Rev. Nathan Alberty was born c1812, probably in Surry County, North Carolina, where he married Rebecca Bray, 15 March 1832 in Surry County and appears in each Surry County census through 1880.

Fina-A-Grave has a memorial for him, but no photo of his gravestone. There is also a birth date of 11 April 1812, but absolutely no source can be found for that date.

Rev. Nathan Alberty reportedly died in 1893 in Surry County. His wife, Rebecca died between then 1880 and 1900 censuses.

Nathan, or Nathaniel as he was styled in the 1860 census, and Rebecca were the parents of seven children:

1. Martha E., born c1837; died after 1860 when she and Edward were newlyweds with no children at home in Surry County, North Carolina; married Edward W. Bray, 17 May 1857, Surry County, North Carolina. Edward may be the man who married Mary Duncan, 20 November 1864, Indiana and Lollie Ophelia Edwards, 14 February 1873, Newton County, Missouri. It doesn’t appear that Martha had any children.
2. Daughter, born c1839; died before 1850
3. Lemuel Bramlet, born 11 May 1842; died 5 May 1916, both in Surry County, North Carolina; married Lucinda White, 20 January 1864, Surry County, North Carolina. They were the parents of seven children, with six living in 1910.
4. Jerusha C., born 31 August 1843 or 1844; died between 1870-1880 and probably c1873, giving birth to her daughter; married King Hiram Bray, 16 September 1869, Surry County, North Carolina. Grandchild Araminta N. Bray, born 1873, lived with Nathan and Rebecca Alberty in 1880.
5. Araminta Ida, born 1846; died before 1870; married William White, 8 October 1867, Surry County, North Carolina. She was probably the mother of Mildred White, one year old, living with Nathan and Rebecca Alberty in 1870.
6. Rebecca Jane, born 20 February 1849; died 18 May 1824, both Surry County, North Carolina; married James Van Buren Melton, 4 January 1872, Surry County, North Carolina
7. Naomi, born 1851; died before 8 April 1895, when Ruffin married (2) Mildred White, Surry County, North Carolina; married Ruffin Wilmoth, 15 December 1884. Naomi was the mother of Allie and William Wilmoth.

While the information about Nathan Alberty, his wife, Rebecca, and their children is fairly complete, there are few clues pointing to any parents for Nathan.

I’m always hopeful that children’s names might be a clue to identifying extended family members. In this case, Nathan and Rebecca didn’t repeat any of the given names found among Frederick Alberty’s children.

Alberty is a unique surname in the post-Revolutionary War area of North Carolina. In fact, Frederick Alberty is the only man with the surname who appears in any records.

In fact, there are only three men who are possible fits to be the father of Nathan Alberty – Frederick, Sr., who has a son David, born 3 September 1812, per county register information in Frederick’s Revolutionary War pension application, Henry Alberty, son of Frederick Sr. by his first wife and born 1777 and Moses Alberty, son of Frederick Sr. by his second unknown wife c1787,

A few days ago, I updated the family sketch of Henry Alberty and his wife, Rebecca. With children born in 1802, 1806, 1811, 1813, 1815, 1817, 1818, 1824 and 1826, there is really no place to add a son who consistently reported being born in 1812.

Another factor against Henry being Nathan’s father is that Henry is no where to be found in North Carolina before he appears in the 1820 census in Rowan County.

In 1850, Henry’s son, George, reported being born in Georgia, which might place Henry living among the Cherokees with his half brother, Moses.

That brings us to Moses, born c1787. Moses was living in Hightower, Georgia 9in today’s Floyd County, Georgia) in 1817 when the treaty was signed and he received a reservation of Cherokee land in the right of his wife.

Moses hasn’t been found in a single North Carolina record and apparently lived among the Cherokees at least from the time of his marriage to Sallie Wright.

In 1817, his land rights stated he had a family of four – himself, a Cherokee wife and two children.

There is no indication that Nathan Alberty had a Cherokee mother.

Some online trees assign a Jacob Alberty as the father of Nathan, with Jacob dying in 1837. However, I have found NO EVIDENCE that this Jacob ever existed. He was supposed to be a brother of Moses Alberty.

Frederick’s pension application has sworn statements that Frederick had one son born to his first wife and one son born to his second wife, in addition to the children born to his third wife. That was in 1821, which would be during Nathan’s lifetime.

That only leaves Frederick Alberty Sr., who died 29 August 1831, Surry County, North Carolina as a possible father to Nathan.

