Chapter 3
Son ~ John B. Ware

 

     On December 12, 1736, in Gloucester County, Virginia, James and Agnes welcomed their first son.  He was named John B. Ware, and both parents were 22 years of age at the time.  After he was grown, John ran a line of merchant ships from England to Ware’s Neck. (Ref. 651)  He moved to King and Queen County, and in May 1756, when John was twenty, he married Ann Harrison. (Ref.629)  Ann (sometimes spelled Anne) was the daughter of Andrew Harrison.  Her brother, William Harrison, married Anna Payne and was the uncle of Dolley Payne who became the wife of President James Madison. (Ref. 822, 823)  John and Ann were married at St. James Northam in Goochland County, Virginia.

                               

     According to military records, John did patriotic service as did his father. He “was a member of the Committee of Safety,” (Ref. 1040) and during his military service, he achieved the rank of “Captain in the 6th Virginia regiment.” (Ref. 629, 692)   Since records show John was “actively serving with the 6th Virginia Regiment during the Revolutionary War in 1777,” he was obviously embroiled in some of the wartime activities surrounding the arduous battle for Independence. (Ref 372)   In 1816, he was officially named “Patriot,” an honor certainly not to be taken lightly. (Ref. 894)

 

     John and Ann gave nine grandchildren to James and Agnes; all of them born in Goochland county. (Ref.894)  Their first child was a son born in 1756.  He was named James, in honor of his grandfather, and was baptized on April 8, 1757.  James held the ranks of ensign and second lieutenant in a Virginia unit, and because of the time frame, he also would have been fighting in the battle against Great Britain. (Ref. 826, 894)    In 1777, John was forty-one and James, his son, was twenty-one years of age.  James married Elizabeth Miller, the daughter of John Miller in September 1786. (Ref. 818)

     Another grandson was born to James & Agnes in 1758.  John and Ann named him Andrew and he was baptized on June 25, 1758.  All we know of him is that he died single, so he may not have even survived until adulthood. 

     Ann soon delivered another grandson for them in 1760; this one named William.  William also grew up to serve in the war, earning the ranks of both captain and colonel.   William married twice.  His first wife was his cousin Susanna Harrison, daughter of his mother’s brother, William.  They married in February 1785.  They had a daughter in 1786 and they named her Susanna too. 

     Shortly after the birth of her baby, William Ware’s first wife died because of childbirth complications. (Ref. 844)   The following deathbed statement was made by her shortly before her passing.  It was carefully copied by Kathleen Neal Dawson from a typed copy obtained from Raymond Ware.  Misspellings and inconsistent dates were not corrected.  It is a very poignant remembrance of a young mother who was very aware she was dying.

