First Justice Families of Eastern Kentucky
Submitted by Thomas Harold Justice .
The first Justice families into eastern Kentucky were all related and
were descendants of John Justice and Mary Moore, who were married 1
August 1728 in Scituate , Plymouth County, Mass. Church records in
Scituate state that Mary More/Moor/Moore was from Ireland and that
John Justice was from Hanover,Plymouth County, Mass. John and Mary
Justice made their home in the town of Halifax, Plymouth County, Mass.
Halifax is near Hanover. Church records in Halifax, Mass. and recorded
into the book, "Vital Records of the Town of Halifax", published by
the Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants Boston,
Massachusetts in 1905 list the following ;" The Children of John
Justice and Mary his wife, Mary Justice was born July the 27th 1729,
John Justice was born June the 21 1731, Simeon Justice was born
Janurary the 15th 1735, Thomas Justice was born May the 3rd 1737, Elce
Justice was born May the 31st 1739, Elizabeth Justice was born April
the 8th 1741." Research has shown that John and Mary Justice lived in
the town of Halifax, Mass. untill about 1745. Records concerning the
Massachusetts Land Bank of 1740, and on file with the Mass. Archives
Center make six different refferences to John and Mary Justice of
Halifax, Mass. John and Mary were still in Halifax, Mass at least
until 1742. This fact is shown by church records concerning Mary and
John that I have seen. I have not reviewed the records about the Land
Bank, personally, but am told they show the family still in Mass until
1845. Exactly when they left Mass. is unknown at present but
examination of land records on file in Plymouth County should pin
point the date. I feel that they moved from Mass. to some ,at present,
unknown place, for they first appear in Halifax County, Virginia
official records when John Justice, at age 59, in 1754, obtains title
to 1200 acres of land in three 400 acre blocks. Following is one such
block:
"HALIFAX COUNTY PROCESSIONERS RETURNS 1737-1770. 26 JULY 1756, JOHN
JUSTICE SENR. 400 ACRES ON THE BRANCHES OF THE MIREY CREEK ADJOINING
THE 400 ACRES TRACT THAT HE NOW LIVES ON EXTENDING SOUTHERLY AND JOINS
GEORGE GREEN. ALSO 400 ON THE BRANCHES OF JOHN MOORE'S CREEK BEGINNING
AT A PINE MARKED I THENCE SOUTHERLY."
The George Green mentioned above is John and Mary,s son-in-law,
married to their daughter Mary Justice.Official records reveal that
John Justices land , 1200 acres in total, was joined by three
different Moore families. I am speculating that these Moore families
were from Mass. also.In Mass., John and Mary belonged to the Episcopal
or Anglican church and in Halifax County, Virginia they became members
of the Episcopal Church Antrim Parish. In 1766, they became part of
Camden Parish, when Pittsylvania was formed from Halifax, County. But,
alas, John Justice senr. died just before Pittsylvania became a
county. Their homeplace, containing a grist mill was at the mouth of
Harpin Creek on the Pigg River.John Senior settled large tracts of
land on his three oldest boys, an example of witch is the
following."HALIFAX COUNTY DEED BOOK I pp 374-376 16 MARCH 1758 JOHN
JUSTICE SENIOR, ANTRIM PARISH, HALIFAX COUNTY TO JOHN JUSTICE JUNIOR,
ANTRIM PARISH, HALIFAX COUNTY FOR 5 L -200 ACRES BOTH SIDES ECHOL'S
FORK PARALLEL TO ROBERT MOORE'S LINE TO SD. ECHOL'S FORK THENCE ALONG
A BOUNDS EXPREST IN SC. JOHN JUSTICE'S PATENT NORTH 35 DEGREES WEST SO
FAR AS TO INCLUDE SD. 200 ACRES OF LAND." There are several deeds on
file in Halifax County. One more is; "HALIFAX COUNTY DEED BOOK 1 pp
376-378 15 MARCH 1758 JOHN JUSTICE SENIOR, TO SIMEON JUSTICE, BOTH OF
ANTRIM PARISH FOR 5 L -200 ACRES ON BOTH SIDES OF ECHOL'S FORK
BEGINNING AT HIS BROTHER JOHN JUSTICE'S CORNER STANDING IN THE OLD
LINE ON NORTH SIDE ECHOL'S FORK SD. BROTHER JOHN'S LINE TO OLD LINE ON
SOUTH SIDE." There are several more records concerning land transfers
and court actions available on the family there in Halifax County
until Pittsylvania County is formed in 1767. But, as we all must, John
Justice Senior died in July 1766. His approxamate age was 71. His wife
brought his will to be probated on 17 July 1766.