What do Surry County tax records tell us? Not much that helps with Nathan.

Rockford District, 1822 – Frederick and Jesse Alberty
Jarvis District, 1826 – Jesse Alberty
Pilot District, 1826 – Frederick Alberty
Jarvis District, 1827 – Jesse Alberty
Rockford District, 1827 – Frederick Alberty
Rockford District, 1828 – Jesse Alberty
Pilot Districts, 1828 – Frederick Alberty
Capt. Fultz District, 1829 – William Alberty
Capt. Fultz District, 1829 – Frederick Alberty Jr.
Baltimore District, 1836 – George Alberty
Pilot District, 1836 – Elizabeth Alberty
Pilot District, 1837 – Elizabeth Alberty
Stanley’s District, 1837 – Nathan Alberty
Pilot District, 1838 – Frederick Alberty Jr.
Jones District, 1840 – Nathan Alberty
Jones District, 1841 – Nathan Alberty

There are gaps with missing lists for various districts in Surry County through the years. After 1841, they are missing until 1862.

Even though Nathan Alberty married in 1832, he doesn’t appear on any tax list until 1837. There are a number of men with no land ownership listed on those rolls because they are charged with one white poll. Not so for Nathan until 1837, when that is exactly how he appears on the list.

In 1850, Nathan and Elizabeth (Raper) Alberty both lived in the town of Siloam, Surry County, although they were not neighbors.

By 1860, Nathan was living in the neighborhood where Elizabeth had lived, with many of the same surname families were found in the 1850 census.

Frederick Alberty’s third wife left a will dated 1858 and she died in May 1859 in Surry County. However, she left what she had to one William Lewis in thanks for caring for her.

She had one daughter, Mary, married to Robert Marion living in Surry County at the time, but neither Mary nor her husband received a bequest.

Therefore, not mentioning Nathan in her will doesn’t necessarily indicate that he wasn’t her son.

That leads to only two possible conclusions:

1. Nathan Alberty wasn’t the son of Frederick and Elizabeth (Raper) Alberty. If so, who was his father?
2. Nathan Alberty was the same person as David Alberty, born 3 September 1812, the youngest child of Frederick and Elizabeth. The clerks who reported the list of children born to Frederick and Elizabeth in the Revolutionary War pension application might have erred in calling the youngest child David instead of Nathan or David had, and went by, a middle name as an adult. With Frederick Alberty being German in ethnicity, it is very possible that his son was given both a first and middle name. Aside from being named in the pension application, the name David Alberty appears in not a single record ANYWHERE.

Although I have no proof in hand, at this time, I lean towards the idea that Nathan is the same person as David. Whether any solid proof will ever be found is unknown.

Readers, what do you think?

 

 

 

 

This post will complete the family of Frederick Alberty and his three wives. Previously, family sketches have been posted for his children born to first wife Elizabeth Krieger and the sole known son, Moses, born to Frederick’s unidentified second wife.

Widow Elizabeth Alberty’s pension application contains an extraordinary entry, given the lack of vital records in that time period in North Carolina.

From Page 12 of the widow’s pension:

State of North Carolina, Surry County
We Joseph Williams and Jeremiah Marion two of the acting Justices of the peace for the County aforesaid do hereby certify that we have before us the marriage bond filed in the Clerks office of said County executed by said Frederick Alberty on the 29thday of March A.D. 1788 which Bond purports to be for a marriage between the said Alberty & Elizabeth Raperwho is now the widow of said Frederick Alberty deceased; we also certify that we have also before us the register of the births of their children, Viz. Jesse Albarty was born in the year of our Lord December 29, 1788. Nancy Albarty born 28th day of February 1791. Judy Albarty was born the 30th day of June 1793, John Albarty was born the 18th of July 1795. Franky Albarty was born the 30th of September 1797, Polly Albarty was born in the year of our Lord December 7, 1801. Frederick Albarty was born March 12, 1804. James Albarty was born May 14, 1807. Andrew Albarty was born December 3, 1809. David Albarty was born the third day of September 1812.
Witness our hands & seals this 16thday of July A.D. 1839
S/ Jo Williams, JP
S/ Jeremiah Marion, JP

I have been unable to find this “register,” but it implies that it is some official record. Regardless, it proves the names and birth dates of Frederick and Elizabeth (Raper) Alberty’s children, all born in surry County, North Carolina:

1. Jesse, born 29 December 1788; died after 1850, possibly Owen County, Indiana; married Martha (perhaps Bray), c1809
2. Nancy, born 28 February 1791; no further record
3. Judy, born 30 June 1793; no further record
4. John, born 18 July 1795; died 4 April 1873, Adair County, Oklahoma; married Mary Wright, 10 September 1814, Hickory Log, Cherokee, Georgia
5. Franky, born 30 September 1797; died 29 August 1894, Saline County, Missouri; married Jacob Treece, 21 February 1817, Surry County, North Carolina
6. Mary, born 7 December 1801; died after 1860, probably Surry County, North Carolina; married Robert Marion, 1 June 1823, Surry County, North Carolina
7. Frederick, born 12 March 1804; died c1862, Marion County, Indiana; married Matilda Harrison, 20 May 1828, Surry County, North Carolina
8. James, born 14 May 1807; died after 1820
9. Andrew, born 3 December 1809; died after 1820
10. David, born 3 September 1812; died after 1830

In 1820, Frederick made a supplemental statement in his pension request, indicating that the four youngest children were still living at home. The ages are off slightly from the birth register above, but Frederick was about 80 years old. Frederick Jr. was 14, but sickly and with a disabled right arm. James was 12, Andrew 10 and David 7 years old.

In spite of this great list of ten children, complete with birth dates, no further information has been found about Nancy, Judy, James, Andrew and David.

The census records help, as in 1800, Frederick was enumerated with one adult male and one adult female plus one male 10-15 (Jesse), one male under 10 (John) and one female under 10 (Franky) since those three children are found in later records.

Therefore, by deduction, Nancy and Judy both died in childhood.

In 1810, Frederick and family still lived in Surry County, North Carolina. Jesse was out of the home, but Frederick and Elizabeth had six remaining children at home, one male 10-15 (John), one female 10-15 (Franky), three males under 10 (Frederick, James and Andrew) and one female under 10 (Mary).

In 1820, there were still six children at home with two females 16-25 (Franky and Mary), two males 10-15 (Frederick and James) and 2 males under ten (Andrew with a December birthday and David).

By 1830, Frederick and Elizabeth had but one son still at home, aged 20-29 years. Frederick Jr. was married and living next door, so the remaining son had to be James, Andrew or David.

In 1840, the only two Albertys in Surry County are Nathan Alberty and Frederick Alberty Jr.

Could Nathan Alberty be David Alberty? Both were born in 1812. We know David’s birth date was 3 September 1812. I don’t find a gravestone image online for Nathan, who died in 1893. The memorial says his birthday was 11 April, but there is no source for that date.

The reason I am wondering if they might be the same person is because in 1850, Elizabeth Alberty was living alone in Siloam, Surry, North Carolina with Draughn and Badgett neighbors. Nathan was also in Siloam, in a different neighborhood, but by 1860, he was living in in a house with Draughn neighbors, too.

Could Elizabeth’s youngest child have been David Nathan or might he have just changed his given name, perhaps for a religious reason as Nathan was a minister.

Quite maddening is the fact that Elizabeth Alberty wrote her will on 27 May 1859. It was proved in Surry County Court in May 1860 and named just one heir – William Lewis, for taking care of her in her old age!

That makes me think that Nathan might not be David, as I can’t see a minister refusing to care for his aged mother in that time period.

However, except for daughter Mary, who married Robert Marion, Elizabeth’s other children all left North Carolina and settled in Indiana, Oklahoma and Missouri.

On the other hand, maybe Elizabeth didn’t want to live with her children.

Given the fact that there is absolutely no trace of James or Andrew Alberty and possibly of David if he wasn’t the same person as Nathan, I have to say that Jesse, John, Franky, Mary and Frederick were the surviving children of Frederick and Elizabeth (Raper) Alberty.

While working on the Krieger family earlier this year, I realized that I had only written about Frederick Alberty, his first wife, Elizabeth Krieger, and their family in any great detail. That’s probably because my husband is descended from Frederick’s and Elizabeth’s son, John Henry Alberty.

In spite of years of research, there is still one mystery about John Henry Alberty – the maiden name of his wife, Rebecca. My mother-in-law’s family, from Oklahoma, had the common lore of Cherokee blood. I’ve never been able to prove it, but it is possible that Rebecca is the link to the Cherokee Nation.

Why would I believe that? Well, it’s because of today’s family sketch about Frederick Alberty and his second unknown wife, who, like Elizabeth Krieger, died young. I’ve seen a supposed name for her, but not for decades, and don’t want to get any rumors started, so she will remain anonymous.

