James Skaggs: Who was this guy?

Thanks to the internet, there is a transcription of the minutes of the Big Blaine Baptist Church by Lucy G. White out there for us to study.  The Big Blaine Baptist Church still exists on KY-32 near Martha, Kentucky.  These church minutes are from the 1800s back to 1821.  I found a James Skaggs that I cannot account for in the known genealogies for Lawrence County, Kentucky.  I need your help in solving this mystery.
Here is the entry in the church minutes:




August the 1st Saturday 1825
Brother James Skaggs has transgressed and come and maid a recantation. The church is to Site Brother Christian Skaggs and James Sparks to our meeting, So Brother John Boggs and Brother James Boggs are appointed to site James Blevins.




This looks like a James Skaggs was living in the area of Martha, Kentucky in August 1825.  Who was this guy?  The record shows that Old Peter and his brother Solomon were the pioneer Skaggs in the area of Blaine Creek.  This area was part of Floyd County when they settled there and became Lawrence County in 1822.  No James Skaggs is known to have settled here by 1825.  For example, the 1823 Tax List for Lawrence County shows the following Skaggs:


Peter Skaggs
- John Skaggs
- Jeremiah Skaggs
- Lewis Skaggs
- Solomon Skaggs, Jr.
Solomon Skaggs


Also, the 1820 Floyd County, Kentucky census shows the family of Solomon Skaggs (Peter's brother):


1 male 45+ (Solomon)
1 male 10-15 (?)
3 males <10 (Amos, John, Peter)
1 female 26-45 (?)
2 females <10 (America, Linnie)


Solomon's son, age 10-15, might be this mysterious James Skaggs.  If so, he would have been born between 1805 and 1810, so in the 1825 church minutes he would have been age 15-20.  Would he have been old enough to recant a transgression?


So, we know Peter didn't have any sons named James.  We thought Solomon didn't either but perhaps this mysterious James is that unknown son of Solomon listed in the 1820 census.

5 comments:

  1. Interesting. Can a transcription error be eliminated? I don't have a name for the 10 - 15 male in the 1820 Floyd Co., KY census either. Regarding "Would he have been old enough" note that Henry Jayne b. 10/1803 is listed as a member of the Big Blaine church in 1821. Age 17 - 18.
    I have only found excerpts of Lucy G. White's transcription of the Big Blaine church minutes on the internet. Is the full record out there? If so, can you please provide an address.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had listed the address at rootsweb in a previous post:

      http://archives.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/BOGGS/1997-11/0878740400

      but I think they had a data breach at rootsweb and lost some of their archives.

      Delete
  2. Yes, very interesting.....but I thought Solomon and Nellie had a son named Miles ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, they did. But we think Miles was born after the 1820 census.

      Delete
  3. Good point and makes sense! So.....Solomon and Nellie must of had a son named James who probably died before the 1830 census. A James Skaggs does not show up in the 1825-1829 Tax list either. Solomon Skaggs Sr. shows up in the 1827 Tax List but must have died between 1827-1828.

    ReplyDelete

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