"HALIFAX COUNTY WILL BOOK 0 pp 206 17 JULY 1766 HALIFAX COUNTY IN THE
PROVINCE OF VIRGINIA MARCH THE 11TH 1765 IN THE NAME OF GOD THE LAST
WILL OF JOHN JUSTICE SENR. BEING IN HEALTH AND OF SOUND MEMORY THANKS
BE TO GOD ALMIGHTY AND CALLING TO REMEMBERENCE THE ONSARTIN ASTATE OF
THIS TRANSATORY LIFE AND THAT ALL FLESH MUST YIELD TO DAYTH I DO
DECLARE THIS TO BE MY LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT IN FORM AND MANNER
REVOKING AND ANNULLING BY THESE PRESENTS ALL AND EVERY TESTEMENT AND
TESTEMENTS AND WILL & WILLS HERETOFORE BY ME MADE & DECLARED EITHER BY
WORD OR IN WRITING AND THIS IS TO BE TAKEN BY THESE PRESENTS THAT I
JOHN JUSTICE SENIOR GIVE AND BEQUAVATH UNTO MY BELOVED WIFE MARY ALL
MY GOODS AND CHATTELS AND ALL MOVABLES THAT I AM IN POSSESSION OF ON
HARPIN CREEK AS LONG AS SHE REMAINS MY WIDOW LIKEWISE UNTO MY SON EZRA
JUSTICE THREE HUNDRED ACRES OF LAND AND A MILL ON IT WHICH IS THE HOME
PLAS. LIKEWISE TO MY SON WILLIAM JUSTICE ONE HUNDRED ACRES OF LAND
LYING ON PIGG RIVER LIKEWISE UNTO MY SON JOHN JUSTICE FIVE SHILLINGS
UNTO MY SON SIMEON JUSTICE FIVE SHILLINGS AND UNTO MY SON THOMAS
JUSTICE FIVE SHILLINGS AND UNTO MY DAUGHTER MARY WIFE OF GEORGE GREEN
FIVE SHILLINGS LIKEWISE TO MY DAUGHTER ALICE WIFE TO THOMAS WATSON
FIVE SHILLINGS. SIGNED JOHN JUSTICE. SIGNED SEALED AND DELIVERED IN
THE PRESENCE OF WILLIAM WILCHEN, WILLIAM (HIS X )ADKINSON, JOHN
WILCHEN"
As one can plainly see from reading this will and the Halifax, Mass.
records, this family in one and the same. For a long time, I accepted
the previous research of other Justice genealogist that this John
Justice was a grandson of William Justice 1625-1664 and Mary Frame of
Charles City, Virginia. And indeed, they had two grandsons named John
Justice. But neither was this particular John Justice, ancestor of all
our east KY Justices. No one has ever offered any kind of proof to tie
Halifax John to the Charles City Justices. When I first ran across the
Halifax, Mass. references in the book published in 1905 by the
Mayflower society, I wrongly assumed that the aurthor somehow confused
some data from Halifax County, VA with data from the town of Halifax,
Mass. It was not until having the Mass. marriage record brought to my
attention by Terry Anderson of Maysville, KY, an excellent
genealogist, that I looked for and found various references to John
and Mary Justice of Halifax, Mass. , that I realized they had to be
the same. An additional bit of reasoning is the fact that the surname
Justice disappears in Mass from 1745 to about 1850. If John Justice's
family had remained in Mass.there would have been more Justices in
Plymouth County Mass. than there is today in Pike County, KY.
After the death of their father, his sons began to drift away, with
only William remaining to be the last one to sell out and as you will
see, come to Floyd County to settle at the mouth of Grapevine Creek,
on the Levisa , just south of Pikeville. John Justice was the first to
leave the homestead. John Justice Junior was married to Mary Sloan. I
have a copy of a Halifax County will where John Sloan states in his
will that his daughter Mary Sloan is married to John Justice. I only
know of three of their children for sure. Two sons were the famous
John and Simeon Justice of Revolutionary War fame, where Simeon was a
drummer boy and John was a piper at Fort Rutledge, SC. In 1775 John
and Mary Sloan Justice and their family left Pittsylvania County to
live in Rutherford County, NC. However in 1777, John and his sons John
(17 years old) and Simeon (12 years old) joined the Army for a period
of three years. His wife Mary and daughter Nancy remained with them at
the fort. In 1780 Fort Rutledge was captured by the British commanded
by Captain Joseph Smith. Our Justice kin were on detached duty at
Augusta, Georgia when this happened and were taken prisoner when they
returned. Capt. Smith gave them parole on condition that Captain Tutt,
their commanding officer, give them a discharge from the army. As a
matter of interest, Fort Rutledge stood on today's Clemson University.
