JOHN WALDROP, Abt. 1730-Abt. 1810 |
| Our journey through the genealogy of John Waldrop begins in Amelia Co., VA in 1754 and is identical to what we believe was his brother, James through 1772 when James died. He was an adult in 1754 when he and James Waldrop appeared on the Tax List of Amelia Co., VA. In 1759, John and James Waldrop bought 100 acres from Thomas Green on Horsepen Branch of Wintokomake Creek. They were both on the tithe lists of Amelia Co., VA through 1763. In 1764, James and John sold the 100 acres they owned to Henry Anderson. Then next year, 1765, John and James Waldrop were sued by Thomas Dillard in Halifax Co., VA. Several lawsuits followed over the next few years. When Pittsylvania Co., VA was created out of Halifax Co., James and John Waldrop bought 100 acres from James Dillard. James died in Pittsylvania Co., VA in 1772. His will named his wife, Sarah and one son, James. John Waldrop was a witness to the will.
In 1777, John, Sr., John, Jr., Isaiah, Joseph and James Waldrop signed an oath of loyalty to the Patriot Cause to remove George III and the British forces from control of this land in Pittsylvania Co., VA. That same year, John Waldrup requested and was granted 247 acres in Sullivan Co., NC. (Note: Sullivan and Washington Co., TN were part of NC until after the Revolutionary War. That area then became part of the Territory Southwest of the Ohio River for a short time and finally was given to TN.) The next year, John sold his land in Pittsylvania Co., VA. When he sold the land, one of the boundry's mentioned was that of James Waldrop, deceased. This indicates to us that James' wife and son were still living in Pittsylvania Co. in 1778. After the Revolutionary War, James, John, Isaiah, Joseph Waldrop were paid by the U. S. for service during the Revolution by the state of NC. These were the same Waldrop names that signed the Oath of Allegiance in Pittsylvania Co., VA in 1777. Another James Waldrop was paid for his service fighting the Chicamauga Indians in 1782-84. Some have speculated this was John's son who fought both in the Revolution and the Indian War. Other's speculate it was the son of John's brother, James. In 1787, Isaiah, James, Joseph and Benjamin Waldrop signed a petition in support of John Sevier's attempt to create a new State of Franklin. Neither John, Sr., nor John, Jr. signed this petition. They were either not in favor of the State of Franklin or they had left the county. However, with this signing, we add a son, Benjamin to the children of John Waldrop, believing these Waldrops were brothers. In 1795, John Waldrop sold 50 acres of his Sullivan Co. land to William King. The deed calls John Waldrop "of the state of NC". It calls William King "of Sullivan Co. & State of TN". This indicates to us that John had left the state and was residing in NC. The deed mentions two conditional lines, that of James Waldrop and of Isaiah Waldrop. The deed identifies both James and Isaiah as sons of John. Thomas Waldrupe, Jr. was a witness to this deed. No one has ever identified Thomas. Just a few months before "John Waldrop of NC" sold William King the 50 acres in Sullivan Co., NC, John Waldrop bought 350 acres in Spartanburg Co., SC from David Anderson. The land was on Provis Creek of the South Tyger River. The next year, 1796, John Durham was ordered to keep open and in good repair a road from Nichol's old Mill to John Waldropes near the Enoree River in Spartanburg Co., SC. The next year, 1797, John Waldrop sold 120 acres to Rachel Dickson in Spartanburg Co., SC. The deed says it includes the plantation where John Waldrop now lives. The same year, John Waldrop sold Rachel another 50 acres. The next year, 1798, John Waldrop's boundry is mentioned in a deed in Sullivan Co., TN; John Waldrop is a juror in Spartanburg Co., SC and John Waldrop sold 183 acres on Provis Creek of the South Tyger River in Spartanburg Co., SC to John Durham. This deed mentions a line agreed to with John and James Waldrop; a line agreed with Benjamin Waldrop and the plantation house where said John and Ezekiel Waldrop now live. Then, in 1799, John Waldrop entered 50 acres in Rutherford Co., NC and had a survey done. The chain bearers were Robert and Isaiah Waldrop. To complicate matters more, the U. S. Census for 1790 shows an Ezekiel Waldrop in Rutherford Co., NC with 6 males under 16 in his house. In 1799, Jechonias Waldrop sold 100 acres of land to John Waldrop for 200 silver dollars. In 1807, this John sold the same land to Ezekiel Waldrop. John Waldrop is mentioned several times in deeds between 1799 and 1807. Many call this John the son of Jechonias. Some call him John of Sullivan. Another complication, the John Waldrop enumerated in Spartanburg Co., SC in 1800 was a few doors down from John Durham and two doors down from John Jeffries. John Jeffries became the father in law of John Searcy Waldrop. One thing we must remember, John Waldrop of Sullivan was no less than 60 years old when he left his home in Sullivan Co., TN and started his dance through North and South Carolina and at least 73 when he completed it. We are more inclined to believe we have mixed a couple of John Waldrops together because of similar names.
1754 --- AMELIA CO., VA. Tithe List - First appearance, James and John Waldrop.
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