Exploring Land Records: Aaron Schoolcraft

Land records are a relatively new area of exploration for me. However, after seeing a mention of land grants in a book that mentioned some of my paternal ancestors, I decided to see if there was anything available online. It didn't take long for me to uncover Virginia Land Office Patents and Grants/Northern Neck Grant and Surveys.

I typed Schoolcraft, my current surname of interest, into the search box and found a land grant for my suspected paternal 5th great grandfather, Aaron Schoolcraft.

Land Grant for Aaron Schoolcraft, 30 Sep 1853, Land Office Grants No. 94, 1842-1843, p. 649 (Reel 160), Library of Virginia Archives (Image available online)

James McDowell

To all whom these Presents shall come-Greeting: KNOW YE, That in conformity with a Survey, made on the 22nd day of July, one thousand eight hundred and thirty one. By virtue of Land Office Treasury warrant No 10566

there is granted by the said Commonwealth, unto Aaron Schoolcraft

a certain Tract or Parcel of Land, containing fifty acres lying and being in Lewis County on Grave run waters of Leading creek and bounded as follows towit (sic), Beginning on awhite (sic) oak and beech standing on The bank of Grave run 20 poles above where The Road crosses said run on Hallman's line Thence North 100 poles To a gum. Thence west eighty poles To awhite (sic) oak Thence South 100 poles to awhite (sic) oak, Thence East 80 poles To The beginning withe (sic) its appurtenances.

TO HAVE AND TO HOLD  the Tract or Parcel of Land, with its appurtenances, to the said Aaron Schoolcraft and his  heirs forever.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the said James McDowell Esquire, Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, hath hereunto set his Hand, and caused the Lesser Seal of the said Commonwealth to be affixed, at Richmond, on the thirtiethe (sic) day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty three and of the Commonwealth the sixty eighth

Jas. McDowell
Written by hand on the left side of the page:
Aaron Schoolcraft
50 acres
v
Lewis County
Exd
(Illegible) to Col Edmiston
30th Jany 1844

I'm curious about what happened to the land. Aaron Schoolcraft appears in census records in Lewis County in 1830 and 1840 and in Gilmer County (which was formed from part of Lewis in 1845) in 1850.

According to the book History of Ritchie County, Aaron moved from Gilmer County to Ritchie County in 1853, settling on Lower Spruce Creek. He appears in census records in Ritchie County from 1860 to 1880, after which he disappears from view, presumably having passed away.

Leading Creek is in present day Gilmer County, West Virginia around Glenville. I haven't been able to locate Grave Run on a map yet. It's possible the name has been changed. From looking at topo maps, it appears that there are a few runs on Leading Creek so one of these may be it.

The name sounds familiar but I'm not sure if it's because I've heard someone say it or if I remember it from another record. My grandmother and great grandmother both grew up in the area (great grandmother still lives near there) so I may try them to see if they recognize it and can tell me where it is.

Since I wasn't able to take my last planned trip to West Virginia, I have tentative plans to go in April. I'm adding land conveyance research to my to-do list.

Following the Schoolcraft Trail

As you will recall, the death record for my paternal 4th great grandmother Rebecca Schoolcraft Radcliff gave her father's name as A. Schoolcraft. I set off to see if I could figure out who this was and reconstruct her family.

Since Rebecca was born in Virginia in 1829, odds are that her family was still in Virginia a year later when the census enumerator came around. With that in mind, I looked for Schoolcrafts in Virginia in the 1830 census. It turned out to be easier than I expected.

In 1830, there were only six Schoolcraft (or similarly named) families in Virginia. Of those six, only one started with an A-Aron Schoolcraft who lived in Lewis County. The household includes

• 1 male 10-14
• 1 male 20-29 (probably Aron)
• 2 females under 5 (one possibly Rebecca)
• 2 females 5-9
• 1 female 10-14
• 1 female 30-39 (possibly his wife)

Strengthening the possibility this is the right man is Rebecca's later residences. Most census records found to date for her place her in Gilmer County, which was formed from Lewis and Kanawha Counties in 1845. Many of her children (if not all of them) were also born in Gilmer County. It stands to reason that even after her marriage, she stayed close to home.