It is in this setting where our John and Simeon and sister Nancy found
their mates. John Justice wed Amy Neal, Simeon Justice married
Susannah Wade and Nancy married Edward Wade. Their Parents John and
Mary Sloan Justice settled nearby at today's Traveler's Rest, SC. It
is thought that John died about 1807 there and his wife Mary Sloan
Justice can be found until after the 1720 SC census living with her
daughter Nancy Wade in Pendleton District (Greenville County) of SC.
John and Amy Neal Justice moved to Green County , Georgia with some of
their in-laws , Neals and Wades. They can be found there on a Green
county tax payers list and on the 1790 Georgia census. And on the
Floyd County, KY census three of their children claim to have been
born in GA. Sometime around 1794, John and Amy , along with Simeon and
Susannah, moved to Green County, Tenn. For whatever reason, they only
remained there for about five years before selling out to move to
Buncombe County, NC , where their uncle Thomas Justice had settled
.Both Simeon and John can be found on the 1800 census for Bincombe
County. Again for some reason, I suspect free land to Revolutionary
Vetrens, they sold out again and moved to Beaver Creek in Floyd
County, KY in 1807. And that is how the first of three pair of
brothers came to Floyd County.
Next, we shall take up John and Mary Moore's second oldest son Simeon.
From available Pittsylvania Court documents, we know that he was
married to Elizabeth Turley. Of his children we only know of three
brothers, John, Simeon and Thomas for sure and I suspect they had a
daughter named Margaret, who married Adam Gearhart. Simeon Justice
Senior died in Pittsylvania County in 1783 leaving a wife and several
small children. From Court documents we know that sons John and Simeon
were given to Elizabeth's brother Thomas Turley to raise. >From NC
records we see that Thomas was given to his uncle Thomas to raise. The
following is from Pittsylvania records:
"PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY ORDER BOOK 9 p. 230 17 FEBRUARY 1800. JOHN AND
SIMEON JUSTICE ORPHANS OF SIMEON JUSTICE DECEASED CAME INTO COURT AND
MADE CHOICE OF WILLIAM JUSTICE AS THEIR GUARDIAN WHO IS ACCORDINGLY
APPOINTED IN ROOM OF THOMAS TURLEY THEIR FORMER GUARDIAN, THEREFORE
THE SAID WILLIAM WITH JOHN _________?(unreadable) HIS SECURITY ENTERED
INTO AND ACKNOWLEDGED THEIR BOND IN THE PENALTY OF ONE THOUSAND POUNDS
FOR THAT PURPOSE AS THE LAW DIRECTS.
Since this took place in 1800 and the boys father Simeon had been dead
since 1873, they must have been young adults when this action took
place. Most likely this action was prompted by John pleading guilty to
misappropriating two pigs, said to belong to Samuel Calland, with whom
most of the Justice clan seems to have had an on going feud. There are
various accounts of Samuel Calland bringing charges against the
Justices , charges ranging from trespass to stealing a deer hide and
even uttering an oath.Young John was allowed to pay an unspecified
fine and dismissed. It is interesting to note that the judge hearing
the case was one William Wilchen who was a witness to his
grandfather's will. This adoption at this late stage was most likely
part of a plan to effect closer supervision of the lads. Anyway, they
were both soon married and in the company of their in-laws , on their
way to Beaver Creek in Floyd County, KY. Simeon married Keziah
Saulsbury and their oldest child was born in Virginia in 1802. They
settled with the Saulsburys and Collins familys near the Forks of
Beaver Creek. John married a Nancy (Moore? Short?) and did not stay
too many years on Beaver Creek before pushing on to Blaine Creek in
present day Lawrence County. His first land was aquired there in 1814,
while this area was still part of Floyd County. Simeon and Keziah
remained on Beaver Creek until about 1836, when they moved to a very
remote section of then Tazwell County , now Buchanan County, taking
with them all their married sons and daughters. Simeon and Keziah
Saulsbury are the ancestors of the majority of Buchanan County, VA
Justice/Justus families. There was at one time several Justice
families on Blaine Creek that were descendants of John and Nancy. But,
most chose to move west in the 1840's and 50's. Some moved to Missouri
and Kansas. It is unknown just exactly when their brother Thomas
Justice came to Beaver Creek from North Carolina where he had been
raised by his uncle Thomas. But, he married Elizabeth Blackburn 2
October 1812 on Beaver Creek and lived there until about 1836 when he
joined his sons in Logan County, VA. His sons James and Simeon were
running a large logging operation on the Tug River. The early Justices
in Logan and Mingo , and for whom Justice, WVA is named , were members
of this family.
