In January, I compared the Vaughan/Stephens/Hooper Modal Haplotype against results of tow British Y-DNA studies published by Bryan Sykes and Stephen Oppenheimer. Both men, independently of each other took Y-DNA samples of men from all over Britain and Ireland to determine if, through DNA research, the genetic make up of ‘the Isles’ as Sykes called Great Britain and Ireland, could be mapped out. Their results determined that much of the genetic make-up of the Isles is early Celtic, and that later invasions did not displace the genetic code of the original inhabitants. R1b was found to be the predominate Haplogroup of the Islands, and both attributed this to Iberian men settling in Britain and Ireland shortly after the last Ice Age.
Through a bit of research, I was able to find the raw data used by both men in their research. 6 to 8 DYS markers were used by the men to reach their conclusion, and the men from whom the samples came were interviewed to determine where they were from, and to make certain that the men in the test were at least 3rd generation natives of the neighborhood where they were from. In other words, all the men had to have paternal grandfathers living in the same area that they lived.
Comparing our Modal DYS markers to the results brought out some very clear conclusions. By far, the vast majority of the matches (and I allowed a one point mismatch in any one marker, so as to allow for any random mutation that might have occurred). The closest genetic matches to our Modal were from men from Wales. There were a handful of close matches from other places in England, but none from Ireland, and the vast majority from Welsh men. One perfect 6 marker match came from a man living about 60 miles north of Tretower Court. Another close match was to a man who lived in Brecknockshire, Wales, which is where Tretower (ground zero for the Vaughans) is located. It is very, very clear that our Vaughans are of ancient Welsh ancestry. L21 is a very, very old Celtic mutation, and the DYS values agree — our Vaughans and their genetically matching Stephens and Hoopers were Welsh — possibly descendants of Romanized Celtic Brits who fled west when the Anglo Saxons invaded Britain when the Roman army left at the collapse of the Roman Empire.
Certainly they could have moved to anywhere in Britain or Ireland over the centuries, and these results don’t imply that the American immigrant was born in central Wales, but I am confident that no matter where this man lived, his ancestry led back to Wales.
This Friday, NBC is beginning a program that has famous people discovering their ancestry. Of course they will have a bunch of expert genealogists helping them and will possess a huge budget to travel and research. Nonetheless, it is expected to spark interest in Genealogy. I thought I made a February post to this site, but was shocked not to find it today. Our Vaughan research group has been mainly focused on DNA research since the first of the year. Often I’m convinced that our Vaughan line has been largely ‘researched out’. Still, with new people getting into the hobby, you never know what new information you will find. Our Vaughans are well documented on the web, and any Vaughan researcher who types in “William Vaughan and Fereby Benton” into a search engine will probably find one of our sites. I’d like to update some of our sites to have more current information that would better help these newcomers. I wish some of the others in our group would take this level of interest, so much of the time the group seems on the verge of a coma. But when you’ve researched all you can on a line, what more can you really do? Maryland is a state that needs to be looked at in Colonial times, as John Vaughan had land there after the Revolutionary War. Maybe this is a spark to get the fire going again.
This is just a quick post to mention that this web site’s software has been updated and I want to thank Paul for his kindness in letting me use this site for my Genealogy blog.
I am slowly comparing results of Y-DNA data from the book “Blood of the Isles” (or “Vikings, Saxons and Celts” as it was published under in the USA) to our Vaughan Modal Haplotype. You see, the data from all over Ireland and Britain that was used in the book was placed on the web, and all the men they got the Y-DNA data from were checked to find where their paternal grandfather lived. Most of the men lived within a few miles of their grandfather’s place of birth. As a result, the Y-DNA results show DNA samples of men who have lived for many generations in the same region. By comparing the DYS values of our Vaughan/Hooper/Stephens Modal Haplotype to the values shown for these men, I hope to see where our Modal matches most closely. They sampled over 2,000 men from all over Britain and Ireland. There are two DYS values in our Modal that are unusual to R1b men, and if I find one of these British men with a matching value, we might find a clue where our Vaughans (and Hoopers and Stephens) came from. It is a long shot, but worth checking. I have 14 pages of very small font data to go through, so it will take some time, but I’ll let everyone know what I find.
November had a lot of activity within our Genealogical groups.I was contacted by a descendant of John and Nancy Vaughan who had a strong tradition of Irish ancestry, as well as a very old medicine bottle, supposedly passed down from John himself through his sons (and later a daughter).The story and the possible clues excited the Vaughan Pioneer group, but so far we’ve not had any luck in finding anything that would constitute proof of this story.I don’t want to give the impression that what has been passed down is wrong, only that as in most Genealogical research, the strongest confirmation is documentation.So this research will go on.
Also this month, I learned that Family Tree DNA has, in it’s advanced tests section, additional SNP tests for R1b positive men.Our Vaughans have the L21 mutation, and there are a handful of tests for mutations that occur downstream from L21.These tests have not been “mainstreamed” yet, so they are not part of the Deep Clade tests.Several of the tests were for SNP mutations found thus far in only one or two men and these probably constitute a “Family SNP”.Family SNPs are very wonderful to find in your own line as they provide a marker to test other prospective relatives against.I proposed to the Vaughan Pioneer group and to the Stephens/Vaughan/Hooper group that shares our genetic markers, to have some of our test subjects tested further for these downstream tests, but so far the group has not been willing to do so.It probably is a wise decision, as the advanced SNP tests will probably not be found in our genetic line.But without testing, how would we know?It all comes down to chance – is the cost justifiable for the chance of getting results.In the DNA Forums site (which I joined this month) there is much talk about utilizing DYS marker values and SNP results to calculate new sub groups of existing Haplogroups.It is possible that our Vaughan Y-DNA data has the potential to form some sort of subgroup, either through a found SNP or just by examining unusual DYS values.Sadly, this takes a lot of time and patience and I seem not to have much of either one recently, so I’m not sure when, if ever, a solid examination of our Vaughan DNA data will be done in regards to formulating a subgroup if possible.
