Samuel Tatum "II" ~1674 - 1750

This Chapter

Third Generation – Samuel Tatum “II” (~1674 – 1750) and Family

 Warwick Swamp, Prince George County, Virginia

1st generation – Nathaniel Tatum – the Immigrant (~1599)

 2nd generation Samuel Tatum “I” (~1635/40 to 1715)

 

Recent Changes

Note extensive new changes for Sam Tatum II

 

Samuel Tatum "II" of Prince George County, Virginia

Born ~1674, if Samuel was about age 60 when declared “Levy free” in November 1734 Bristol Parish Vestry.

Married (possibly) to Mary __ , who should be much younger.     

Died 1750 Prince George County, Virginia

Family records: None identified.  Little exists to confirm names and number of wives.  Widow Tatum whose first name is never identified is noted yearly from 1751 to 1759 in Bristol Parish Vestry records.

Parents: Samuel Tatum I (1640's to <1715) + Mary __

Family Records: none known

Will or estate administration: None, but county records were lost during this time span.

 

(Unproven) Mary __ (maiden name unknown), wife of Samuel Tatum

Birth and death: dates unknown

Noted only in 1721 with birth of Francis Tatum - a son, on Bristol Parish Register.  Father was identified as Samuel Tatum

Parents: unknown

Son, Francis Tatum who, so far, cannot be tracked.

 

First writing 1 February 2007; previous revision 24 March 2011, This revision 17 October 2011, Jim Murphy, www.planetmurphy.org

           

Research Notes

Beware!

 

Samuel Tatum "II" and family are hard trace because so many Prince George County records have been lost.   In fact, only one county deed book and some miscellaneous papers survived between the years 1728 for deeds, 1739 for court records, and 1787 when some records reappear.  No family records surface.  A will or probate has not been found, and was probably lost with the other county records.    Reconstruction of Samuel Tatum II is based on separating him from Samuel Tatum (~1692) - son of Nathaniel Tatum (~1670), which includes:   

 

"Senior" and "junior" in colonial Virginia can refer to two people with the same name in a county - one older and one younger, but not necessarily father and son.  Differences in locations might separate them.  There seems to be an estimated age difference of 15-20 years between the two which should help.  Bristol (1720-1789) Vestry reported a certain Sam Tatum "levy free in 1734, in need Church Warden support in 1738 until his death in 1750.   

 

Samuel Tatum’s birth date of 1674 is estimated from the Bristol Parish Vestry entry which states on 11 November 1734 “that Samuel Tatam be levy free.”  Parish members could become “levy free” if they reached a certain age or that they couldn't support themselves.  At this time, an actual levy free age is not known, so this writer has estimated the age to be 60.  A birth year ~1674 seems reasonable for a son of Samuel Tatum I.              

 

Identifying the correct wife or wives of Sam Tatum II continues to be a real problem.  Mary Tatum's only entry in a 1721 Bristol Parish record doesn't tell us which Sam Tatum.  She will be placed here until better evidence is found.  No records have yet been found to tie an Elizabeth to this Sam Tatum II.  This could change. 

 

Proof for a Samuel Tatum "II"

1715 Prince George Will of Mary Tatum

 

Proof for Samuel Tatum "II" is found in a 1715 will of Mary Tatum who was the wife of Samuel Tatum "I."

 

1715 December 14 - Prince George County:   Will abstract of Mary Tatum -  I, Mary Tatum being sick and weak of body...bequeath to daughters Ann Lee and Rebecca Temple one shilling...to Son Samuell Tatum my brown rugg...to Richard Carlile's daughter Mary one cow...to Thomas Mitchell's daughter Mary one cow...to Jack Mingo my old trading gun...to my son Nathaniel Tatum rest of my Estate.  Nathaniel Tatum to be Executor.  Witnessed: Christopher Tatum and Richard Carlile.  Signed: Mary (x) Tatum.  Entered second Tuesday January 1715 (note date error) for Mary Tatum, deceased.

(Prince George County, Virginia Deeds, 1713-1728, page 91 and Prince George County, Virginia Wills and Deeds 1713-`728, by Benjamin B. Weisiger, III, 1973, page 10, original 91) 

 

Records identified for Samuel Tatum "II"

Charles City County, Virginia

 

1701 October 24 - Charles City County: Captain Francis Epps, William Epps, and Captain Littlebury Epps were granted 1000 acres, south side of Warwick Swamp and north side of Joseph's Swamp...to land of John Scott standing on his Warwick Swamp above the meadow...to crossing a great branch...to a little above a bridge over Joseph Swamp, up the said swamp....to corner of the land of Captain Thomas Bigsby.....to the meadow path that goes from Charles Robinsons to Samuel Tatum, Thomas Epps...to above Busby's corner...to Warwick Meadow and the main run of the said Meadow...up along the said Meadow and Warwick Swamp, to the main run of ___, for transportation of twenty persons..... 

(Virginia Colonial Abstracts, Sec. 2, Volume 6, Prince George County, Volume One, Land Patents 1666-1719, by Lindsay O Duvall, 1962,  Page 38, original Book 9, page 380)

 

            Comment: Sam Tatum mentioned in this 1701 deed is never identified as senior or junior.   We are left to guess which one.    

 

1702 September - Charles City County:  A copy of all entries in what place and by whom made since ye land o ye south side of Blackwater has been laid open.  Entered by me, Robert Bolling, Surveyor of Charles City County (and includes):  Nath'll Tatum Sr. and Jr. – 500 acres – 21 September 1702.  Included secondary persons mentioned in this entry are Jarvis Winfield, Doboy, George Tilman, James Cook, Edmond Irby.   Sam'll Tatum, Sr. – 200 acres – 24 September 1702.  Samuel Tatum, Sr's entry also mentions his land with Nath'll Tatum, Jr..