The next Justices to Floyd County settled just south of Pikeville and
became part of Pike County when Pike was formed in 1821. These were
the mostly married sons and daughters of William and Margaret (?)
Justice (my ggggg grandparents). Most Pike county researchers say that
Margaret was a Johnson, but, I am not sure of that. When searching
Virginia records, I found a William Justice descendant of the Charles
City Justices , who married Margaret Johnson in Lunenberg County, VA
and much later than our William and Margaret would have to had
married. The Lunenberg William and Margaret had a son named William
Johnson Justice who came to Georgia, where I now live. Our William and
Margaret started having children in the 1770's From all I can peice
together William was born in Mass in 1742 and came to Floyd County, KY
in 1805. William and Margaret brought nine children with them to the
banks of the Levisa just south of Pikeville. These children were John
Justice who Married Elizabeth Young 15 February 1798 in Pittsylvania
County. After the death of his father William in 1813 , John and
William JR. moved to Mud Creek near Betsy Layne and are on the 1830
Floyd County census.John and Elizabeth moved from Mud Creek to Pound,
Virginia in 1836. Their children were John Jarrett Justice, Hiram
Justice, Edmund Justice,Stella Justice, Anna Justice, Elizabeth
Culpepper Justice, and Piety Justice. The 2nd child of William and
Margaret was my gggg grandfather William Justice. His wife's name was
Sarah and even though her name is on several deeds and census
documents, I still don't know for sure her maiden name. Other Family
researchers have said
Blevins/Bevins/Blackburn/Berry/Blankenship/Tackett and Thacker. It is
ironic that I have found the spouses of all of William and Margaret's
children except my own direct line. William and Sarah lived on Mud
Creek in Floyd County until 1836, when they too moved away to settle
at the mouth of Big Lick Branch on Rock Castle Creek in Lawrence
County, KY.As what seems to be a custom of the Justice families, All
of William and Sarah's children moved with them. Their children were,
William Justice ,James Justice,George Justice,Mary Justice, John
Justice, Caleb Justice, Peyton Justice , Sarah Justice and David
Justice. All were married at the time of their move except Sarah,
Peyton, and David. Their marriage records can be found in Lawrence
County.
I will list Sarah Justice as third child of William and Margaret, She
was married to Gabriel Parsons 2 November 1796 in Pittsylvania County
and accompanied the rest to Floyd County. They settled down near
Pikeville and had the following children; Simeon Parsons,Melenda
Parsons, George Parsons, Gabriel Parsons, and Richard Parsons.
Next of William and Margaret's Children was George Justice who married
Nancy Smith in Pittsylvania County 5 September 1803. This family too
remained in Pike County all their lives and a lot of Justices in Pike
County are descended from this couple. Their children includes, George
Justice JR., Mary Justice, Peyton Justice, William Justice, Abner
Justice, Nancy Justice and Lewis Justice and I think Alexander
Justice. There were two more boys that I have not identified, because
on the 1810 Floyd County census, George and Nancy had four boys under
ten years of age. Of these listed children, only George Jr. was born
prior to 1810. I have identified a few candidates for these missing
children but nothing for sure.
Next in line was Simeon Justice who married Mary "Polly" Abshire in
Franklin County, VA. Franklin County borders Pittsylvania and was
formed from part of Pittsylvania. This couple remained in Pike County
all their life and were the most prolific of William and Margaret's
children . They had sixteen children that we know of. William named
Simeon as executor and administrator of his estate along with wife
Margaret. William's sons Simeon and John make up the three sets of
brothers named Simeon and John that have caused much confusion to
Justice researchers. This Simeon stayed in Pike County and was a
Justice of the Peace and Magistrate with license to perform marriages.