So as it stands now, our Vaughans just might have an Irish connection, and their Y-DNA markers might have hidden traits that would enable us to more closely determine where they came from and who is connected to them.And the fishing for clues continues.
After the in-depth research I conducted in September, October was rather laid back, so this month I really have nothing new to report. I have been thinking that it would probably be a good idea to look at all of our Y-DNA matches and see how far back in time we can get them before the trail goes cold. Most of the lines are researched back as far as they can go without speculating further, but sometimes new resources come on-line that can take research back a few generations more. Coming in from the other ends — that is to say, taking early colonial Vaughans and carrying them forward as far as they can go in time is probably more of a challenge then taking a line backwards.
That reminds me of something I did find this month, and while this line cannot be proven to connect to our Vaughans, it is interesting as it is one of those rare Colonial lines that can jump the ocean from old to new world.
The following was an e-mail I sent to the Vaughan Pioneer group in mid-October:
Hi Gang,
While slowly, in my spare time, trying to find more about the William Vaughan who was John and Ellen Vaughan’s son, and trying to determine what happened to him, I found a mention of a Vaughan from the 1680s that lived in Virginia with Welsh ancestry, in records from the time. I’m not sure if any of this really has anything to do with our Vaughans, but to find a connection with England/Wales is so rare, I thought I should post it. I’m still trying to see where this due went to.
The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume LIX (1905) Page 109 “Notes from English Records”
From chancery proceeding, Vaughan v. Elwes, 15 Feb? 1685-6. Orator and
Oratrix Edward Vaughan of Lloydarth, co. Mountgomery, and Elizabeth
Vaughan, wid., mother of your said orator. Howell Vaughan decd your
orator’s younger brother who was apprenticed to Jeremiah Elwes, Citizen of
London. Subject of suit, money matters. Said Howell Vaughan died in Vir-
ginia. Defts., Jeremiah Elwes and Ric.# Jenklnson. (Chancery Bills and
Answers before 1714, Reynardson 898-5.)
What does it mean? Well, in the book “Chancery Bills and Answers before 1714″ there appears a proceeding of Vaughan versus Elwes, on February 15, 1686. Edward Vaughan of “Lloydarth in Montgomery County” and his widowed mother, Elizabeth Vaughan, were trying to settle an issue of money regarding Edward’s younger brother, Howell Vaughan. Howell was apprenticed to Jeremiah Elwes of London, and Howell died in Virginia while in the service of Jeremiah Elwes.
Now the Vaughans of Llwydiarth, Montgomeryshire, Wales, were said to be well-known, but I’m still trying to learn more about them. One of their number was an Edward Vaughan who died in 1661 (so this is not him in this record from 1686) who was a famous judge — actually a Chief Justice. This judge had a son named Edward, but it was his ONLY SON, and his wife was named Jane, not Elizabeth, so this was not the Edward mentioned above, unless this Edward Jr. was the father of the Edward in the record above. I’m still trying to figure that out.
What is interesting is that the Cai-Gai Vaughans, of which Rowland Vaughan was the most well-known, are related to the Llwydiarth Vaughans.
At any rate, I wasn’t able to locate (yet) a Howell Vaughan who died in Virginia prior to 1686, but if we could find him, we’d have an ancient connection to Wales. Not saying this is our line, but still it is neat when it can be done.
Jeremiah Elwes was apparently a member of another well-known family, who were merchants, but I’m still looking for this particular man.
This past month, after looking at some records that I and others had presented as a genealogical line of John Vaughan who came to America on the “Bona Nova” in 1619, I began to have suspicions that there could be some errors. So I began an in-depth look at early Virginia records into “Bona Nova” John Vaughan. It lead me to conclude that some of the genealogy we had presented was flawed. Below are excerpts from a series of e-mails sent to the Vaughan Pioneer research group in September:
So I started trying to untangle the Genealogical mess that is Bona Nova John Vaughan’s line. Here is what I did. I first found a list of all known Vaughans who came to Virginia before 1640. Looking at the Johns in the list, you’ll see three, and the first one, in 1619 is “Bona Nova” John. As the next John Vaughan arrived in 1635, any record occurring between 1619 to 1634 that mentions John should be Bona Nova John:
Earliest Virginia Vaughans
1619 John Vaughan aged 23 an indentured servant aboard the Bona Nova The age discrepancy is due to the fact that John was listed several years later in a census of Elizabeth City men, which mentioned their age and the ship they came to America on, and at the time, John was 23, but that has been confused to mean that he was 23 in 1619. He wasn’t, he was born about 1601. The Passenger list of the Bona Nova is found in the Ferrar Papers at Magdalene College, Cambridge, England, and here it lists John Vaughan (third on the list) 18 years old, a cutler (knife sharpener) from Devonshire, England. (“A Passenger List of the 1619 Bona Nova” by William Thorndale, Magazine of Virginia Genealogy, Vol. 33, No. 1 pages 3-11)
1635 Jo. Vaughan aged 23 a passenger aboard the Amitie bound to St. Christoph in October of 1635.
1635 Jo. Vaughan age 17 a passenger transported to Virginia aboard the Elizabeth in August of 1635.
1635 Rowland Vaughan, age 19
1635 Patrick Vaughan arrived in VA.
1636 Lewis Vaughan arrived in VA.
1637 David Vaughan arrived in VA.
All the below were found in Accomack County, Virginia except for one.