Frederick married for the second time after May 1781. With one year’s mourning considered respectable, he likely married c1782 or 1783.

His third wife, Elizabeth Raper, applied for a widow’s pension after Frederick died. One statement in that file corroborates the fact that Moses was born from Frederick’s second marriage:

North Carolina Surry County September the 22nd 1846
We Matthew Laffoon & Sarah Laffoon his wife do certify that we have heard Frederick Alberity [sic] and Elizabeth Alberty [sic] said to be his 3rd wife and Matthew Laffoon says that he has seen one of said Alberty sons that he said of his first wife by the name of Henery one other son of his second wife by the name of Moses & some other of his children that I do not recollect their names and said Matthew Laffoon do also say that he has heard Elizabeth Alberty say that she was said Frederick Alberty 3rd wife.
S/ Matthew Laffoon

Frederick’s second wife may have died giving birth to the only known child of this marriage – Moses.

Moses is the reason that I think the wife of my husband’s ancestor, John Henry Alberty, might be Cherokee.

The remainder of this post is a bit of a sticky wicket, as there are few-to-no records to document any of this information.

Frederick and the mysterious second Mrs. Alberty were the parents of one known child:

1. Moses, said to have been born about April 1788, but I believe he was slightly older than that because his father married wife #3, Elizabeth Raper, after a bond was posted on 29 March 1788. The most accurate statement that can be made is that Moses was born between 1782 and 1787 – probably closer to 1787.

Moses married Sallie Wright, a Cherokee woman, c1811, possibly in North Carolina, but more probably in today’s Floyd County, Georgia. At the time it was called “Etowah” and anglicized to ‘Hightower.”

Moses Alberty’s descendants are documented members of the Cherokee Nation.

Furthermore, Moses’s ‘brother” John, who was actually his half brother, born to Frederick Alberty and third wife Elizabeth Raper, married Mary Wright, c1814, reportedly in Georgia.

[My husband’s Henry Alberty married Rebecca c1811 and while Henry appears in the 1820 and 1830 censuses of North Carolina and the 1840 and 1850 censuses of Washington County, Arkansas, he is nowhere to be found in 1800 or 1810. He might well have been with his half brothers in Georgia and it’s been suggested that his wife Rebecca might have been a Wright, sister to Sally and Mary.]

Moses Alberty appears in very few records. The earliest mention of him, aside from his father’s pension application, is in Cherokee records and the Treaty of 1817. He was granted “a reservation” in Georgia in the right of his wife for 640 acres of land in lieu of moving to Arkansas; there were four people in his family, presumably Moses, his wife and two children.

The next record of Moses is his gravestone, which is original to the time period and somewhat illegible and not of much help.

I hesitate to share the list of his (purported) children because I have no documents to support it. However, if you are descended from Moses Alberty and Sally Wright, I believe that you might have success with the Cherokee Heritage Center.

However, some of the children are called “Old Settlers,” meaning they voluntarily moved to Indian Territory so did not take part in the terrible forced removal on the Trail of Tears.

Several of these children have gravestones, which is where most of these dates originate.

Purported Children of Moses Alberty & Sallie Wright:

1. Nancy, born 27 July 1811; died 12 February 1894, Claremore, Rogers, Oklahoma; married (1) Bluford West (2) James Markham. The Old Settlers Roll lists her as Nancy Marcum.
2. Levi, born c1813; no further record.
3. John D., born c1817; married Jennie Buffington
4. Amelia, born 2 July 1824; died 5 March 1892, Sportsmen Acres, Mayes, Oklahoma; married Thomas Lewis Rider
5. William W., born 2 July 1824; died 8 February 1867, Wagoner, Wagoner, Oklahoma; married (1) Musidora Rogers (2) Nancy Buffington
6. Jacob T., born 21 January 1826; died 21 March 1872, Sportsmen Acres, Mayes, Oklahoma
7. Bluford West, born August 1829; died November 1889, Tahlequah, Cherokee, Oklahoma; married (1) Nancy Martin (2) Eliza Missouri Bushyhead

I first researched the Alberty family in pre-internet days. As I remember, some of this information may originally have come from Buffington family members.

Because the Alberty name is just about one where almost everyone Alberty today can be traced back to Frederick and given the birth years of Moses’ children, this list seems reasonable.

In closing, I do want to repeat that there is NO document created in their lifetimes accessible today that verifies much of this information.