The Revolutionary War Drummer Boy who lived on Beaver Creek and was
married to Susannah Wade also performed marriages in his role of
Ordained Minister in the Baptist Church. That is why you see so many
early Floyd County marriages performed by Simeon Justice . There were
two marrying Simeons. The Children of Simeon and Polly Justice are
said to be; Abshire Justice, Artilda Justice, Betty Justice, Booker
Justice, Clayborne Justice, Florinna Justice, Harvey Justice, Hiram
Justice, Simeon Justice, Joab Justice, Malinda Justice, Miriam
Justice, Mahala Justice, Rhoda Justice, William Allen Justice and Mary
Justice. The majority of these children raised families of their own
and many Pike County Justices belong to this line.
I will list Ezra Justice next of William and Margaret's children. Ezra
married Rhoda Blankenship or Blackburn, depending where you read it.
This family lived at the mouth of Morgan's Creek and only had four
known children which was a small family compared to the rest. Their
known children were Mary Justice, Pricy Justice, Andrew Justice and
Emilia "Milly" Justice. Ezra's son Andrew married Rachel Phillips and
had fourteen children to add to the many Justice kin in Pike County.
Next of 'Old" William's children was Elizabeth Justice. She married
David Polley on 21 March 1785 in Pittsylvania County and most of the
east KY Polleys are descendants. I don't have a good list of their
children but among them were David Polley Jr. and Nancy Polley. Maybe
some kind reader will furnish me with a list of children.
Next came Mary Justice who Married James Sloan 17 October 1784 in
Pittsylvania County and alot of Sloans in Pike County are descended
from this pair. I don't have a good list of their children either but
among them were Archibald Sloan and William Sloan.
Last Came the baby of the family named Peyton Justice. Peyton seems to
have first married Polly May and a few years later Polly Sloan. As far
as I know, the following children were with Polly Sloan. Children
were; Mary Elizabeth Justice, America Justice, Polly Justice, Pricy
Justice , Green Justice, William Justice, James Epperson Justice,
Hutson Justice and Sarah Justice. Peyton lived at the mouth of
Peyton's Creek and met his death there at age 74 in 1864 when he was
killed by marauding Union Scouts. After the war ended, his widow
obtained an indictment of murder for eleven Union troops but no one
was ever brought to trial. I will include here the will of William
Justice 1742-1813. This will is on file at Prestonsburg and was first
discovered by Terry Anderson of Maysville. Terry is three times a
Justice and a very dedicated genealogist. I owe him a great deal in
unraveling the different Justice relationships in Floyd and Pike
County.
"IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN I WILLIAM JUSTUS OF FLOYD COUNTY AND STATE OF
KENTUCKY BEING A MAN OF A CONSIDERABLE AGE AND CALLING TO MIND THE
MORTALLITY OF MY BODY KNOWING THAT IT IS APPOINTED FOR ALL MEN TO DIE
AND BEING IN PERFECT HEALTH AND MEMORY AT THIS TIME THANKS BE TO
ALMIGHTY GOD FOR HIS MERCY I DO MAKE AND ORDAIN THIS MY LAST WILL AND
TESTEMENT THAT IS TO SAY PRINSAPALLY AND FIRST OF ALL I RECOMMEND MY
