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Samuel Poe, Junior, in 18th Century Virginia                             

 

The Samuel Poe described here probably was the son of Samuel Poe of Essex County who died in 1725. This Samuel can first be definitely identified in the historical record  1732, which means he was twenty-one and born prior to 1711. Indications are that Samuel Poe remained in Caroline County until his death, which may have been between 1759, the last record  that mentions him, and 1765, when a woman named Elizabeth Poe is identified as a widow, who has access to enough tobacco to pay for testimony. William Poe, who persists in Caroline County through at least 1799 could easily be the son of this Samuel and Elizabeth.

 

There is no indication in this record if this is the juvenile Samuel Poe, or the father who died in 1725.

 

Caroline County, Virginia

 

Samuel Poe

Essex County, Virginia Court

20th of January 1719

p. 410

Samuel Poe being brot before this court for feloniously stealing a saddle from Richard Edwards and on ye motion of sd Samuel, it is ordered he be and remain in custody of ye sherif till he enters into bond with good and sufft. sec. in sum of fifty pounds sterl. for his appeare. at next court to answer ad accusation.

 

However, here the court orders Samuel Poe to pay costs. The court in other situations indicates Senior and Junior when father and son are involved in the same ruling. Here, that is not indicated, pointing to this theft being perpetrated by the senior Samuel.

 

Samuel Poe

Essex County, Virginia Court

21st of June 1720

p. 453

Samuel Poe being held to his appearance at this court by virtue of a justice warrant for takeing a saddle from Richard Edwards, he the sd Samuel is therefore dismist from his  sd appearance to ye sd warrant.

-- Samuel Poe being brought before this court for felonious takeing a saddle from Richard Edwards, and the court having heard ye evidence & arguments of both partys, do believe him to be guilty, & therefore do order ye sheriff to give the sd Poe at ye Publick Whipping Post of this county fifteen lashes well laid on his bare back & do further order ye sd Poe return ye saddle aforesd. to sd. Richard Edwards; and also he sd Poe be and remain in custody of ye sherif till he enteres into bond in sum of twenty pounds currt. money & give two good securitys each in ye sum of ten pounts currt. money for his good behaviour & likewise till he either pays or gives good security for ye paymt. of all the costs of this day and yt. he be then discharged.

 

-- Ordered Samuel Poe pay Richard Ship for one days attendance as an evidence agt him according to law and costs

-- Ordered Samuel Poe pay Jhn Bendall for attending one day as an evidence agt him according to law and costs.

 

 

Samuel Poe

Essex County, Virginia Court

15th of May 1722

p. 651

... several accused of not "frequenting his parish church pursuant to law...

includes Mathew Collins & Katherine his wife

next entry after Mathew Collins

Samuel Poe of the sd Parish for a common swearer

-- Robt. Parker, foreman.

It is therefore ordered that the sherif summon the aforementioned severall persons presented as aforesd. to appear at next court to be held for this county of Essex to answer ye sd presentments

 

Essex County, Virginia Court 21st of June 1722

The presentmt of Grand Jury aft Mathew Collins is dismist. The presentmt of Grand Jury agt Katherine Collins is dismist.

-- Samuel Poe of ye Parish of St. Mary's being presented by Grand Jury for a common swearer & being summoned & not appearing he is therefore fined ten shillings to ye use of the poor of the Parish of St. Mary's with costs.

 

Again, this swearing charge appears the actions of a juvenile, but is probably the father, since Junior is not indicated. It is always possible, as it is with all the other supposed children of Samuel Poe, that this is a son of the Robert Poe who died in 1722.

 

Samuel Poe

Essex County, Virginia Court

20 November 1722

p. 710

Saml. Poe of St. Mary's Parish for swearing two oaths

 

The father died in 1725, so this is Samuel Poe, Junior.  He must be over 21, which makes him born no later than 1711.

