A Forgotten Stash of Skaggs Information?

Maud Carter Clement was a writer and historian of southwestern Virginia.  Genealogical information and local history of Pittsylvania County, Va. are the main interests of the collection of Mrs. Clement, housed at the University of Virginia Library in Charlottesville.  This collection was the raw information for her genealogical research that produced books such as The History of Pittsylvania County, Virginia.

A folder that may be of interest to Skaggs researchers is in this collection.  Labeled as "Genealogical data re: Skaggs" and dated December 9, 1938 it may contain information about Skaggs ancestors with ties to Pittsylvania County, Virginia.  Some Skaggs ancestors that have those ties include: Zachariah Skaggs, John Skaggs and Charles Skaggs, who appeared in the 1767 tax list, Archibald Skaggs who, in a military pension deposition declared he lived there prior to the Revolution, and Eli Skaggs who supposedly married Rebecca Popejoy there c. 1791.

The folder of interest is identified as Box 13, Folder 10 of the collection, labeled "Genealogical data re: Skaggs."  If someone can take a peek into that folder in Charlottesville, please let us know what is in it.

John Scaggs of Kent County, Maryland

Thanks to some recent digital transcription of records by the Maryland Historical Society we have discovered that a John Scaggs lived in Kent County, Maryland in 1749 and 1750.

Ruth Scaggs Bishop and the Cherokee Kidnapping

I previously wrote about the Bishop family legend of Ruth Scaggs being captured by Indians.  There is some new evidence that this legend may be based in fact.  A Rev. William R. Belcher from Lewis County, Washington submitted an Eastern Cherokee Application #31073 in 1908 claiming his grandfather's grandmother was taken prisoner by a Cherokee chief.

William Scaggs, father of Joseph

Joseph and Martha Scaggs were listed in the 1810 and 1820 censuses for Montgomery County, Virginia.  They had the following children:
1) Polly Scaggs b. ca. 1795; m. 21 October 1813 Montgomery Co. VA to Samuel Brammer
2) Rutha Scaggs b. ca. 1798; m. 23 December 1817 Montgomery Co. VA to George Cooper
3) William Scaggs b. ca. 1800; m. 4 February 1825 Montgomery Co. VA to Miram Reed
4) Nancy Scaggs b. ca. 1805; d. 30 March 1878 Wise Co. VA; m. 6 November 1821 Montgomery Co. VA to George D. Reed
5) Lydia Scaggs b. December 1808; m. Andrew R. Altizer
6) Rhoda Scaggs b. ca. 1812; m. 10 August 1830 to Charles Akers
7) Stephenia Scaggs b. ca. 1813; m.____ Akers she was a widow by 1850

Darky Gothrin: A Relationship to Old Peter?

We know Dorcas (Darky) Gothrin was daughter of Ruth Skaggs Bishop, wife of John Bishop from Darky's marriage record:

1796, February 20 – Owen ODonald and Darkey Gothrin, surety Jacob Bishop; consent of parents John and Ruth Bishop; Jacob Bishop made oath that Darky Gothrin, daughter of Ruth Bishop the wife of John Bishop is of full and lawful age.
(source: Early Adventures on the Western Waters, Vol. II, by Mary Kegley.)

It's possible that Darky could be Ruth's daughter by an Indian if the legend of her Indian captivity is true.  Darky could also be an Indian orphan adopted by Ruth after her release from captivity.  These adoptions did happen after battles with the Shawnee and Cherokee during this time period.  Circumstances surrounding Darky Gothrin could provide a clue of a relationship between her mother, Ruth Scaggs Bishop, and Old Peter Scaggs.