SOUL INTO THE HANDS OF GOD THAT GAVE IT TO ME AND MY BODY TO THE EARTH
FROM WHENCE IT CAME TO BE BURIED IN A DECENT CHRISTIAN BURIAL AT THE
DESCRETION OF MY EXCEUITORS NOTHING DOUBTING BUT AT THE GENERAL
RESURRECTION. (next two lines unreadable) I GIVE AND BEQUEATH IN THE
FOLLOWING MANNER: ITEM 1: FIRST OF ALL MY JUST DEBTS BE PAID OUT OF MY
ESTATE. ITEM 2: I LEAVE MY SON WILLIAM JUSTUS HALF THE BOTTOM THAT HE
LIVES IN NOW. ALSO I LEAVE MY SON EZRA JUSTUS THE OTHER HALF OF THE
SAME BOTTOM. ALSO I LEAVE MY SON PATON JUSTUS THE LOER HALF THAT I
NOWN LIVE ON. WILLIAM AND EZRA IS TO PAY THIRTY THREE POUNDS EIGHT
SHILLINGS. PAYTON TO PAY SIXTY SIX ?? POUNDS THIRTEEN SHILLINGS AND
PERMITS? JOHN JUSTUS, GEORGE JUSTUS, AND SIMEON JUSTUS TO BE EQUIL
HEIRS OF THE LAND. ITEM 3: I LEAVE TO MY DAUGHTERS NO PART OF THE
LAND. ITEM 4: I LEAVE TO MY BELOVED WIFE MARGARET JUSTUS TWO NEGROS
NAMED SAM AND CHARRITY AND ONE HORS (HORSE) AND ALL THE CATTLE AND
HADGS (HOGS) AND SHEAP AND THE HOWS (HOUSE) AND HOUSELFUNITURE AND AS
MUCH OF THE CLEAR LAND THAT SHE WONTS IN DURING HER WIDOWHOOD. ITEM 5:
I LEAVE TO MY DAUGHTER ELIZABETH ONE NEGRO GAL NAMED VILET. ITEM 6: I
LEAVE TO MY DAUGHTER MARY ONE NEGRO GIRL NAMED CLAY. ITEM 7: I LEAVE
TO MY DAUGHTER SARY ONE NEGRO GIRL NAMED YALLOR JIN HER LIFE TIME THEN
TO HER CHILDREN. ITEM 8: I LEAVE TO MY SON WILLIAM ONE NEGRO BOY IN
NAME PETER. ITEM 9: I LEAVE TO MY SON JOHN ONE NEGRO BOY NAMED HARRY.
ITEM 10: I LEAVE TO MY SON EZRA ONE NEGRO GIRL NAMED BLACK SILLER?
ITEM 11: I LEAVE TO MY SON GEORGE ONE NEGRO GIRL NAMED JIN BLACK. ITEM
12: I LEAVE TO MY SON SIMEON ONE NEGRO GARL NAMED CHARITY. ITEM 13: I
LEAVE TO MY SON PATON ONE NEGRO BOY NAMED SAM. ALSO THOSE NINE NEGROS
THAT I HAVE LEFT TO MY NINE CHILDREN IS TO BE VALLIED (VALUED) BY THSE
GOOD MEN CHOSEN BY THE ESCEKITORS AND PAMENT TO BE MAID FROM THAT GITS
THE HIEST INCRISE? TO THOSE THAT GETS THE LOIST INCRISE? EQUALLY.
THOSE TWO NEGROS BEFORE MENTIED CHARRITY AND SAM IS TO BE LEFT TO
MARGET JUSTUS HIR LIFETIME AND THARE INCRESETO FROM MY DECESE BOTH EM
THAT THAAS LEFT TO. ALSO JOHN, EZRA, GEORGE, AND PATON IS TO HAVE A
COW APEASE OUT OF THE CATTEL STOCK. AND ALL THE BALLANCE AND IN CREAS
(INCREASE) OF MY ESTATE IS TO BE DIVIDED EQUALLY TO ALL MY CHILDREN
WHILE MY DISCEASE. FERTHER MORE I DO CONSTITUTE AND ORDAIN MY WELL
BELOVED WIFE MARGET JUSTUS AND SIMEON JUSTUS MY BELOVED SON TO BE MY
TRUSTY EXECUITORS AND ADMINISTRATORS TO ACT AS I COULD DO AND TO HAVE
THE POWER IN THE SAME CASE AS I COLD HAVE MYSELF AND I DO HEREBY
UTTERLY DISALLOW REVOKE AND DISANNUL ALL AND EVRY OTHER FORMER
TESTEMENT WILLS LEGACEES ESCECUTORS BY ME IN ANY WISE BEFORE METINED
NAMED WILLED AND BEQUATHE RATTIFYING AND CONFIRMING THIS TO AND NO
OTHER TO BE MY LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT WHAR UNTO I HAVE SET MY HAND
SEAL THIS THIRD DAY OF JULY IN THE YEAR ONE THOUSON EIGHT HUNDRED AND
TWELVE ASSIGNED SEALLED AND DELIVERED IN THE PRESENTS OF US.
ELIJAH ADKINSON
SARAY MAY
ANNEY ADKINS? AKINS?
FLOYD COUNTY COURT MARCH TERM 1813
The last will and testament of William Justice deceased was proved by
the oaths of Elijah Adkinson and Sarah May two subscribing witnesses
thereto and ordered to be recorded.