1632 John Vaughan signs a bond
1632 John Vaughan leases 30 acres of land in Accomack County “bounding northerly on a small creek, “pting” the same land belonging to the company (The Virginia Company)” (this record is mistranscribed on the internet as 1639, but actual microfilm shows 1632)
1633 John Vaughn witnessed a warrant in James City, August 26, 1633 Probably travelled from Accomack County to James City for the court proceeding, he was the only John Vaughan in Virginia, so it has to be Bona Nova John.
1633 to 1635 “John Vaughan having petitioned the Secretary for a lease of 224 acres already measured by the surveyor, this court certifies that Vaughan is desirous to be content with one half and that Robert Dye have lease of the other half. A new immigrant wouldn’t have “already” had land surveyed, so this was not either John who arrived in 1635.
1634 John Vaughan ordered to pay 200 lbs of tobacco to Nicholas Harwood
1634 John Vaughan’s dogs attacked and killed a calf, but he put one dog to death so did not have to pay for the dead calf.
Spring 1636 John Vaughan, aged 35 or so makes a deposition in court. Note the age, 35, born 1601, which excludes the two 1635 immigrants, look at their ages when they arrived. This is Bona Nova John as there was no one else it could be.
1637 John Vaughan and wife appear in court to answer charges of public drunkenness. Married, and so very likely Bona Nova John, though it is POSSIBLE it was one of the immigrants, but they apparently weren’t married when they came to VA. in 1635.
1637 or 38 John Vaughan is needed to appear at the next session of court in James City. The youngest 1635 John Vaughan was too young to make a deposition in 1637, so this counts him out, this leave Bona Nova John or the man who came in Oct. 1635.
1638 John Vaughan made a deposition in a court case. This is probably the next session of court mentioned above.
==============
I’m now going to jump to another John Vaughan — the John Vaughan who died in 1664 and who was married to Elinor ____. I am not certain how he connects to the John Vaughan on the Bona Nova. There are several possibilities:
1. Both men are the same person and Bona Nova John moved away from AccomackCounty.
2. The John who died in 1664 was the son of Bona Nova John.
3. The John who died in 1664 was another Vaughan who immigrated to America.
4. The John who died in 1664 was the son of another Vaughan who immigrated to America.
Regardless of the connection, here is the data on the John Vaughan who died in 1664 Westmoreland County, Virginia:
“The first patent granted in what is now WestmorelandCounty was at what is now “Muses beach” just below the mouth of Pope’s Creek. It was granted to Edward Murfree and John Vaughan for 1,200 acres, February 24, 1643 (patent Book no. 2 page 1, state Land Office). Edward Murfree soon after died and John Vaughan Jr. (1658) repatented and sold the same to Thomas Pope, after whom Pope’s Creek was named.” — from “Historical Atlas of Westmoreland County, Virginia” by David W. Eaton.
A patent for 1,200 acres (4.9 km2) was issued on February 24, 1643, to Edward Murfey and John Vaughan. It is said to be the first patent for land that became WestmorelandCounty. It bounded on the “Easternmost side of Cedar Island Creek.” The name is suggestive of the several little islands that dominate the mouth of the creek.
It is important to clear up a few things before I go on with the evidence. Pope’s Creek and Muses beach is the area where George Washington was born and I’ve marked it on the attached map. It was listed as the FIRST land grant in Westmoreland County, Virginia.
Next we find a John Vaughan mentioned in a patent to William Freake:
Freake Pattent To all& whereas& now know ye that the said Richard Bennett Esq do give and grant unto William Freake two hundred acres of land situate lying and being in the head of Hallowes creek bounding on the lands of John Vaughn running north 320 poles west 100 poles south 320 poles east along the creek side 100 poles to the place where it begun the said land being due unto the said Freake by and for the transportation of four persons into the colony all whose names are in the records mentioned under this patent.
Given under our hand this 11th September 1653
Richard Bennett William Claibourne Secty
Now Hallowes Creek was the first name given to a creek that later was named Appomattox Creek, which was in turn shortened to Mattox Creek, and it lies just north of Pope’s Creek. See the map for it’s location.
So by 1653, a John Vaughan had land on Hallowes Creek (Mattox Creek) in Westmoreland County, VA. Next we find John mentioned in a Patent to Nathaniel Pope, and as you have probably guessed, Pope’s Creek was named after him:
Pope, Nathaniel. Publication 24 April 1656. VirginiaStateLand Office. Patents 1-42, reels 1-41. Note Location: WestmorelandCounty. Description: 1550 acres upon the south side of PotomackRiver, adjoining land of John W. Cooper, John Vaughan, Mr. Terrall &c. Source: Land Office Patents No. 4, 1655-1664, p. 51 (Reel 4).
The Potomac river was the large body of water that both Pope’s Creek and Mattox Creek empty into.
