Henry Eidson, one of our five direct descent Revolutionary War Patriots (and our 5th great grandfather), was born 1740 in Richmond County, Virginia. During his life Virginia’s population expanded for three reasons: the natural increase of the existing colonial population, immigration, and the allure of new settlements where there was greater opportunity for advancement of fortunes. The tobacco economy was also a factor, with planters looking westward for fresh, fertile land after soil depletion became a problem in the Tidewater region. Henry Eidson was a farmer, as his father before him.
We don’t know the exact date, but seeking better land and farming opportunities, Henry left Richmond County, Virginia and moved southwest to Bedford County in the Piedmont area of Virginia.
His uncle and cousin (Boyce Eidson Sr. and Jr.) lived in this area so it was logical that Henry would seek out family when moving. Bedford’s early agricultural economy was dominated by tobacco like the Tidewater area where Henry grew up, so we assume that tobacco was Henry’s main crop. The first step in the establishment of a Bedford tobacco plantation was land clearance, typically carried out by a slave workforce under the supervision of an overseer. To avoid the laborious and time-consuming task of clearing the land, and to expedite harvests, farmers often planted their crops in “deadenings,” groves of trees that had been killed by girdling. The leafless branches allowed sufficient light to reach the ground for the plants to grow. Fire was also employed in a version of slash-and-burn agriculture which enhanced, at least in the short term, soil nutrients.
Rendering of a Bedford Co., VA colonial farm and the countryside:
Around 1765, Henry married Jane Arthur, the daughter of William and Ann Murry Arthur of Bedford County. While no marriage bond has been found of this marriage, William Arthur’s will written in 1777 names his son-in-law, Henry, as one of his executors. Henry and Jane had fifteen children: James, John, Barnet, Joseph, Edward, Henry Jr., William, Nancy, Sally, Polly, Mildred, Susan, Elizabeth, Jane and Jemima.
The Arthur family plays a strong role in the heritage of the Eidson family. According to the Arthur family association records, there’s much Arthur data, but little of the background and parentage of William (A.) Arthur (our 6th great grandfather and Patriot of the Revolutionary War). Henry Eidson’s cousin, Boyce Eidson, married Jane’s sister, Frances, and they were the parents of 13 children.
Henry’s wife, Jane, was a seamstress and not only clothed and supplied her own family but she is found in the wills of other Bedford County residents for sewing that she did for them. As an example:
Revolutionary War Times
Virginia held five Revolutionary Conventions between August 1774 and July 1776. The conventions selected and instructed the Virginia delegates to Congress, organized military preparation, arranged economic embargoes of British goods, and formed the Virginia Committee of Safety that between August 1775 and July 1776 governed Virginia in the absence of the royal governor (under duress, Lord Dunmore had fled Williamsburg).
The last of the Revolutionary Conventions met in the Capitol in Williamsburg from May 6 through July 5, 1776. On the morning of May 6, a few members of the House of Burgesses met there for the last time and let that body die. The members of the fifth Convention then began their meetings in the Capitol. Below is the Capitol, a meeting in the Capitol’s House of Burgesses, and Raleigh Tavern where the Burgesses adjourned to meet after British leadership dissolved the House of Burgesses:
Many of the delegates brought instructions from their localities to declare Virginia independent of Great Britain. Bedford County sent such directions. On May 14, the debate on independence began. There was no question that the ties between Virginia and Great Britain would be dissolved, but there were varying opinions on how best to preserve liberty and win the clash with British forces. Some of the delegates preferred to wait until foreign alliances could be negotiated, but on May 15 the delegates voted unanimously to instruct the colony’s representatives in Congress to introduce a motion for independence.
On June 7, 1776, the senior Virginia member of Congress, Richard Henry Lee, introduced a resolution stating, “That these United Colonies are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.” Congress adopted his motion on July 2, 1776, and the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.