Wm. J. Mayo CFCC
Last Will and Testament of William Justice, dec.
Recorded in book A page 2.
And Examined
Wm. J. Mayo Clk 1813
Our ancestor William most likely felt sorry for some one who only knew
one way to spell a word. In actuallity, he did well for some one
brought up in frontier America where school houses were non-existant.
Notice that throughout his will William spelled our name Justus.
However his father John spelled it Justice in his will. Some of the
Buchanan County, Virginia Justices, all descendants of Simeon and
Keziah Saulsbury Justice , spell our name Justus. All of William's
children were consistant in spelling their name Justice.
I will list my own line down from William and Sarah Justice . I am
descended from their son George Justice born in Floyd County in 1805,
as was his first cousin George Justice JR. son of George and Nancy
Smith Justice. The fact they were both born in 1805 got me on the
wrong track when first attempting to construct my family tree. My
George Justice married Martha "Patsy" Baswell Herrell in Pike County
on June 16th 1827. Patsy Baswell/Bazwell was first married to William
Herrell on 6 April 1824. She was born in NC in 1800 and was the
daughter of Samual and Penniniah Bazwell/Bazzell. The other 1805
vintage George married Nancy Campbell in Pike County . The children of
George and Martha were Samual Berry Justice who married Ary Cary and
second Catherine Jordan, Timothy Justice born in Pike County in 1829,
married Rachel Wooten in Lawrence Co., Caleb Justice married Opal
Williamson in Lawrence Co., Keziah Justice m. Castle Wooten in
Lawrence Co, George Thomas Justice married Hannah Napier , Peyton
Justice m. Lucy Bazwell sister of Martha Baswell, Mary Margaret
Justice m. Mitchel B. Shannon, Polly Emily Justice m. David Preston,
Jessee Justice died in Civil War, and Martha Justice.
I am descended from George and Martha's second son Timothy Justice and
Rachel Wooten. They lived on Rock Castle Creek in a section that
became part of Martin County when it was formed in 1870. Their
children were; Alford Justice m. Jane Johnson, William Justice m.
Nancy Jane Salmons, George Thomas Justice m. Alice Williamson, Eli
Justice m. Lucy Salmons, Peyton Justice m. Inez Pack, John C. Justice
m. Jane Dingus, Jane Justice m. George Salmons and Ella Justice m.
Alexander Howdey.
My great grandparents were William Justice and Nancy Jane Salmons.
They too, lived on Rock Castle Creek in Martin County, They had the
following children. Rachel Justice m. Henry Pelfrey, Pricey Justice m.
James Endicott, Alice Justice m. Josh Endicott, Mary Jane Justice m.
Wells Fitch, William Albert Justice m. Maggie Ellen Preston, Samual
Berry Justice m. Della Preston, Ida Mae Justice m. Frank Fitch, Ella
Justice m. Sam Spaulding.
My grand parents were William Albert Justice and Maggie Ellen Preston
. They made their home on Rock House Creek at Milo, Martin County, KY.
Grandpa was a farmer and school teacher. Their children were William
Leonard Justice m. Mary Opal Fannin and Nancy Hester Justice m. Manson
Washburn and John Edinger. My grandmother Maggie Ellen Preston was a
sister to Della Preston, who married Samual Berry Justice.
My parents were William Leonard Justice and Mary Opal Fannin. Dad was
a farmer and building contractor. Mother was a school teacher and Post
Master of the Milo, KY post Office for over forty years. After mother
retired, Milo was consolidated with Tomahawk, KY Post Office. The
Children of Leonard and Opal Justice are Thomas Harold Justice m.
Kathe Alma Michaelis, T. Carroll Justice m. Patrica Poore, William
Joseph "Billy Joe" Justice m. Patrica Smith and Palma Faye Justice m.
Donald Eugene Ward.
I will end this short history here and hope that by posting it to the
internet it will help other Justice family members in their quest of
ancestors and not have to chase down false trails as I did due to
accepting previous research as fact. However, this narritave can not
be copied for commercial use in any format. If I have made any typos
or mistakes through misunderstanding of data, please bring it to my
attention for correction.
To support my history of the First Justice Families of Eastern
Kentucky I am including a list of Justice families named in the 1810
Floyd County Census.
.
Relatively Yours,
Thomas Harold Justice
4290 Keheley Lake Drive
Marietta, Georgia 30066
e-mail tjustice@avana.net
|
|