     “Susanna Ware (Eldest Daughter to William & Anna Harrison) was born the 22^nd January 1768 and departed this life on Sunday the 29^th January 1786.  She was delivered of a daughter on the 21^st January 1786 and desired it to be named Anna Payne, but being taken very ill, and found she shod not recover, she called her mother to her and desired it might be named Susanna Harrison after herself being her maiden name—she requested her mama would take care of it for her and desired it might be brought up in a Godly course which request she also made to her husband who she took leave of in the most tender and affectionate manner with the rest of her friends—saying that she hoped to see them in heaven where she would be looking for them and hoped they would be preparing to follow her and join in praising God in the pretty green field above the heavens forever and ever.  She was asked if she was willing to die, she declared she was but hoped God would not suffer her to die til he had prepared her which she prayed for most ardently.  She said this was a troublesome world, and that she had promised herself a great deal of pleasure when she got home to housekeeping but if it is God’s will to take her she was willing to go to him, desired her friends to give her up freely and not to grieve for God took away nothing but what he gave; she told her mama she hoped to see her little sisters & brothers that was gone before her and her grandaddy & join them in praiseing and glorifying God on the throne forever and ever & that she would pray for and be looking for the appearance of her relations in heaven.  The next day she desired Mr. Church to sing and pray with her and for her, which he did with many others that was in the house, and while they were singing she was all at once in raptures of joy and said she felt as light as a feather and that it seemed like she could fly up to Heaven into God’s bosom...countenance changed & she seemed to have a view of Heaven by an eye of earth from her looks, words & action—after this her father interrogated her on this matter and told her she might be mistaken, but she said Daddy let me live or die I will never give up what I have now experienced—he asked if she thought God had forgiven her sins, she said yes—and held out her hand & said she knew she was safe and thanked Mr. Church and said he had been an instrument in Gods hands of doing her great good or words to that import—she called her mama  to her and desired she would give her little sisters part of her clothes & keep the rest for her little girl, and give one of her rings to her husband to wear in remembrance of her and the rest to be kept for little girl, she said she desired….she asked her daddy where he would bury her he told her anywhere she would choose—she said one corner of the garden   would do as well as any place, he told her that he intended his family  shod be buried in the top of the hill, well she replyed Daddy bury me there too—and desired to have a coffin for her and gave her mama some directions about the clothes that she would be buryed in—she said she knew it would do her no good   but that it looked clever and decent—she desired that a funeral sermon might be preached on the occasion by some good preacher not that it would do her any good but she hoped that every person that was at her funeral might be benefited  by the sermon that might be delivered, she was asked who she would choose to preach it, she was recollecting the name, her mama said is it Mr. Ivy—she readily answered, yes, mama—Mr. Ivy—she desired her husband to endeavor to follow her and that he would mourn for her as long as he lived, there was room in Heaven for him and everybody else that would come—she desired he would take care of her little girl she should look down from Heaven with pleasure and delight to see it jumping and skipping about a little before she dyed she was heard to say, Oh Blessed Jesus, and breathed out her last with a smile—which she seemed to retain even when she was dead her corpse was most beautiful & pleasant…Susanna Ware was the spouse of Wm Ware…she was born the 22 Jany 1768 she was married Jany…she died 29 Jany 1786…she had her first & only child 27 Jany 1786.”

                                                                 Above story given courtesy of Kathleen Neal Dawson

     When William remarried, his 2nd wife was not only another first cousin, but she ALSO was named Susannah.  She was the daughter of Robert Payne and his wife, Ann Burton, who lived in a home called “The Cascades” on the Dan River. (Ref.894B)   In A Short Biography of William Ware contributed by Vicki Ware Cheesman in 2009, the verified children of William and his 2nd wife (Susannah Payne Ware) are:  Ann “Nancy” Payne Ware (1792), Susan Elizabeth “Eliza” Ware (1793), Agnes Ware (1795), John Ware II (1797), Robert Payne Ware (1801), and William Ware, Jr. (1805). (Ref. 844) 

     William obviously became quite successful.  He died in 1828, and in his will, dated October 1827, he left quite a bit of property to his children, including at least 32 slaves.

To Susanna, he gave Sarah, Charity, and Ellis.

To Ann, he gave Judah, Jane, Armstead, and Peter. 

To Eliza, he gave Isbell, Peter, & Abraham. 

To Agnes, he gave another slave named Judah, along with Delcy, Ned, and Ally.

To John, he gave Joe & Philip. 

To Robert, he gave Chas & Nat

To William, he gave Rubin & Anny.

     William then specified that the “remaining eleven negroes be equally divided among my children.” (Ref. 911)  If the number of slaves owned was an indication of wealth, William was clearly one of the more prosperous land owners in his area.    

     James and Agnes welcomed another grandson by John and Ann in 1762.  This boy was named in honor of his father, John, and he was baptized on July 18, 1762.  John married Margarett Lady in September 1780.  All we know further of him is that he died at sea.  With the strong family history of military service, his death very likely could have been related to the war.

     After four sons in a row, John and Ann finally produced a granddaughter in 1764.   Elizabeth, called Betty, was baptized on June 24, 1764.  She married James Poindexter in February 1806. 

     Another baby girl, this one named Mildred, followed in 1766 and was baptized on November 2, 1766.  As far as we know, Milley never married.