 

Caroline County, Virginia

 

Samuel Poe, defendant

Page 55 [8 March 1732/3]

Petition. George Tilly agt. Samuel Poe. Judgment is granted the plaintiff for pounds 1.2.11

 

Samuel Poe, levied

Page 168 [13 Dec. 1734]

The Court proceeded to lay the County Levey:

(Among the names)

To Samuel Poe per account         270

 

Samuel Poe, petitioner

p. 562 [14 Sept 1739]

Petition Samuel Poe agt John Smith. Judgment is granted the petitioner for pounds 3.14 – current money

 

Samuel Pow

11 June 1748

Scire facias sued out by James and Robert Berries merchants in Glasgow to renew a judgment agt. John Sutton 9 Aug. 1746 for pounds 8.90.11 - current money and 160 pounds of tobacco also 15 shillings or 150 pounds of tobacco for an attorney's fee and costs. The sheriff made return he caused Sutton to know by Samuel Pow and Nicholas Oliver and the defendant did not come. It's considered judgment be renewed for the debt and costs

 

(one assumes Simon and Samuel were both farming part of the original Samuel Poe lands of 905 acres. If they paid the judgments as ordered, they must have been producing a lot of tobacco).

 

Simon Poe

Samuel Poe

13 December 1751

Action of debt Samuel Coleman's executors agt Samuel Poe and Simon Poe. The defendants not appearing, the judgment of last July court is confirmed agt. them & James Taylor Gent, late sheriff, for pounds 34.12.11 current money, to be discharged on the defendants' paying pounds 17.6. 5 1/2 with interest from 17 June 1749

(note: Coleman was plaintiff against many others).

 

Simon Poe

9 November 1752

p. 334

On the information of William Herndon, constable, it's ordered the King's attorney prosecute Simon Poe, John Smith, Thomas Pitman, Mordica Abraham, William Deshaza, James Masters & Titus Stevens for tending seconds.

 

Samuel Poe

11 May 1753

p. 397

Suit on attachment, Samuel Poe agt. the estate of John Sutton. The plaintiff proving his account, judgment is granted him for pounds 28.18.7. The Sheriff attached one comb. It's ordered he cause the comb to be sold.

 

After this hefty fine, Simon Poe and family relocate to North Carolina

 

Simon Poe

9 August 1753

p. 411

Our Sovereign Lord the King agt. Simon Poe. Information William Elliott, foreman. It's considered by the Court that the plaintiff recover 3000 pounds of tobacco.

 

Samuel Poe

13 September 1753

p. 422

Suit on Attachment. Roger Madison agt. the estate of John Wright. The plaintiff proving his account. judgment is granted him for pounds 7.12.11 current money. The Sheriff served the attachment in the names of James Jemson and Samuel Poe. Poe declared he had 105 shillings which he ordered to pay the plaintiff. Jemison declared he has a hogshead of uninspected tobacco which when inspected he is ordered to deliver to the Sheriff to sell..

 

Samuel Poe, debtor

p. 36 [14 Feb 1755]

Suit on attachment. Peter Copland Gent. Agt the estate of John Wright. The Plaintiff proving his account, judgment is granted him for pounds 32.12.9. The Sheriff made return he levied the attachment in the hands of Samuel Poe who declared he has 10 shillings which he is ordered to pay to plaintiff in part of his debt.

 

Samuel Poe, defendant

p. 106 Court 15 Aug 1755

Action of debt. William Copeland and company agt. Samuel Poe, dismissed.

 

Samuel Poe

(Samuel Poe divested some of his land inheritance? by 1778 only 105 acres was being assessed for taxes)

 

10 March 1757

p. 240

Samuel Poe's deed indented to Peter Copland (Copeland) Gent. was proved by William Strachen.

 

11 August 1758

p. 374

Action of trespass on the case. Henry Buckhannon agt. Samuel Poe, dismissed

 

 

Samuel Poe

14 September 1759

p. 76

Ordered Ben: Walden pay Saml. Poe 100 pounds of tobacco for four days' attendance as an evidence for him against Stone..

 

That is the last mention of Samuel Poe in Caroline County.

 

It may be suggested that Samuel Poe died between 1759 and 1765 and that Elizabeth Poe is his widow. She has access to tobacco to pay for testimony. The only person in the county who is a good candidate to be her son, managing the farm, is William Poe, who continues paying taxes on 105 acres through 1799.

 

The is some connection between both Samuel Poe and Elizabeth Poe, widow and William Stachen.

 

Benjamin Poe, and his wife Elizabeth, appear in Caroline County, but do not appear to settle again long enough to establish a tobacco farm. Thomas Powe appears in a single record during this period, but he is clearly the son of Mossom Poe and is established in Spotsylvania County.