Next we find John in this patent:
Phillips, David. Publication 25 September 1657. VirginiaStateLand Office. Patents 1-42, reels 1-41. Location: WestmorelandCounty. Description: 350 acres bounding southerly upon Hollies’s Creek, adjoining land of John Vaughan and William Freke. Source: Land Office Patents No. 4, 1655-1664, p. 284 (Reel 4).
Hollie’s Creek is simply a mispelling of Hallowes (Mattox) Creek, we of course know that as both John and William Freke are mentioned and Freke’s name is so “Freaky” that it could only be him.
This is a transcription of a patent that John received in 1658, but it referred to patents in 1649 and 1654:
John Vaughan 1400 acres. This Patent received in the said Vaughan’s name the 18th March, 1662 and granted by William Berkley, Knight, his Majesty’s Governor Fra. Richman
To all ~ Whereas~ Now know ye that the said Samuel Matheas Esq. give and grant unto John Vaughan Fourteen Hundred acres of land situate in the county ___ bounded as followeth. Viz: Twelve hundred acres part thereof on the easternmost side of a small creek called Cedar Island Creek and beginning at the mouth thereof and runs southeast parallel to Potomac river 500 poles unto the marked (GUMS?) in a marsh or pond and thence southwest 320 poles to marked Pohickory thence northwest 40 poles to another Pohickory in the easternmost branch, then following the said branch unto the creek thence parallel to the creek to the place where it began. ~ Two hundred acres the residue in the southeast side of Wm. Pope’s Creek bounding northwest upon the said creek including the marsh. ~ Northeast upon the head of the Seat of Land patented by him formerly. Southwest upon the Land of Wm. Terrill ~ Southeast upon the (MIRES WOODS?). The said land being due into the said John Vaughan viz: Twelve hundred acres by former patent bearing the date 19 of January 1649 and two hundred acres the residue by patent dated the 16th day July 1654. To have and to hold yielding and paying which payments ~ provided~ dated the 8th day of October 1658
In 1659 there was a court case in WestmorelandCounty in which John and Ellinor claimed a man stole some tobacco from them. As they had a tobacco plantation and this was their source of income, it was a serious crime. In the case there were three depositions, all made on May 11, 1659. The first was made by John Vaughan, who was said to have been ‘about 48 years old”. The second deposition was made by an employee of John’s, Rowland Evans, who was ‘about 25 years old”. Finally, Ellinor Vaughan made her deposition, and she was listed as being ‘about 36 years old’. So we can estimate John’s birth to about 1611 and Ellinors to
about 1623.
On February 14th, 1660 John Vaughan made another deposition and is listed as being “48 years old”.
In May of 1660 John is mentioned again:
Moulton} To all whom this &, I William Berkeley Kt& whereas & now know ye Pattent} that I the said William Berkeley & doe with the consent of the Council of State accordingly give and grant unto Thomas Moulton two hundred acres of land situate lying and being on the head of Hallowes creek bounding on the land of John Vaughn and running north 320 poles west 100 poles south 320 poles east along the creek side 100 poles to the place where it began the said land being formally granted unto William Freake by pattent dated the 11th of September 1653 and by him assigned over unto John Beard and by the said Beard assigned unto the said Thomas Moulton and now renewed by order of the Governor and Council bearing date with these present to have and to hold the said land& to him and his heirs and assigns forever yielding and paying& Given under our hands at James Cittie this 16th day of May 1660.
William Berkeley William Claiborne Sec October the 29th 1662 this pattent was recorded
On May 17, 1660, “John Vaughan of Appomattocks in the county of Westmoreland” sells two horses and the transaction appears in legal documents. Appomattocks is probably referring to the MattoxRiver, or where he was located.
On November 15, 1660 a Humprey Jones of Westmoreland County, VA., left all of his estate to his friend, John Vaughan, his will was probated Dec. 13, 1660, Rowland Evans, John’s servant is also given something by Mr. Jones.
On December 5, 1660 John Vaughan is discharged from all accounts left by Owen Jones. This is is WestmorelandCounty and probably concerns a legal problem over something Humprey owed to a brother or son. Since John had inherited Humprey’s estate, he may have been expected to pay the items due.
In 1661 John received this patent, which wasn’t recorded in the books until August 31 of 1664:
John Vaughan Patent
To all or whereas as now knows to that I the said Francis Morrison Esqr. do with the consent of the council of state accordingly give and grant unto John Vaughan six hundred acres of land situated in the county of Westmoreland and on the south side of the main branch of Attopin creek beginning at a corner marked persimmon tree by the said main run about the dam likewise above 100 acres of land patented by John Hiller 660 poles westward upon the said run thence parallel to the said run easterly 640 poles to a marked hickory so by marked tree north northwest 150 poles to the first station. The said land being due unto the said John Vaughan by and for the transportation of 12 persons into the colony. To have and to hold and given at JamesCity under my hand and the seal of the colony this 4th day of September 1661. Francis Morrison
31st August 1664, this patent was recorded.
Attopin Creek is now known as Rosier’s Creek and it is about 4 or 5 miles north of Mattox Creek (see map). John’s land was on the south side of the creek.
Then we have two documents from 1662:
Hoges, Robert. Publication 18 March 1662. Gen. note Formerly gtd. to Wm. Fricke Sept 11, 1653. VirginiaStateLand Office. Patents 1-42, reels 1-41. Note Location: County location not given. Description: 200 acres on the head of Hallows Creek bounding on the land of John Vaughan. . Source: Land Office Patents No. 5, 1661-1666 (v.1 & 2 p.1-369), p. 480 (Reel 5).