     In 1768, Jane Harrison Ware was born.  She was lovingly nicknamed Jenney, and she married John Mosby in April 1799.  They had the following children:  Ann Harrison Mosby, John Ware Mosby, Sarah Ann Mosby, and Alfred Daniel Mosby.   She and John were the grandparents of the famous Col. John Singleton Mosby of the Confederate Army, thus making James and Agnes the great- great-grandparents of this legendary leader of Mosby’s Rangers. (Ref.114, 784)  Col. Mosby CSA

     In 1771, a fourth granddaughter arrived for James and Agnes, this one named Anne.  She was baptized on September 22, 1771. (Ref. 5,372, 621,651)   Anne went by several nicknames, but Nancy was her favorite.  She married Richard Wyatt in December 1796 and they had several children.  Nancy passed away in April 1838. 

     The last child born to John and Ann was Mary Ware, known as Molley, and she was born in 1772.  Little is known of her except that she married George McLain.  In total, James and Agnes Ware had nine grandchildren just from John and Ann alone.

     John appears to have been a very prosperous man and also very meticulous in his life and business.  In his Last Will & Testament, he took care of many details that offer up great insight into his thinking.  He mentioned he wanted his grandsons to “get $100.00 instead of slaves; not wishing to divide or separate parents & children.” (Ref. 894)  His will also gives us a feel for how large his land holdings were because in just one section, it states that he wanted one of his children, William, to have “the tract on Dan River near where he lived, which was sitting on 613 acres.” (Ref. 894)  Even as far back as 1786, “extensive holdings speak of John Ware’s line, by his Tavern, crossing the main road.” (Ref.894)  John named one of the executors of his will as James Ware, his son.  He left James specific instructions that “the extra lands be rented and the mill on Whittle Creek be completed.” (Ref.894)   

     Although his father, James Ware I, later relocated to Kentucky, John and Ann Ware could never leave their beloved Virginia.   Ann died in 1820 and Capt. John B. Ware died on June 17, 1816, at the age of 80 years.  He was buried near the James River in Goochland County, Virginia.

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CHILDREN OF JOHN AND ANN HARRISON WARE

John was the oldest son of James Ware I and Agnes Todd Ware.  He never moved to Kentucky but stayed all his life in Virginia.  He and Ann married on May 25, 1756. John also was married to Mary Watson, but the date is unknown.

 

(1) Lt. James Ware – born Dec. 27, 1756    died 1818                

Married Elizabeth Miller on Sept. 22, 1786

(2) Andrew Ware – born May 24, 1758                 died single

(3) Col. William Ware - May 13, 1762    died Jan. 16, 1828              

Married Susanna Harrison Feb. 10, 1785 & Susannah Payne Oct.17, 1789

(4) John Ware – born June 10, 1762               died - lost at sea

Married Margarett Lady on Sept. 6, 1780

(5) Elizabeth (Betty) Ware – born May 27, 1764               

Married James Poindexter on Feb. 2, 1806

(6) Mildred (Milley) Ware – born Sept. 27, 1766         died single in 1829

(7) Jane (Jenney) Harrison Ware – born Dec. 14, 1768     died 1811              

 Married John Mosby on April 11, 1799

(8) Anne (Nancy) Ware – born June 30, 1771   died April 17, 1838              

 Married Richard Wyatt on Dec. 8, 1796

(9) Mary (Molley) Ware – born 1772                             

Married George McLain

 

CHILDREN OF WILLIAM WARE     AND      SUSANNAH PAYNE WARE

             B. May 13, 1760              

             D. Jan. 16, 1828

William was the son of John and Ann Harrison Ware and the grandson of James and Agnes Ware.   He first married Susanna Harrison on February 10, 1785 and after her death, he then married Susannah Payne on Oct. 17, 1789.

(1)Ann “Nancy” Payne Ware – born Aug. 20, 1792     died November 29, 1872

Married James Richardson on Nov. 10, 1811 and after his death, she married Stephen Sargeant     

(2) Susan Elizabeth “Eliza” Ware – born 1793

Married Henry Sargeant

(3) Agnes Ware – born 1795

Married William H. Dupuy on Oct. 25, 1816 and John Briscoe

(4) John Ware II – born 1797

Married Elizabeth Saunders on May 5, 1819

(5) Robert Payne Ware - born Dec. 1, 1801    died June 5, 1868

Married Martha Sanders on April 4, 1834

(6) William Ware Jr. – born 1805                    died June 12, 1868

Married Alphia Clark on Jan. 17, 1833