- 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
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?
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 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:
The marriage bond record below shows that Rachel Scaggs Lester's husband, William Lester, posted bond for Peter and Martha Scaggs' marriage:
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.
I have a hypothetical question concerning DNA as it relates to Ruth Elkins and possibly her married surnames of Skaggs/Bishop. Old Peter Skaggs was my 4th great-grandfather on paper and by Ancestery.com DNA testing. My wife's maternal grandmother was a (Bryant). Ruth Elkins paternal grandmother was Elizabeth (Bryant). On paper both my wife's grandmother line and Elizabeth line connect together to the same 13th great-grandparents around 1500. My question is this.....if I (a direct descendent from Old Peter Skaggs)have Bryant DNA that matches my wife's Bryant DNA, would that suggest or perhaps possible prove that Ruth Elkins did marry a John Skaggs and carried that Bryant DNA through Old Peter ? Or did I just way over simplify a very complex scenario with my wishful thinking ? Thoughts and advise please ?
ReplyDeleteIt's difficult for Skaggs to do what you are suggesting since many of us are related in more than one way back to a specific ancestor like Ruth Elkins. For example, one correspondent was related to me through at least two lines which means we had to do a lot of genealogical paperwork to determine exactly how we are related. When the Skaggs, Elkins, Bishop, Lester, Blankenship, Rose, Hankins, Bailey, etc. families are involved there may be multiple ways that two persons are related.
DeleteOne way to get started with trying to prove Ruth Elkins was married to John Skaggs is for Peter Skaggs descendants to try matching Elkins descendants. If we start finding matches the next steps are different than if no Skaggs descendants match any Elkins descendants.
Thanks for insight. Now just need to find willing Elkins....
ReplyDeleteI have a female friend who lives in Montgomery Co, Virginia whose 3rd Ggrandparents are Jacob Bishop and Catherine Elkins through her fathers line. However, through her mothers line her 5th Ggrandparents are William and Esther Skaggs. My question is would my friends DNA help solve the mystery of Ruth Elkins/Skaggs/Bishop or just confuse it more ?
ReplyDeleteI'm basically a believer that every test of a proven Skaggs or Elkins descendant helps toward solving the mystery since so far we don't have too many test results, documents or other hard evidence. We're lucky though that we are Colonial Americans because there thousands of Skaggs and Elkins descendants out there to be tested. I'm optimistic that we will eventually solve the mystery beyond a reasonable doubt.
DeleteRuth was captured by Indians in the 1760's and taken to the Carolinas. She was pregnant when she was released and she made it back, then she had a daughter she named Rachel Skaggs. Ruth then met and married John Bishop, who raised her daughter Rachel Skaggs. Ironically, although the idea of Ruth coming back to Virginia with the child of an Indian mate might not have been socially acceptable in those days, Rachel/Rebecca’s lineage today might actually be one of the most interesting ones and something that her descendents can use with pride. Rachel/Rebecca Skaggs descends from Wahanganoche, the first cousin to Pocahontas. Wahanganoche, also known as Whipsewasson, was a nephew to Chief Powhatan and the last chief of the Patawomeck tribe. Chief Powhatan, of course, was the father to Pocahontas. Ruth ELKINS was born between 1730 and 1735 in Montgomery County, Virginia. She between 1755 and 1760 in North Carolina. Ruth Elkins b abt 1730 was married first to John Skaggs Sr.{ Long Hunter}and had 2 or more children. John Skaggs left Virginia settled in Green County KY dying at the age 101remarried Elizabeth . The story goes that she was captured by Cherokee Indians and taken to North Carolina where she became pregnant with Rachel/Rebecca. Her nickname was "Old Cherry". She came back to Virginia and gave Rebecca/Rachel the last name of Skaggs. Her husband John Skaggs {who was a brother to Famous Skaggs Longhunters} assumed she have been killed because she had been missing four years. After a treaty in the Carolinas was signed ,she was release from her captors Ruth returned to Virginia .She met Johann Bischoff/John bishop b. April 1, 1731 and either married or lived with him. She Ancestral File number 1QCL-9TV. And this connects to the Streets of Virginia to Just trying to figure out where i come from.
ReplyDeleteHello, I hope this is still active. I have Y DNA results for 2 Elkins that I manage. Both are RM269. I have access to a third Elkins as well- all from Boone County WV where some of these descendants moved. I am just learning about DNA but would be glad to help in figuring this out. Would love to have proven roots to other Long Hunters as well as this Indian tribe. Debbie Deem Best way to contact is ddeemfamilyhistory@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteYou might be interested in the Elkins DNA project here:
Deletehttps://www.familytreedna.com/groups/elkinsdna/about
It looks like many of the Elkins tested have the R-M269 haplogroup. The Big-Y test might make things more interesting.
I have found the same research regarding Ruth Elkins being captured by Indians and was impregnated with Rachel. They gave Ruth the nickname “Old Cherry.” Ruth is my 6x great grandmother. My paternal grandmother’s maiden name is Elkins and traces up to Ruth. My paternal grandfather’s mother was a Lester who descended from the Bishops related to Ruth Elkins. Makes my head spin.
ReplyDelete