Buckocke, John. Publication 18 March 1662. VirginiaStateLand Office. Patents 1-42, reels 1-41. Note Location: WestmorelandCounty. Grantee(s): Buckocke, John and Buckocke, Thomas. Description: 350 acres 250 acres part thereof bounding southeasterly upon Hollis’s Creek, southwesterly upon the land of John Vaughan, northerly towards the land of Wm. Freake, and 100 acres the other part bounding upon land of Lt. Col, Pope. Source: Land Office Patents No. 5, 1661-1666 (v.1 & 2 p.1-369), p. 158 (Reel 5).
In 1663 we have one mention, but note here w see that Robert Hodges who received land in 1662 was claimed by Thomas Pope as a headright:
Virginia Land Grants
Patent Book 5, p. 163 23 Mar 1663
Thomas Pope, 2454 acs. W’moreland Co. Beg. on N.W. side of a marsh & swamp in
a valley bet. two hills wch. divides this & land formerly in possession of
John Walton, Cooper, running near Fishing Cr. &c. to a branch falling into
Potomack Riv. near a branch dividing this from land of Arthur Terrill & near
land of John Vaughan &c. 1050 acs. granted to Nathall. Pope 19 May, 1651 &
550 acs. granted to sd. Pope 24 Ar. 1656 & since renewed in name of Mr. Tho.
Pope, son & heire of sd. Pope, dec’d 854 acs. for trans. of 17 person: Rich.
Paine, Damras Watney, Ell. Pickett, Jno Cossick, Phill. Cole, Ann Found,
Eliz. Alexander, Jno Alexander, Jr., Jno Courtney, Jno Cosheir, Ann Paine,
Jona. Samrayes, Robt. Hodges.
In 1663, John Vaughan knows he is dying and he writes his will:
Will of John Vaughan of Westmoreland County, Virginia
Vaughan, John
His Will
In the name of God, amen, I John Vaughan of the parish of Nominy in the county of Westmoreland in Virginia being sick and weak in this body but of perfect mind and memory praised be God for the same, do make this my last will and testament in waiver of over following imprinis: I give and bequeath my soul into the hands of Almighty God my maker and creator hoping by the death and passion of Jesus Christ my redeemer to receive forgiveness of all my sins, I give my body to the earth from whence it came to be decently interred by the old house upon the plantation where I now live at the direction of my Executor hereafter named and for worldly goods wherewith God in his mercy hath blessed me withal I give and bequeath as followwith: First I give and bequeath unto my very loving wife Ellen Vaughan the plantation whereon I now live with all the dwelling houses and tobacco houses with appurtenances thereunto belonging with others the deprees during her natural life. And after her decease I give the said plantation with the appurtnancy as aforesaid unto my son Samuel Vaughan and his heirs forever, and if my said son Samuel Vaughan shall happen to die without heir or heirs, then I give the said plantation with the appurturances as aforesaid unto my son William Vaughanunto my son William Vaughan his heirs and assigns forever a tract of land containing 500 acres of land granted me by patent and bearing date the 4th of September 1661 his heirs and assigns forever. ~ Item I give and bequeath ~ Item I give and bequeath unto my son in law Mr. John Watts his heirs and assigns forever a tract of land containing four hundred acres situated, lying and being in the old house creek. Also I will give and bequeath unto my aforesaid son in law W John Watts his heirs and assigns forever another tract of land containing six hundred acres lying on the south side of Mattox creek in the County of Westmoreland aforesaid and the rest of my personal estate in general as household stuff, servants, hogs, cattle, ready Tobacco and what I am now possessed withal I give and bequeath unto my loving wife Ellen Vaughan forever whom I made the sole and full Executrix of this my last will and Testament and further it is my will and mind that my said wife shall be guardian to my aforesaid sons Samuel and William Vaughan til they shall be of full age, and I do humbly make null and void all former wills and testaments by me made and do ratify and do confirm this to be my last will and Testament and have hereunto set my hand and seal this 9th day of January 1663.
John Vaughan
Signed, Sealed and Delivered
In the presence
George Williams
Thomas Wilsford 27 April 1664. This will was proved and then recorded.
In 1664 a new Vaughan appears, and I’m not sure if this is John’s son or another Vaughan. When John wrote his will in 1663, William was a minor.
3-23-1664 Westmoreland Co. VA Vaughan William Vaughan patented 156 acres in Westmoreland Co. East side of Fishing Creek .
Then, in 1663 or before Apirl 27, 1664 John Vaughan dies. Interestingly, in Isle of Wight County appears this:
Isle of Wight County, Virginia:Vaughan, John: Dying interstate, administration requested by his relict Ellinor Vaughan Feb. 29, 1663, Security Mr. England and Mr. Flake.
>From this, it looks like John died between January 9th and February 29, 1663. The Isle of Wight document seems odd, though, as John would not be interstate dying in WestmorelandCounty, or in Isle of WightCounty. Maybe he had other land in Isle of Wight. At any rate, we know it is the same guy, as how many John Vaughans, married to Ellinor, who died in 1663 could there be in Virginia?
Ok, so John is dead, so what about his sons and son-in-law?
In January 1664 in WestmorelandCounty, a Thomas Vaughan is a witness in a case. It is very unlikely this could be one of John Vaughan’s grandsons, as his sons were listed as minors in 1663. Maybe a brother of John? Or someone totally unrelated?