 

Ruth and Sam Sparacio, 1989. Order Book Abstracts of Caroline County, Virginia (1765)

 

Elizabeth Poe, widow. Defendant

1765

 

p. 115 Court 9th day of August 1765

William Strachan, Plaintiff against Elizabeth Poe, window, defendt. In Case This day came the Plt. By his attorney and the Defendt. Tho solemnly called came not therefore it is considered by the court that unless the Defendant appear here at the next court and answer the Plaintiffs action that Judgment will then be granted the Plt. Agst the Defendt. And James Claytor her security for the plts. Damages

 

p. 215 Court 14th Day of September 1765

William Strachan Plt. Agst. Elizabeth Poe Deft. In Case The Defendt. Pleads that she owes nothing which the plt. Joined Thomas Reynolds first entering her special bail

 

 

Sparacio. Virginia County Court Records Order Book Abstracts of Caroline County, Virginia (1765-1767) covers 13 June 1765 – 12 June 1767

Order Book 9 July 1767 – 12 August 1768

 

Elizabeth Poe, widow. Defendant

p. 32 Court 14th of August 1767

William Strahn Plt. Against Elizabeth Poe deft. In Case. The plaintiff not being a Resident of this Colony and failing to give the Defendant security for her costs agreeable to the Rule of this Court, on the motion of the Defendant, Judgment is granted her against him for costs by her about her defence in this behalf granted.

 

Clearly, Elizabeth has access to substantial amounts of tobacco. She must have sons and other aid farming the land. William Poe is the only candidate remaining consistently in the county

 

14 August 1767.

p.32

Ordered that Elizabeth Poe pay James Samuell 425 pounds of tobacco for attending this court nine days as an evidence for her at the suit of Strahn

 

 

Louisa County Order Book, 1766-1772

Elizabeth Poe

Elizabeth Poe haveing obtained an Attahment against the Estate of William Strachan who hath privately removed himself or so absconds that ordinary Process cannot be served upon him for five hundred and thirty nine pounds of nett tobacco and fifteen shillings due by a Judgment of the Court of Caroline County and the Sheriff haveing returned that he had executed the same in the hands of William Garrett, this day came the said William Garrett and being first sworn declared that he is indebted to the said William Strachan more than the said Elizabeth demands but that the said Defendant, Strachan, hath commenced a suit against him to recover the same and that the money on which the Attahment is levied is the same for which the said Strachan hath sued him and the said Strachan not appearing tho solemnly called, on the motion of the said Elizabeth by William Bowler, her Attorney, it's considered by the Court that she recover against the said William Garrett the said five hundred and thirty nine pounds of tobacco and fifteen shillings and also her cost in this behalf expended and leave is given the said Garrett to plead this Judgment in barr to the said Defendant's claim for so much.

 

William Poe continues paying taxes on 105 acres through 1799. Lucy Poe, Raymond Poe and Catherine Poe could easily be William Poe's  children

 

Caroline County 1787-1799: Virginia Land Tax Lists. T.L.C. Genealogy, Miami Beach, Fl. 1991

 

Poe, William 105 acres (listed each year for the period 1788-99)

 

Sparacio 1996. Caroline County, Virginia Land Book Alterations 1782-1798

(105 acres mentioned in list of the land tax within the district of Nicholas Long, in the County of Caroline)

 

p. 5 Land Book 1788

Poe, William

Quantity 105 acres. price per acre 5/1

Amount of land Excl. of Lotts 26 ... 13.... 9 (don't know what this means)

Amount of tax 9 ... 8 .... 1 (don't know the meaning)

 

 

 

Terese Fisher. Marriages of Caroline County, Virginia 1777-1853. Heritage Books. 1998

Lucy Poe

p. 68

Dodd, John and Poe, Lucy

m. 2 Jan 1790

John Shackleford, minister (Baptist 1774-1792)

 

 

Kimberly Curtis Campbell, Milford, Virginia, Iberian Publishing Company, Athens, Georgia 1999

Caroline County, Virginia Court Records: Probate and other Records from the Court Order and Minute Books 1781-1799

 

Raymond Poe

Catherine Poe Howard

 

December 1799

Raymond Poe (Mordecai Howard and Catherine Howard his wife summoned to give William Fields counter security on her Admin of the estate, she being formerly Catharine Poe)

Admin/Executor: Catherine Howard