Also in Lewis County in 1830 were two John Schoolcrafts and a James Schoolcraft. These were possibly family members of Aron.

I decided to follow Aron through the census to see what other clues I might find. I found him in Lewis County again in 1840 as Aaron Schoolcraft. His was the only Schoolcraft family in the county. It appears that one of the Johns and James from the previous census moved to the neighboring Kanawha County. Aaron's household is made up of

• 1 male 30-39 (as the only male in the household, this has to be Aaron)
• 2 females 10-14
• 2 females 15-19
• 1 female 40-49 (again, probably his wife)

It isn't until 1850 that I get any names. Aaron appears as A Schoolcraft in Gilmer County. Since Gilmer was formed from Lewis in 1845, he probably didn't actually move, but the border changed. He is listed as age 42, born in Virginia. The birthplace matches the birthplace for Rebecca's father in later censuses and the age is right to be her father. Also in the household is Sally Schoolcraft (45, VA), Mahala Schoolcraft (17, VA) and John E Ratliff (4, VA).

John's name definitely caught my eye. This brings up a couple possibilities. I know Rebecca and her husband James William Radcliff had a John E Schoolcraft in their household also in the 1850 census. It's possible this is the same child who just happened to be at his grandparent's house when the enumerator came around.

The other possibility is that one of Aaron's other daughters married a Radcliff as well, possibly even a brother of Rebecca's husband since it wasn't uncommon in those days. I checked Lewis County marriage records and found a marriage record for Thomas Radcliff and Lucinda Schoolcraft. This John may be their son. When I searched for Thomas and Lucinda Radcliff in the census records, I wasn't able to find them which makes me think they may have passed and her parents took the child to raise.

John is still with the household in the 1860 census, which strengthens this possibility. By 1860, the Schoolcrafts had moved to Ritchie County. As with Gilmer, Ritchie was formed from a portion of Lewis and other counties. At this point, the household consists of only Aaron Schoolcraft (50, VA), Sarah Schoolcraft (60, VA) and John E Rot Cliff (12, VA). John's name was not transcribed well. If you look at the actual image, it clearly says John E Ratcliff.

It appears that Sarah or Sally may have passed at some point after 1860, but before1866. I located a 1866 marriage record for Aaron Schoolcraft and Sarah Rollins in Ritchie County. The marriage record lists Aaron as a widower.

The marriage to another woman named Sarah would explain why Sarah suddenly appears younger than Aaron starting in the 1870 census even though she was always older in other census records. Apparently this marriage has been missed by other Schoolcraft researchers because most family trees I've found for the family online have only one marriage for Aaron, although they seem to be divided on what her maiden name was.

Aaron and his second wife Sarah appear in Ritchie County in 1870 and 1880, at which point they disappear. Since Ritchie County death records don't start until 1889, presumably they passed at some point in the 9 years between their last census appearance and the point when they started keeping death records. I've checked on FamilySearch for a will for Aaron in the counties I know he lived in (Ritchie, Gilmer and Lewis), but have came up dry so far.

Short of going through all Schoolcraft vital records in Virginia (and West Virginia after 1863) and hoping some name Aaron and Sarah as parents, I can't really reconstruct the family at this point. I may end up doing that before it's over.

Making Some Progress on the Radcliffs

Since I've spent the majority of this year on my maternal lines, I decided it was time to switch gears and see what I could find out about my paternal line. So I went looking for an individual or family on that side that I didn't know much about. That turned out to be my paternal 4th great grandparents James William Radcliff and Rebecca Schoolcraft Radcliff.

When I started out, all I had was their names, which I got from the death certificate of their son, William Aaron Radcliff (b 1846 in Bath County, VA per record). After doing a little digging in the West Virginia Vital Research Records site, I turned up birth records for two other children, James Wesley Radcliff (b 1857 in Gilmer County per record) and Sarah E Radcliff (b 1854 in Gilmer County per record). Sarah's death certificate was also available under her married name Sprouse and listed only her mother's name.

A little more digging turned up Rebecca's death record as well under the name Rebecca Rattliff. She passed in 1897 in Gilmer County and her age is given as 73 which would put her birth at around 1824. Her father is listed as A Schoolcraft, which gives me another avenue to check. Interestingly, her husband is listed as James G Rattliff. Since I haven't found any other marriages for her, I'm assuming the middle initial was an error.