On March 23, 1664 William Vaughan of WestmorelandCounty receives this land grant:
William Vaughan, 156 acres. Ewd. Side of fishing Cr., beg. In a lyne dividing this land of Mr. Thomas Pope &c. to branch dividing this land of Arthur Terrill, now in possession of John Browne &c. Trans. of 3 pers.: Robt. Casher, John Dey, John Sparke. Pat. Bk. 5 P.163, (42) 447
Now by the names Pope and Terrill in this grant, this was right up next to John Vaughan’s land, so I’d think this was John’s son.
On May 14, 1664, John Watts and Elizabeth his wife sell unto John Boocock, for a valuable consideration already received all of my right of this patent given by my father-in-law John Vaughan. It is signed by both John and Elizabeth Watts. This is the land on Mattox Creek that John willed to his son-in-law.
In May of 1666 in WestmorelandCounty, a John Vaughan is a witness in a case. Just who he is remains unknown, again he could not have been a grandson of the John who died in 1663 or 1664.
In June of 1669 a Samuel Vaughan is a witness in a case in WestmorelandCounty, and this is very likely John’s son, Samuel.
As for the land that John and Elizabeth Watts sold:
October 10th, 1670 Westmoreland Mr. John Boocook, 600 acres S. Side of the main br. Of Attappin Cr., above 100 acres of John Hiller’s; Granted to Jno. Vaughan, assigned to Mr. Jno. Watts, assigned to Boocoocke,who deserted; granted to Mr. Geo. Morris, deserted, & granted to Mr. Anth. Boocock, lately dec’d., by order &c., & due sd. John his brother & heire. Trans. of 12 pers.: Edward dutcheley, Tho. Whatly, Phineas Powell, Kather. Williams, Jasper Bennett, Mary Hamond, Mary Newman, Rich. Melcham (or Welcham), Margaret cooley, Tho. Redd, Kath. Butler, Jane Godwyn. Pat. Bk. 6 P. 322 83
So apparently it wasn’t great land.
The court asked Samuel Vaughan, age 24 in November of 1673 to observe the fence of a neighbor for the court for a land dispute. Humprey Pope was also asked to also observe the fence. Samuel was thus born in 1649, and this is very likely John’s son, as Humprey was John’s neighbor.
In August of 1674 Samuel Vaughan bought part of the estate of Abram Field in Westmoreland County, VA. Probably John’s son again.
On February 23, 1675, Elinor Quigly appointed her “loving son Samuel Vaughan my attorney”. So Ellen had remarried after John’s death, to a Quigly.
In April of 1675 Samuel is mentioned in a court case.
On February 21, 1676 ‘Jno. Vaugh’ served as a witness in a case.
Then tragedy strikes: On July 19, 1677 appears an inventory of Mr. Samuel Vaughan, deceased. Elizabeth Vaughan appraised her husband’s estate and “Mrs. Quigly took cattle”. So Samuel’s mother probably had some of her cattle on her son’s farm when he died and she took them back before they were appraised as part of John’s estate.
On July 25, 1677, Elizabeth Vaughan appoints her father, Major William “Peirce’ (probably Pierce) as her attorney and the legal document mentions something very interesting, “all debts due her in VirginiaAND MARYLAND”
December 12,1690 Westmoreland John Spencer, Gent. Son of Nicholas Spencer, dec’d. Of the Parish of Washington, 820 acres. In sd.County & Parish which is a parcel out of the several patents formerly belonging to John & Samuel Vaughan, who died without heirs and sd. Escheated. The sd. Nicholas Spencer by the consent of Wm.Bridges & Elizabeth his wife, John Quigley & Ellinor his wife, & all other persons pretending any right to said land by right of heirship or preference escheated same,which land was resurveyed by Alexander Spense & Theodorick Bland, Surveyors. Beginning at a branch out of Potomac River dividing this from land of ths. Pope. 12Dec1690. Pat. Northern Neck Bk. “A” P14 1
No mention of William Vaughan, and apparently Elizabeth, Samuel’s wife had remarried a William Bridges. And there is a Bridges Creek right in the middle of the other creeks. See the map. We also see that Ellinor’s husband was named John.
Apparently they had no children, as there does not appear any guardian bonds or anything. And there is another clue:
On March 27, 1706 is mentioned a land grant of 205 acres in Washington Parish, near Pope’s Creek, formerly the land of John Vaughan.
A final mention of John Vaughan is from Janaury 1707 in a legal paper appears mention of a land grant to a John Spencer “820 acres in Westmoreland County, Virginia, in Washington Parish, near Pope’s Creek formerly John Vaughan’s, deceased, who died without heirs and then granted to John Spencer December 12, 1690″.
Well, obviously, John did not die without heirs, but apparently by 1707 there were no known heirs living — at least in WestmorelandCounty. If there had been grandchildren, they would have been mentioned, but either William, John’s son, was dead as well by 1707 OR HE HAD MOVED AWAY and no one knew where he lived.
So, we have seen the life of John Vaughan, his wife Elinor, his son Samuel and Samuel’s wife Sarah Pierce. There are some questions that remain, ones that I hope to fill in:
1. ) Who were John Vaughan’s parents and where was he born?
2.) Where did he live before he first appears in WestmorelandCounty?
3.) Was he the son of Bona Nova John, or maybe a cousin or nephew?
