GENFORUM: Fauquier County, Virginia, 1764-1851 Posted by: Bob Kamman (ID *****4727) Date: July 27, 2004 at 00:23:20 of 2221 I hope this information helps others sort out some of the Jetts of Fauquier County, Virginia. "My" William Jett was born in 1763 or 1764; served in the Virginia Militia under General Washington at Yorktown in 1781; married twice; and died in 1851. In the Fauquier County records there are four early leases, from Lord Fairfax (who was "proprietor" of hundreds of square miles of Virginia land, including a Fauquier tract known as Leeds Manor) to members of the Jett family. These leases ran for the lifetime of up to three named individuals. Generally, if a man had two sons, he would add them to the lease; If he had only one son, he would name his wife and son. The lease required the tenant to build a house on the land, and plant "one hundred and fifty good apple trees at fifty feet distance in regular order." The rents ran something like "40 shillings sterling payable December 25." References are to the Book and Page Number of the Fauquier County records: 1/132 To Francis Jett, Daniel Jett and Francis Jett Jr.; 1760; "beginning at a white oak standing on the bank of a large branch of thum run (Thumb Run, a creek you can find on modern maps); containing 200 acres. 2/45 To James Jett, Elizabeth Jett his wife; and William Jett his son; 7/28/1763; near Thumb Run, a lot surveyed "for Neal," near "Gerrard's lot"; 150 acres. 5/157 To John Jett and his brothers Francis Jett and Daniel Jett; 11/30/1771; adjoins William Jett's lot and also that of Jesse Norman; 238 acres. 5/165 Same day -- To William Jett, his wife Sarah and his son Peter; 11/30/1771; also adjacent to Jesse Norman; 100 acres. Conclusions: In 1763, William Jett is the newborn son of James and Elizabeth Jett. (Later statements of this William Jett's age place his birth in 1764. He either lost count, or possibly they anticipated his birth.) James Jett is possibly the younger brother of his neighbor Francis Jett. Their father may have settled in this area and acquired land by purchase, rather than lease, when it was still Prince William County. (I haven't researched those records yet.) John Jett is unmarried in 1771 and possibly the younger brother of Francis Jr. and Daniel. William Jett in the 1771 lease is somehow related to all of these characters. ++++ Fast forward to 1846. The Fairfax Estate has been in litigation for decades, since the Revolutionary War. The Marshall family in Fauquier County -- including John Marshall, our first chief justice -- buys up much of the Leeds Manor property from the Fairfax heirs in England. Then they settle with the long-term tenants, many of whom have not been paying rent for years and may not acknowledge the pre-Revolutionary title of a British landlord. 45/425 On January 8, 1846, Edward and Rebecca Marshall deed 388 acres to William Jett. The land "was given by my father, the late John Marshall Sr., to my brothers and myself." Further, "the said William Jett has been occupant of the larger part, for many years, as tenant by lease." The property "is bounded by a survey lately made thereof." Adjoining property owners include Payne, Rogers, Smith and Weaver. The selling price is $2,000, including rents accrued since January 1843. Where did this 388 acres come from? Add the 150 acres in the 1763 lease to James and his son William, to the 238 acres in the 1771 lease to the Jett brothers John, Francis Jr. and Daniel. ++++ From other sources, we know that William Jett had three sons who moved to Bond County, Illinois, around 1830. In the Fauquier County Heritage Society archives, I found a handwritten page, author unknown, which may clarify or confuse these descendants. It is titled "Came To Bond County, I'm sure I sent you this." I. Three sons of Wm Jett Revolutionary War soldier came to Bond Co. A. John, came in 1829 b. 1787 m. Elizabeth Hittle --- William (Bond Co.) --- Washington (to Wisconsin) [<---BK note; this is my ancestor] --- Jacob (Bond Co.) --- Jefferson Bond --- Benjamin F. --- Marion (Kansas) --- James M. (Bond) --- Susan --- Polly --- Linda Esther B. William B, came in 1834 m. Carissa Parker --- James W. b. 1824 --- Elizabeth --- Thomas J. (died in Mexican War) --- George W. --- Ann E. --- Frances --- Louisa J. --- Henry (Civil War) --- Owen m. Nancy Laws C. Thomas (came in 1831) m. Elizabeth Rogers (settled Jett Prairie) d. 1854 cholera --- James H. --- William A. --- Alexander Washington (Washington is underlined) m. Sarah Wright, children ------ Virginia Ann and William --- Thomas J. --- Stephen Jackson b. 1827 Fauquier Va. had son Judge Thomas Jett --- Wesley --- Suzannah --- Mary J. --- Eliza --- Sarah II. Humphrey Jett, born Va., came around 1827, m. in Tenn. Mary [no last name] --- Sally m. James M. Jett had son Humphrey