Mary Turner

		John Turner
Mary Turner
		Unknown

Spouse

Carr Bailey

Bef. Nov. 1779

Data

Birth

Virginia

Notes

In his will, dated 1 Nov 1762, John Turner gave a piece of land on the south side of the Smith River to his daughters Jemima and Mary and mentions that he formerly resided there. It is hard to place exactly where this was, but based on the description that the land was about a mile below the mouth of Goblintown Creek, it would seem that the land was located just south-east of the Goose Point Recreation Area in an area that has been part of the Philpott Lake ever since the Philpott Dam was constructed in the mid-1900's. This is to the north-west of modern Henry County, Virginia, and some excellent maps relating to land ownership when the dam was being planned are extent, but in deteriorating condition at the Bassett Historical Center, which is one of the better genealogical resources.

The land was originally patented by David Hailey on 10 Sep 1755. John bought this land from David Hailey on 20 Jan 1757, so he would not have lived there long, unless he lived there before buying the land. John, as mentioned, willed it to his daughters Jemima Turner and Mary Turner. Jemima married William Cox, and together, they sold their interest in the land to one Carr Bailey on 28 Oct 1779. Carr Bailey, who was married to Mary Turner, sold the land to David Chadwell on 24 Nov 1779, who was married to, or later married, Elizabeth Turner, a sister of Jemima and Mary.

The Smith River is shown on the contemporary map, but not named as such. (It appears to be named Irvine River on this map, a variation attested to on Wikipedia.) It can be found below 37 and to the left of 298. Goblintown Creek is a tributary to this river, and is not obviously labeled or drawn in at all. Currently, the connection between Goblintown Creek and the Smith River is currently broken by Philpott Lake, which is a reservoir created with the construction of the Philpott Dam between 1948 and 1952. The map from the planning of the Philpott Dam shows land boundaries in the area from at the time of the dam's planning.

• 

  A map of Virginia dating from around 1757.

• 

  Philpott Dam, planning map, below Goblintown Creek junction

• 

  Philpott Dam, planning map 2, below Goblintown Creek junction to dam site.

See:

• Smith River (Virginia) - Wikipedia
• Philpott Lake - Wikipedia

Sources

• William Cox's Will

• 

  Will of John Turner

• 

  Abstract of Henry County, Virginia Deed Book III and IV, page 53, bottom

• 

  1820 U.S. Census - 5156990, Prince William, Virginia, page 4 of 37

Abstract of Henry County, Virginia vol. 1

Found in the Family History Library in Salt Lake, City

US/Canada Books 975.5692 R28a

This transaction, along with a few others, connect William Cox with Smith River in Henry County, where another Cox family was located.

p. 51

Deed pgs 283, 284
28 October 1779
WILLIAM COX and JEMIMAH COX his wife of the county of Henry to CARR BAILEY of the same for the sum of fifty pounds sells land, etc as may more fully appear in the pattent granted DAVID HALEY in the year 1755 10th September. This land on the south side of Smith River and contains 40 acres.

WILLIAM COX
JEMIMAH COX