4.) What happened to his son William, who seems to have disappeared after his father’s death?
5.) Did Samuel Vaughan, John’s son, not have any children with Sarah?
6.) Did they own land in Maryland, and could that have been where William moved to?
7.) Who were Thomas Vaughan who appeared in Westmoreland in 1664 and John Vaughan who appeared there in 1666? Were they related to John who died in 1663 or 1664?
8.) Could this line connect to our Vaughans, and can it be proven or not?
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Gang, it occurred to me today that if we have the approximate year that John Vaughan who married Ellen was born (1611) perhaps we could find him on a list of passengers to Virginia.
On the early lists, very few children came to the colony, there are some teenagers, but very few children until the 1640s. Probably because it was a dangerous place to come.
Now, the first record we have of John is from 1643, so he was about 32 then. So we need to look at ship passenger lists to VA before 1643.
Now on the list, we have two John Vaughans — in 1635, a 23 year old John Vaughan came to St. Christopher’s Island in October aboard the Amitie. St. Christopher’s’ Island is modern St. Kitts in the Caribbean, so this could not be him.
The other is also from 1635, a John Vaughan who came to America aboard the Elizabeth in August of 1635. This John was 17 in 1635, so he was born about 1618.
Of course we also have the John Vaughan aboard the Bona Nova, but he was born about 1601.
The other John Vaughans arrived in Virginia after 1643.
Some sources list a “Jon. Vaughan” who supposedly came to Virginia in 1643, but the source for this is a land grant where the receiver listed the name of the man who he transported to America. I’m purposely NOT using Land grant lists of immigrants as they were notoriously falsified from what I read. So what I’m stating here is that by using the known Passenger lists as a reference and none other, there were only three John Vaughans who came to America between 1619 and 1643, and none of them are extremely close on age.
So what are the possibilities:
1. ) Ellen’s husband, John Vaughan, came to Virginia from another colony — probably Maryland– into Virginia.
2.) John’s passenger list has not been published yet or was lost.
3.) John’s ship came without a passenger list.
4.) John managed to slip in on a ship without appearing on the passenger list.
5.) John appears under another surname, either purposely or from accidental mistranslation.
6.) John’s age is incorrectly given either in his depositions or else the ages on the passenger lists are wrong, so he would be either the Bona Nova John Vaughan or the John who came on the Elizabeth.
I can state that we know he wasn’t born here, as there were no Vaughans in Virginia in 1611, and if he’d came here as a child with his parents, he’d still show up on passenger lists, but as I stated, very, very few children came to Virginia in the earliest period of the colony’s history.
So we know that John, if his age is close to what he stated, would mean he was born around 1611. The other John Vaughans from the passenger lists are on either side of him on age: Bona Nova John was born about 1601 and the man on the Elizabeth in 1635 was born about 1618.
Here is the passenger list for the Elizabeth, which is actually named “Elizabeth de London” (Elizabeth of London) Notice one child on board in 1635 and several women:
Elizabeth of London to Virginia 1 Aug. 1635
Primo de Augusti 1635
Theis under written names are to be transported to Virginea imbarqued in the Elizabeth de Lo: [London] Christopher Browne Master examined by the Minister of Gravesend touching their conformities to the order and discipline of the Church of England the men have taken Oaths of Allege & Supremacie First Name ; Surname ; Age
• Jo: Benford 20
• Lodowick Fletcher 20
• Jo: Bagby 17
• Robert Salter 14
• Edward White 18
• Steeven Pierce 30
• Rich. Beaufort 18
• Rich. Chapman 18
• Andrew Parkins 18
• Jo: Baker 16
• Jo: Vaughan 17
• Jo: Austin 24
• Paul Fearne 24
• Thomas Royston 25
• Jo: Taylor 18
• Yeoman Gibson 16
• Thos: Leed 16
• Geo: Trevas 18
• Wm Shilbom 38
• Samuel Growee 38
• Wm Glassbrooke 26
• Edward Dicks 30
• Jo: Bennett 18
• Mitchell Saunby 25
• Wm Thurgood 13
• Samvel Mathew 14
• Tho: Frith 17
Women
• Katherine Jones 28
• Eliz: Sankster 24
• Ellin Shore 20
• Alice Pindon 19
• Sara Everedge 22
• Margaret Smith 28
• Eliza: Hodman 20
• Moules Naxton 19
• Marie Burbach 17
• Eliz: Rudson 40
• Elis: Rudson 5
I don’t know if this is John who married Ellinor or not, but if it is, then his age somewhere is wrong. Of course, it could be that Ellinor’s husband is Bona Nova John Vaughan, and his age was wrong by 10 years (or maybe he looked younger than he actually was). The next goal would be to see if anything could connect Bona Nova John to this John Vaughan. Then I’d like to see if we could find if John and Ellinor’s son William left any descendants.
