The Skaggs, Bishop, Elkins and Lester Families

The Skaggs, Bishop and Lester families have a long documented history of interrelationships going back to the Revolutionary War era, however, we still DO NOT have enough documentation to answer the following questions:

• Did Ruth Scaggs Bishop have the maiden name Elkins?
• Was Ruth the daughter of Ralph Elkins and Frances Brown?
• Was Old Peter Scaggs the son of John and Ruth (Elkins) Scaggs?
• Was Old Peter the brother of Rachel Skaggs who married William Lester?
• Was Zachariah Skaggs a half-brother to Old Peter?

We do have some facts to help with the research.  Rachel Scaggs Lester was the daughter of John and Ruth Scaggs (later Bishop) according to this minister's return record from the Archives of Virginia:

Copied, by Va., Archives, and photostated, from bonds, etc., Dec 1936.

3-26-1786- A344, Rachel Skeggs daughter of Jno. Skaggs & Ruth Bishop,married Wm. Lester, son of Martha & Abner Lester.

Marriage records could come from marriage bonds or minister's returns so sometimes we get different information for the marriage depending on the source.  Below is the marriage bond record for the marriage of Rachel Scaggs and William Lester:

Source: Microfilm Reel # 52 - Montgomery County, Virginia – Marriage Bonds 1777-1788

Know all men by these presents that we William Lester and Samuel Saddler are held and firmly bound unto his Excellancy Patrick Henry, Governor of Virginia for the time being and his successors in the just and _______ sum of fifty pounds current money to which payment will and truly to be made, we bind ourselves, our heirs, Exo (?) dom (?) or assigns to him and his successors forever jointly. Generally and firmly by these presents as witnesses our hand and seals this 22nd day of March 1786.

The condition of the above obligation is such that whereas the above bound William Lester hath this day obtained License for his marriage with Rachael Skaggs Daughter of John Bishop of this County. Now if there should be no just cause to obstruct this marriage then the above obligation to be void or else to remain in full force power and virtue.

Signed William (his mark) LesterSamuel (his mark) Saddler
Signed and Acknowledged - Abraham Trigg

Along with the marriage bond are the following:

"These few lines is given from under our hands to testafy that there is no objection against William Lester and Rachel Scaggs being joined (there are some other words written but they are marked out)"

Abner Lester Martha LesterJohn bishup Ruth bishup

To Mr. McCorkleEdmund Whitt Archl. Whitt

"Sur this is to testesfy home it mey concern that we are satisfyed with the match"

Abner LesterMartha Lester

We can see from these marriage records that by 1786 Ruth Scaggs had married John Bishop and that John Scaggs was likely deceased since he was completely out of the picture for his daughter's marriage.  Samuel Saddler provided bond and John Bishop provided consent with Ruth.  So what happened to Rachel's biological father, John Scaggs?

Early Adventures On The Western Waters Volume 2 by Mary Kegley, p. 67:John Charlton, assignee of Zacharia Skeggs, heir to John Skeggs, commissioner`s certificate,150 acres on the branch of Meadow creek (New River). Settled 1774.Sept.23, 1780 Montgomery County, Va.

Zachariah Skaggs deeded land to John Charlton in 1780 that was settled by John Scaggs in 1774 based on his commissioner's certificate.  Zachariah was listed as "heir to John Skeggs" indicating that by September 1780 John Scaggs was deceased and Zachariah was likely his oldest living son.

John and Ruth Bishop had a son of their own, David Bishop, about 1781 according to the subsequent census records:

The 1820 census in Tazewell Co., VA shows David Bishop as age 26-44 (born 1776-1794)
The 1830 census in Tazewell Co., VA shows David Bishop as age 40-49 (born 1781-1790)
The 1840 census in Lawrence Co., KY shows David Bishop as age 50-59 (born 1781-1790)
The 1850 census in Lawrence Co., KY shows David Bishop as age 68 (born 1782)
The 1860 census in Lawrence Co., KY shows David Bishop as age 80 (born 1780)

David Bishop was raised in Montgomery Co., Virginia, then by 1820 he had moved to Tazewell Co. and by 1840 he moved on to Lawrence Co., Kentucky where he died in 1861.  Hold that thought while we discuss another former resident of Montgomery Co., VA who moved to Lawrence Co., KY...Old Peter Skaggs.

Peter Skaggs married Martha Cothron in 1788 according to the minister's return:

June 24, 1788, Marriage Book A, Page25, , Peter Scaggs married Marthey Cothron; William Leister Witness Montgomery CO. VA, Christianburg Courthouse, copied from Archives of VA.

The marriage bond record below shows that Rachel Scaggs Lester's husband, William Lester, posted bond for Peter and Martha Scaggs' marriage:

Known all men by these present that we Peter Skaggs & William Leister (Lester) are held firmly bound unto the Governor of Virginia for the time being and his (this) Successors the sum of  L 4.50 current money to ________ which payment ______ truly to be made we bind ourselves _______heirs ____ jointly severally firmly by these presents seal with our seals _______ this 24th day of June 1788.The condition of this obligation is such that whereas the above bound Peter Skaggs hath this day _________ his marriage with Marthey Cohun being of their reprise be no just cause to obstruct this marriage then this obligation to be void or else to remain in full force.


Wm Lester Peter (x) Scags (Seal)Wm. Trigg (his mark)

From these records we can see that the families established relationships during the 1780s.  However, I believe that DNA testing will eventually allow us to make solid choices about who was related to whom.  For example, if we can find Elkins descendants that have a DNA match to either Skaggs or Bishops we might be able to trace far enough back to make a solid guess that Ruth Elkins married a Skaggs and then later a Bishop.

Skaggs and the Cherokee War of 1759-60

The Cherokee War between the Cherokee Indians and the British was conducted separately but concurrent to the French and Indian War.  The Cherokee were not really allies of the French, but fought the British at the same time as the French.  Hostilities began in 1759 when the Cherokee declared open war against the British.  The British colonists in Virginia and the Carolinas built and manned forts to defend themselves against the Indians.  At least three Skaggs ancestors were involved in this war based on South Carolina records.