1784: Rachel Skaggs Assigned Land to Henry Skaggs

Montgomery County, Virginia recorded a survey of 150 acres for Rachel Skaggs in 1783.  Rachel obtained a certificate in 1781 for 400 acres in Washington & Montgomery Counties that was the basis for this survey.  In 1784 Rachel assigned the 150 acres to Henry Skaggs.  Grok read the surveyor notes and added this information to the summary of what we know about the "Long Hunter" Skaggs family.


Summary of the Long Hunter Skaggs Family

The Skaggs family, known for their involvement as "Long Hunters" (early explorers and hunters in the American frontier, particularly in Kentucky and Tennessee during the 1760s–1770s), emerges as a prominent 18th-century settler clan based on the provided sources: the 1769 land deeds from Augusta County, Virginia; the Moses Skaggs estate papers (Green County, Kentucky, equity case #3871, ca. 1836); the Archibald Thompson Journal (a diary transcribed by Sandra K. Gorin in 2020, covering family records from the 1750s–1790s); and the 1784 land survey for Rachel Skaggs in Montgomery County, Virginia. These documents collectively paint a picture of a large, migratory family originating in colonial Virginia, intertwined with the Thompson family through marriages, and focused on land acquisition, frontier exploration, and inheritance disputes. Below is a synthesized overview of key aspects, drawing directly from these records.

Family Origins and Parents

  • James Skaggs Sr. (d. ca. 1781) and Rachel Skaggs (d. ca. 1784): The deeds and estate papers identify them as the patriarchal figures of the family, residing initially in Augusta County, Virginia (now part of modern Virginia and West Virginia). James Sr. was a landowner who acquired a 440-acre tract on the Middle River of the Shenandoah around 1751–1753 (possibly from Francis Rieley or Samuel Ratcliff, with some transcription discrepancies noting "Samuel Skaggs"). The 1769 deeds show them dividing this land among sons for nominal sums (five shillings each), indicating a strategy to provide for adult children amid frontier expansion. The estate papers note that James Sr. and Rachel predeceased their son Moses "many years before," with no will mentioned, leading to intestate distributions. The 1784 Montgomery County survey grants Rachel 150 acres on the west side of the New River (near Little River and Walker's Creek) as a widow, confirming James Sr.'s death by then (likely ca. 1781). This land was surveyed March 8, 1783, and assigned to son Henry on May 1, 1784, suggesting Rachel's death shortly after. The journal indirectly supports this through references to the Skaggs' Virginia-Kentucky migrations, aligning with the family's westward movement post-1770s.

Children and Siblings

The estate papers provide the most complete sibling list (five brothers and four sisters for Moses Skaggs), corroborated by the deeds' grantees and the journal's birth registers. The family had at least 9–10 children, many involved in Long Hunting expeditions with figures like Daniel Boone. Key details:

  • Brothers:
    • Henry Skaggs: Explicitly named "son" in his 1769 deed, receiving 200 acres. The journal lists him married to Mary (possibly Mary Thompson, Archibald's sister, based on naming like "John Thompson Skaggs"). Their children: John Thompson Skaggs (b. Dec. 4/5, 1760), Lucy (b. Dec. 5, 1762; m. John Stasey 1782), Solomon (b. Jan. 30, 1766), David (b. Apr. 28, 1767), Silvanus (b. Feb. 18, 1769, noted as "daughter" possibly in error), Mary (b. Dec. 19, 1771). Henry hosted Archibald Thompson on his plantation (1778–1781) and owned property on Pitman Creek, KY. Estate papers confirm him as Moses' brother, with heirs claiming shares.
    • James Skaggs Jr.: Grantee in his 1769 deed (200 acres). Estate papers list him as Moses' brother; his heirs participated in the suit. Not detailed in the journal, but fits the sibling group.
    • Charles Skaggs: A noted Long Hunter; married Lucinda "Lucy" Thompson (Archibald's sister, per journal preface). Journal registers their children: Archibald (b. Jan. 3, 1759), Rachel (b. Aug. 31, 1761), Nancy (b. Apr. 22, 1763), Frederick (b. Dec. 11, 1764), Mary (b. Sep. 16, 1767), Thomas (b. Dec. 16, 1769), Sarah (b. Dec. 27, 1771), Moses (b. Jan. 27, 1774). Estate papers name him as Moses' brother.
    • Moses Skaggs: Central to the estate papers; died intestate without children or surviving spouse (possibly Elizabeth or Agnes). A Long Hunter; his KY lands were divided among siblings' heirs in the 1836 suit. Not in deeds or journal (journal's Moses is Charles' son, b. 1774).
    • Richard Skaggs: Estate papers list him as brother; wife and children as heirs.
    • Jacob/John Skaggs: Estate papers include him (or possibly two separate brothers); John witnessed 1769 deeds, suggesting family involvement.
  • Sisters (per estate papers; minimal in other sources):
    • Susanah (m. Richard Whitt; children Hezekiah, Susannah, Edmund).
    • Lydia (m. Mathias Harman).
    • Elizabeth "Betsy" (m. John Hankins).
    • Nancy (m. William Meredith; sometimes called Nancy Annie).

The journal's registers focus on Charles/Lucy's and Henry/Mary's lines, but the deeds and estate fill gaps, showing a large family with shared parents.

Marriages and Thompson Interconnections

  • The journal highlights ties to the Thompsons: Archibald (b. 1736 in Ireland, d. after 1797 in Monroe County, KY) was brother to Lucinda (m. Charles Skaggs) and possibly Mary (m. Henry Skaggs, inferred from "Thompson" middle names in Henry's children). Archibald's diary notes travels (e.g., to Solomon Skaggs' house on Pitman Creek, 1797) and ledger entries with Skaggs (e.g., David Skaggs' debts), indicating close kinship and economic bonds. No direct Skaggs-Thompson links in deeds or survey, but estate depositions reference these marriages in heir claims.

Land Ownership, Migration, and Economic Activities

  • Virginia Lands: Deeds (Aug. 17, 1769) divide Augusta County tract (acquired 1751–1753) to Henry and James Jr. Rachel's 1784 Montgomery survey (150 acres on New River, entry 1781, surveyed Mar. 8, 1783, assigned to Henry May 1, 1784) shows her as widow securing unappropriated land, reflecting post-Revolutionary policies for settlers.
  • Migration to Kentucky: Family moved westward ca. 1770s–1780s, settling in Green/Monroe Counties. Journal details Archibald's journeys (e.g., 1796–1797 from Little River to Green River, staying with Solomon Skaggs). Estate focuses on Moses' KY lands (undivided until 1836 suit).
  • Activities: As Long Hunters, brothers like Henry, Charles, and Moses explored/hunted (journal preface). Ledger notes in journal show transactions (e.g., David Skaggs owing for sows, corn).

Inheritance and Estate Disputes

  • Moses' Estate: Papers (1836 suit) divide his intestate KY property among 100+ heirs of siblings (no children). Depositions confirm family structure, with parents James Sr./Rachel long deceased. Aligns with deeds' early divisions and survey's assignment to Henry, showing consistent familial asset transfers.

Overall, the sources depict the Skaggs as a resilient frontier family: James Sr. and Rachel as land-acquiring parents, their children as explorers/migrants intermarried with Thompsons, and inheritance patterns emphasizing sibling equity. Gaps (e.g., exact birth/death dates) exist, but the documents form a coherent narrative of 18th-century American expansion.

Location: Montgomery County, VA, USA

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