English Duplicates of Lost Virginia Records, Patents, compiled by Louis de Cognets, Jr. 1958, page 72.

 

            Comment: Samuel Tatum, Senior should be Sam Tatum "I."  Sam "II" is missing on this list, but the 1702 list specifically names persons living on the south side of Blackwater Swamp and not south side of the Appomattox River.   By 1704/05, the 200 acres named to Sam Tatum, Sr and Nathaniel Tatum, Jr. have become Nat. Tatum, Jr's. 200 acres and Sam Tatum "II" has 195 acres.

 

~1701/02 - Charles City County:  Militia named included Edward Tatem, Nat. Tatem, Jr, Samuel Tatem

Virginia Colonial Soldiers, Militia Miscellany, Virginia Records, Public Office, London, page 215-216.

 

            Comment; Again, we are not told which Sam Tatum, but most likely is Samuel Tatum "II."

           

Records for Prince George County, established 1702/03

 

1704/05 – Prince George County:  Rent Roll of Virginia:  (includes)

 

            Nath. Tatham, Sen. – 501 acres

            Nath. Tatham, Jr. – 200 acres

            Sam'el Tatham, Sen. – 100 acres 

            Samuel Tatham Junior. – 195 acres

English Duplicates of Lost Virginia Records by Louis Des Cognets, Jr.

 

            Comment: Sam Tatum, Jr. ("II) now has 195 acres and we do not know how he came by this land and cannot pin point its location. 

 

1710 July - Surry County, Virginia: Joseph Perry, Samuel Tatum, John Dobey, or any two of them being first sworn before one of her majesty's Justice of the Peace for their county are nominated and appointed to value and appraise the goods of Jno. Unitt.

 

1710 April - Surry County, Virginia: John Brown and "Jone" his wife not appearing to prosecute their suit against Samuel Tatum, the same is therefore dismissed. 

(Surry County, Virginia Court Records 1700-1711, by Weynette Parks Haun, 1990, page 133, original 340.

 

1717 April 1 - Prince George County – Virginia Land Grant: Abraham Heath, 151 acres on the south side of Warwick Meadow, adjoining the county line, and land of Samuel Tatum, Senr, and Walkers land. 

(Library of Virginia Land Office Grants online)

 

            Comment: Sam Tatum "I" died on or before 1715, so Sam II now becomes "Senior."   Notice "adjoining the county line" tells us how close his Warwick land in Prince George County was to Surry County.   Use of senior also suggests there is another younger Samuel Tatum in the county.

 

1734 November 11 - Bristol Parish Vestry: “that Samuel Tatum be levy free."

 

1738 November 13 - Bristol Parish Vestry:  At a vestry held at the Brick Church on Well’s Hill 13 November 1738, that the Church Wardens take care to provide for Samuel Tatum if he is not able.”

 

            Comment: This entry might suggest that Sam was in poor health or no longer able to provide for himself.  He is now about age 64.  Later, we see that he still had a wife, mentioned as Samuel Tatum and wife.  After 1750, only Widow Tatum is mentioned.  Her first name is never mentioned, but the transition between Samuel Tatum + wife to Widow Tatum appears seamless in Bristol Parish Vestry records.  These same records suggest to me that there was no a son or son-in-law at home to take over duties.

           

1744 to ~1748 - Bristol Parish Vestry:  Meeting held at Brick Church stated that 500 pounds yearly of Tobacco were paid annually to Samuel Tatum from 12 October 1744 to ~1748. 

 

            Comment: This Parish payment was probably made to help take care of him. 

 

1749 to 1750 - Bristol Parish Vestry:  Reported in 1749 and 1750 that Captain William Epps was paid 1000 pounds of tobacco to take care of "Samuel Tatem and wife."  However, “to take care” was never used by the Parish.

 

1751 to 1757 – Bristol Parish Vestry: 1751, Henry Spier was paid 600 and later 800 pounds for Widdow Tatum and every year thereafter through 1757. 

 

1757 to 1760 January 5 – Bristol Parish Vestry: About 1/3 of the way through 1757, Nathaniel Lee took over for the Widow Tatum, and continued to 5 January 1760, when Parish records stated “to Nathaniel Lee 300 pounds for Widow Tatum, if so much will do.”  There is nothing more.  

 

            Comment: Bristol Parish records suggests the following: Samuel Tatum died about 1750 and his unnamed wife sometime in 1759.  Until 1749, Samuel Tatum's children or neighbors had not taken them into their families.  Did they have any living children?  After this in 1749 and 1750, Captain William Epps is paid for Samuel Tatum and wife; in 1751-1757, Henry Spire for Widow Tatum; from 1757 through January 1760, Nathaniel Lee for Widow Tatum.  One or more of these individuals could be a close relative and worth exploring.   Nathaniel Lee is probably a son or descendant of Ann Tatum + Hugh Lee, Jr.  Ann was a sister of Samuel Tatum "I".  William Epps is also probably closely related, but not yet understood.  Henry Spiers is an unknown. 

 

Possible Children for Samuel Tatum "II"

 

            (1). Francis Tatum

 

1721 Bristol Parish Register:  "Francis, son of Samuel and Mary Tatum, (was) born 17 April 1721."

 

            Attempts to trace Francis Tatum have been unsuccessful.