Bedford county at the time of the Revolution was still the Virginia frontier, an area of log cabins, primitive farming and home industry. It was a funnel county adjacent to the Blue Ridge pathway that led from the East into the lands of the West and South. The region was filled hostile Indians and during the War this was the greatest menace as the British used the Indians for their purposes. Defense was difficult as the region was thinly settled. From time to time during the years 1776-1790 various movements of the Bedford county militia are recorded in which they conducted marches, skirmishes, established fortifications, etc., to the north and west of Bedford county. This type of military activity was disruptive to the economy at home and the official correspondence gives continued evidence about the reluctance of Bedford farmers to leave their crops to go on these Indian-chasing expeditions, (even later to chase the British south of them). After all, they had their families to keep and their taxes to pay. Taxes were levied in kind and in money, both of which were in short supply.
Henry Eidson was recommended for the rank of Ensign (current day second lieutenant) in the Bedford County, VA Militia on September 24, 1781.
He both served in the Bedford Militia and he provided supplies to the continental army. During 1781, practically all of the available militia of Virginia were summoned into service, taking part in the Battle of Guilford Court House, serving with Lafayette and as the War approached Yorktown, hustling to the scene. This gave Washington impressive numbers of men during the Siege of Yorktown, even though the militia’s effectiveness was questionable.
The following link provides an interesting read on the details of the militia in Bedford County, Virginia during the Southern Campaign of the war: http://www.illinoisancestors.org/menard/fam/ho_8.html
After the war, Henry continued to farm and grow his plantation. He died February 8, 1819 in Campbell County (formerly part of Bedford County), Virginia.
As seen in his will, Henry left everything to his wife, Jane, for the remainder of her natural life. At the time of his decease, the estate included eighteen slaves, land and other personal property. Upon his death, his will was officially recorded in court and the named executors were approved. Between the time of Henry’s death in 1819 and early 1822, Jane had held all assets. However, it appears that her daughter, Jemima, who had married Isaac Thomas, had convinced her mother to sell some of the slaves and to give the proceeds to her children. Jane was willing but the executors and other heirs felt a court order would be required to do so and refused any sale until such order. So, Jemima as “Oratrix” (female petitioner) and her husband, Isaac Thomas as “Orator”, sued the estate.
At the time of the lawsuit (1822), eight of Henry’s children still resided in Virginia (Jemima, Elizabeth, Sally, William, Susanna, Jane, Mary and Henry, Jr.). Five (Joseph, Nancy, Mildred, Barnabas “Barnet” and Edward, our fourth great grandfather) had moved to Iredell County, NC where our Houston and Simonton relatives lived. All the Iredell County Eidson’s and their spouses lived in the same neighborhood. Two Eidson sons (John and James) had moved to Kentucky. Upon submission of the lawsuit, all children were ordered to appear before the Court of Chancery in Lynchburg, VA in March, 1822 or suffer a $400 fine. A Thomas Fox, as officer of the court, went to Iredell County to confirm the Eidson’s living there. He offered an affidavit to the court swearing that they could not appear as they no longer lived in the area. He also proved the residence of John and James in Kentucky.
Each of the children and widow, Jane, had to appear before a local court and individually answer Jemima’s complaint. All answered that her statements were true and that they simply wanted a court order to authorize the sale of any of Jane Eidson’s slaves. Interestingly, Robert Simonton, Clerk of the Court of Iredell County, NC certified the validity of the Justice of the Peace who took the five Iredell County Eidson’s answers. Robert was either the son or nephew (still to be investigated) of our Patriot Grandfather William Simonton!
The requested order for sale is issued by the court and an ad is placed in the Lynchburg, VA paper:
The proceeds were eventually dispersed as appropriate. However, the drama did not end there. When the widow, Jane, died in 1835, Jemima and Isaac again went to court to push brother William into quickly liquidating the rest of the estate. It makes one wonder if the Thomas’s were frequently in need of additional funds! There were still considerable real and personal assets to be sold and divided. The process was complex and took time but, eventually, Henry’s estate was distributed per his will.