and other[s?] --- Wesley -- to Montgomery Co Ill no children --- Thomas -- 2 marriages ++++ Back to William, b. 1763 in Fauquier. There are some references to his first wife being named Sybil. The source for this might be a marriage bond from December 19,1814 in which William and Sibel Jett, father and mother of Ann Jett, give their permission for her to marry Harrison Fletcher. Francis Jett is witness to the parents' giving their permission. +++ William wrote his will on 11/24/1850, and it specifically revoked an earlier will dated 8/28/1848 in the possession of James Rogers. Peter Settle was the executor of the new will. The will was filed for probate on 10/10/1851, but not until after a jury trial that resulted in a compromise settlement, presumably before a verdict was reached. The will named five children: Frances Cordelia Rogers, wife of Stephen; Nancy Settle, wife of Peter; Mary Rogers, wife of Gabriel; and sons William Henry Jett and Francis Marion Jett. Francis is still under age so his brother William H. "stands as security" for him with a bond of $15,000. The settlement provides that the 388 acre tract (see above) goes to sons William H. Jett and Francis M. Jett. The sum of $475 goes to Stephen Rogers; and the rest is equally divided (my notes are not clear on this, but probably all five children). So who was my William Jett's second wife? It seems fairly certain that she was the former Judith Settle: 28/513 8/26/1825 Deed from William Jett and Judith his wife; and William Settle and Margaret his wife; to George Settle, who paid $300 for 320 acres near Carters Run formerly occupied by William Settle, deceased, the father of Judith Jett and William Settle. In the marriage bonds of Fauquier County, there is one dated February 28, 1818 to William Jett and Judith B. Settle, daughter of William Settle. The bondsmen are William Jett and William Settle Jr. (Witness is John Keyth.) +++ In addition to my William Jett in Fauquier County, there is the other William Jett. He wrote his will in January 1817 and it was probated November 24, 1817. his children are: --- his eldest son Peter Jett, to whom he leaves a bed and furniture --- John Jett, to whom he leaves one shilling --- Isabella Hambrick, one shilling --- Susana Jett, one shilling --- Caty Jett, one shilling --- Burkett Jett, who is the executor. Burkett receives "the land that I now live on; household and kitchen furniture; farming utensils; all of my stock, moneys, bonds, notes, etc." provided he lives there and supports William's widow. This William is probably the tenant in the fourth (1771) lease listed above. His son Burkett Jett should not be confused with the Burkett (or Birkett) Jett whose will was probated in October 1802. His children were Mariah Jett, Washington Jett and Sally Jett. His administratrix was Molly Jett, now Molly Grant, and Chapman Grant. He owned 230 acres in the Manor of Leeds which couldn't be divided so his instructions were to sell it. The earlier Burkett Jett is probably the same one who is mentioned in a March 28, 1786 bill of sale (recorded at 9/127) in which he and his brother George are given one Negro girl each by their father Francis Jett, who signs with an X his mark. ++++ Fauquier County records also show a Power of Attorney from William Storke Jett of Westmoreland County, to Peter Catlett of Fauquier County, to sell a Negro man named Jennings, "which said slave I purchased of Birkett Jett of Fauquier County." (October 22, 1810, recorded at 22/23). There is also an October 16, 1820 deed from William S. Jett Jr. (his signature is William Storke Jett); George D. Ashton; and Elizabeth M. J. Ashton [from other sources: daughter of William Storke Jett Sr., brother of Jr.] of King George County, and Joseph H. Jett of Westmoreland County to William S. Jett Sr. of Westmoreland County. The property is 362 acres in Fauquier "bounded by the lands of the Turbeville heirs, Morgan, alias Roses, now Withers and Settle and the north branch of the Rappahannock River." I think this property is in the southeast corner of the county, far from the Thumb Run / Leeds Manor leases in the northwest corner. +++ On November 16, 1809, one William D. Jett sold a roan horse, 3 feather beds, furniture and utensils to John Smith, with the bill of sale not being recorded until May 29, 1810 (17/648). John Suddoth and Reuben Smith were witnesses. On the same day, Suddoth sold various personal property to John Smith, and William D. Jett was the witness. This could be either my William Jett or the other William Jett, using a middle initial not usually used; or it could be someone else passing through town or having a yard sale before moving West. There is a marriage bond for a William D. Jett, at file 2/317, but I didn't get a date or wife's name for this -- it would be before 1814.