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Gang, I thought today I’d see if I could locate the land in Westmoreland County, VA that a William Vaughan received. I suspect this William was the son of John and Ellen. I transcribed the land grant of William:
William Vaughan 156 acres
To all~…William Berkeley, Knight, Governor ~give and grant unto William Vaughan One hundred and fifty six acres of land situate in the county of Westmoreland in the easternmost side of a creek called Fishing Creek bounded as followeth. Beginning at a certain marked Oak standing in a line which divides this land and the land of Mr. Thomas Pope (extending?) one hundred and four perches (A perch is as a unit of measurement used for length, area, and volume in a number of different systems of measurement. Its name derives from the Ancient Roman unit, the pertica, it means POLE (from Wikipedia)) west to a marked Chestnut in the same line from thence west – north west one hundred and sixty eight perches down a branch to Fishing Creek, which branch divides this land and the land of Arthur Terrill now in possession of John Brown from thence southeast and by east fifty perches including a marsh, north east and by north forty perches east southeast fifty perches to along point down the said Creek, finally south westerly, two hundred and sixteen perches to the first red oak. The said land being due unto the said Vaughan by and for the transportation of three persons ~To have and to hold ~ to be held~ yielding and paying ~ provided ~dated the twenty third of march One thousand six hundred sixty four.
The Land grant next to William’s in the Deed book is to his neighbor, Thomas Pope, and Thomas’ grant mentions in it the land of John Vaughan’s along the Potomac river, which is divided between them by a pond and a marsh. Arthur Terrill’s land is also mentioned, as is Fishing Creek.So the land granted to William Vaughan was in the neighborhood of John Vaughan and his neighbors. According to Wikipedia, Fishing Creek was the name of Pope’s Creek before the Popes lived there. So William Vaughan owned land across Pope’s Creek from where George Washington was born, and close to where Robert E. Lee was born. The land was on the south side of Pope’s Creek along the Potomac river.
The above consisted of 4 e-mails posted to the Vaughan Pioneer group. As I type this on October 1st, I’m still exploring the early Vaughans and have yet to look at links between the “Bona Nova” John Vaughan and the John Vaughan who died in 1663. I also haven’t figured out if there can be shown to be a connection between these Vaughans and the Vaughans that share their Y-DNA signature such as our John and William Vaughan ancestors.
This past month there was quite a bit of activity at the Vaughan Pioneers group.Our presence on the Internet, through web pages is drawing curious genealogical researchers to contact me, as well as bringing new people into the group.We are preparing to pay for a Y-DNA test on another descendant of Beverly Vaughan and are trying to find a descendant of James and Martha Vaughan to test his Y-DNA and compare it to Ben Vaughan’s descendants to see just how the DNA matches.
A descendant of “Bona Nova” John Vaughan contacted me last week and his careful research made me think about how possible misinformation could be passed via the Internet.In most cases, it is just sloppy genealogy or mere mistakes, but it is possible, if someone wanted to fake a line, to pass information that is erroneous.Sometimes you will see a bit of legitimate information with some that is simply a guess mixed in.Source information is of vital importance.Sadly, when researching a line such as “Bona Nova” John Vaughan, there is not a lot of documents from the period of time that he lived in, to provide source information.So much of research from earlier times is educated guess, hunches or logical deductions.
Another problem with on-line research is changed e-mail addresses. Over the years, people change their Internet provider and their e-mail addresses change.Old queries on various genealogy pages are still shown with the old e-mail address and so who knows how many responses have never reached a researcher thanks to a change in provider.My old e-mail address was ecdavis@atlascomm.net and anyone seeing this e-mail address is asked to respond instead to ec21davis@gmail.com .Internet based e-mail addresses such as Gmail or Yahoo mail is probably the wisest option for researchers to place on query pages.
After a busy couple of months, July was more of a kicked-back time of relaxing. Our new Y-DNA group is slowly growing and sales of my Vaughan book has slowed down, which I expected. I’m now offering it to anyone who would like a copy. It’s on CD, over 700 pages in length and with other “goodies” on the CD, for $30. If you’d like to buy a copy, e-mail me at ec21davis@gmail.com for more information.
I did spend a few days tidying up some of the genealogical trees I have tried to assemble, especially the line of John Vaughan, who came to the Virginia colony on the Bona Nova in 1719. I have a theorized chart of his descendants, and it was this chart that I updated in July. Interestingly, there are three men in the Vaughan DNA study who are suspected of being descendants of “Bona Nova John”. Yet all three men have different Y-DNA signatures, and none of the three match each other. So this is another mystery to try to solve. Records in the British Isles from the 18th century and before are very scant, so it is rather difficult to track anyone back that far in time. We may never know where “Bona Nova John” was from other then the general area of Devonshire, England. We probably will never know who his parents were or what Vaughan family he came from. Yet there is always hope and that hope fuels the genealogy hobby.
This previous June I began selling copies of my Vaughan book on CD and did fairly well. One interesting development was the formation of a new group based on matching genetic signatures to our William and John Vaughan descendants. After one Vaughan descendant noticed that his Vaughan Y-DNA matched several Stephens and Hoopers, he contacted them and soon the idea of a group to look at the genetic profile emerged. Rusty Vaughan, Ed Martin and myself formed two groups actually.
The Stephens/Vaughan Yahoo group set up like Vaughan Pioneers, and Ed Martin’s Wales and Southwest England Y-DNA group. This second group is a Family Tree DNA group to compare the matching DNA. We’ve formulated a Modal Haplotype of the matching men and suspect that there is some sort of a common ancestor either in the Breckon region around Tretower and/or in the Bristol Channel region of England. We have some demographics to hint at this. The group is rather new, and we would like to get all matching Vaughans, Hoopers and Stephens (and others who match) to join this FTDNA group. I’ll try to post a hyperlink to the Links column on this page.
Also this month, I began tabulating results for 67 marker and 37 marker Phylogenetic Trees, which are very helpful in Genetic Genealogical research. Results have been posted to both the Vaughan Pioneer and Stephens/Vaughan research groups.