Armed with the names of some of their children, I moved to census records. I started with the 1860 census, figuring that all three of the children I had found were minors and probably living with their parents at that point. Unfortunately, I didn't have much luck finding the family.

I had a little more luck with the 1850 census. The family was in Jackson County, Virginia at that point. The household is made up of Jas W Ratliff (29, b in VA), Rebecca Ratliff (23, b in VA), John E Ratliff (4, b in VA) and Wm Ratliff (2, b in VA). The age for William is a little off from his death certificate, but since it's closer to the event, I'm inclined to think it's probably more accurate.

1850 US Census, population schedule, District 27, Jackson County, Virginia, Household of Jas W Ratliff, Page 215B; Citing NARA Microfilm Publication M432, Roll 953

With another person to research, I went back to the vital records site. I found two marriages for John and his death certificate. Both of the marriages give his middle initial as T and give his birth as ca 1847 in Gilmer County.

There are actually two death records for him. The first is a death register which gives his middle initial as F and his birth as 1 Mar 1846 in Virginia. The space for parents is blank. The second is a death certificate. His middle initial is given as T. The date and place of birth are the same as the other death record. Parents are listed as unknown. So aside from his placement in the 1850 household which doesn't list relationships, I can't be positive he's a child of James and Rebecca. I needed more records.

Since I haven't been able to find the family in the 1860 census, I skipped ahead to the 1870 census in Gilmer County. The surname was given as Ratliff again. Rebecca is now head of the household. Also in the household were Aaron W (22, VA), Abraham (19, VA), Sarah E (15, VA), James W (12, VA), Barbara E (9, VA), Mary E (6, WV) and Granville A Ratliff (1, WV). Since James William Radcliff isn't with the household, I suspect he has passed at this point, probably around the time of Granville's birth.

1870 US Census, Population Schedule, Glenville, Gilmer County, West Virginia, Household of Rebecca Ratliff, Page 220B; Citing NARA Microfilm Publication M593, Roll 1686

I haven't been able to locate birth records for any of the other children listed, but I did find death records for one of them. Based on Abraham's death certificate, he was born around 1848. Since he didn't appear in the 1850 census with the family and the 1870 census record puts his birth around 1851, I'm inclined to think it's an error. The record doesn't have a place for parents so there's nothing to prove James and Rebecca were his parents.

Based on Granville's death certificate and entry in the death register, he was born around 1871. As with the other children, I think this is an error since he appeared in the 1870 census with the family. His birthplace is given as Gilmer County. Unfortunately, his parents are listed as unknown. However, this makes sense because his marriage occurred in 1899, two years after the death of his mother and nearly 30 years after when his father probably passed so his wife may have never met them.

The last appearance for Rebecca is in the 1880 census for Gilmer County. It took a while to find it because the surname had been written and transcribed as Rottiff, which wasn't a variation I had came across before. Again she is listed as the head of household. Also in the household is son Wesley (22, VA), daughter Marietta (16, VA) and son Granville A (12, WV). A Peter Smith, no relationship given, is living with the family.

1880 US Census, Population Schedule, Glenville, Gilmer County, West Virginia, ED 139, Household of Rebecca Rottiff, Page 155D; Citing NARA Microfilm Publication T9, Roll 1502

While you can't see it here, some of the children were nearby. William Aaron Radcliff was 7 houses before her and Abraham Radcliff was 4 houses past her. Sarah is living in the same county as well.

Based on the clues gathered from vital and census records, I've formed a tentative family although more evidence is needed to prove it.

Children of James William Radcliff and Rebecca Schoolcraft
John T Radcliff
William Aaron Radcliff
Abraham Radcliff
Sarah E Radcliff
James Wesley Radcliff
Barbara E Radcliff
Marietta Radcliff
Granville Anderson Radcliff

Judging by the children's estimated birthyears, I suspect there are more children, although they might not have made it to adulthood. There is a 6 year gap between Barbara and Marietta and a 5 year gap between Marietta and Granville. There are 3 year gaps between some of the other children as well.

To be continued...