presence.


Virginia Memory: Chancery Records
Case 1797:004, Cumberland County, VA
Adm of F Ransome & James Wilson v Adm of F Ransome & James Wilson

The affidavit of Henry Perkins, Taken this 21st day of September. 1795. In a Certain Suit i Chancery In the County of Cumberland Now depending Between James Wilson Plaintiff and Flemstead Ransome, defendant. The said Henry Perkins being first sworn. Saith he happened at the Dwelling house of the defendant Ransome; when The Settlement took place, between the parties Respecting Two Negroes and the said Perkins Understood by the Parties, that there had been the Day before a Sale of Some of Ransome Negroes, and James Wilson become the Purchaser of some of them; and a negro Woman Named Leah [illegible} Inclinable, Ransone Should take back and said she was Worth Forty pounds, Ransone Replyed, Mr. Wilson, she is [?] Negro. Take her Wilson mentioned this several times, and Ransone made him the Same Reply as before, She is your Negro. take her; and this deponent, Understood by the parties; that the defendant had Taken a Negro Man by the Name of Cambridge at three fourths of. . . . .

More discoveries to come about the Ransone family, as I have discovered proof of the mother and paternal grandfather of Flemstead Ransone in another lawsuit!

Perkins, Ransone

Henry Perkins & Mary Ransone of Halifax County, Virginia

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I mentioned in the post about John Perkins that Halifax County, Virginia was a great county in which to research. It also helps that the Perkins family believed in writing wills!

Henry Perkins was born c1745, probably in Essex County, Virginia, the son of Henry Purkins, as he was known, and Elizabeth Gatewood. He married Mary Ransone, the daughter of Flemstead and Mary (MNU) Ransone, c1780, possibly in Buckingham County, Virginia. It appears that Henry married (1) Unknown and had two sets of children.

Henry died in Halifax County, Virginia between 11 January 1803, the day he wrote his will, and 25 July 1803, when his will was proved in court.

Halifax County, Virginia Will Book 3:506-507
Source: FamilySearch

In the name of God, Amen, I, Henry Perkins, of Halifax County, being weak of body, but of sound mind and memory, blessed be God for it, do make and ordain this, my last will and testament, in manner and form as followeth, to wit.

First I lend unto my beloved wife, Mary Perkins, the tract of land whereon I now live on, and all the stock of every kind that is my property at this time, to wit, three head of horses, eight head of cattle, twelve head of hogs, and also three feather beds and their furniture, also all my household and kitchen furniture, and also all the plantation utensils that belong to me at this time, in during her natural life.

Item: I give and bequeath unto my daughter, Elizabeth Hubbard, one shilling.

Item: I give and bequeath unto my son, William Perkins, one shilling.

Item: I give and bequeath unto my son, Henry Perkins, and to his heirs forever one shilling.

Item: I give and bequeath unto my son, Daniel Perkins, and to his heirs and assigns forever 50 acres of land whereon he now lives, to be laid off in such a manner that will not include any part of the open land whereon I now live.

Item: I give and bequeath unto my daughter, Mary Perkins, and to her heirs and assigns forever, one feather bed and its’ furniture, which bed she claimith, also.

Item: It is my will and desire that all the property that I lent to my beloved wife, Mary Perkins, and their increase, at her decease, may be equally divided amongst my six children, to wit, Flemstead Perkins, Mary Perkins, Gabriel Perkins, John Perkins, James Perkins, and Elijah Perkins, or to their heirs. Now if any one of my last mentioned six children should depart this life without a lawful heir, it is my desire that my son, William Perkins before mentioned, shall have the share of the deceased or his heirs.

My will and desire is that my estate may not be appraised. This being my last will and testament hereby revoking and disannuling all other wills by me heretofore made either by word or in writing, ratifying and confirming this to be my only last will and testament.

In witness whereof I have wherewith set my hand and seal this eleventh day of January in the year of our Lord Christ one thousand eight hundred and three. Sealed published and declared by the said Henry Perkins for and his last will and testament in the presence of

Henry his (X) mark Perkins

Witnesses: Henry Purkins, William Hubbard,
Gabriel Purkins, Reubin Smith
At a court held for Halifax County the 25th of July 1803
The within written last will and testament of Henry Purkins, Sr., deceased – unexhibited in court – and proved by the oaths of three of the witnesses thereto subscribed and ordered to be recorded.

Teste
John Winsbish
Samuel Williams

Children, by first wife (These birth years are all very much estimates):

1. Elizabeth, born c1768; died after 11 January 1803, the date of her father’s will; married Mr. Hubbard, probably Halifax County, Virginia
2. William, born c1770; died after 11 January 1803
3. Henry, born c1772; died after 11 January 1803
4. Daniel, born, c1774; died after 11 January 1803

Children, by second wife, Mary:

5. Flemstead, born c1781
5. Mary, born c1783
7. Gabriel, born c1785
8. John, born c1787; died before 1 January 1845, Dade County, Missouri; married Rhoda Walters Woosley, 10 October 1808, Halifax County, Virginia
9. James, born c1789; died after 8 March 1814; married Jane Turner, 8 March 1814, Halifax County, Virginia
10. Elijah, born c1791; died 26 October 1878, Appomattox County, Virginia; married Nancy Hurt, 10 March 1814, Prince Edward County, Virginia

The Perkins family had ties to Buckingham County, Virginia, which lost almost all of its records in an 1862 fire. With Virginia missing its censuses before 1830, it is difficult to trace these other children.

However, there is a lengthy lawsuit filed in Cumberland County, Virginia, in Ransone v. Ransone, available on Virginia Memory: Chancery Records Index. Henry Perkins is one of the people who gave depositions. The squabble was apparently over the sale price of enslaved persons in the Ransone estate in 1797.

Next family sketch – Henry Purkins & Elizabeth Gatewood