Some Loftis - Wills in Greenville County, South Carolina

Solomon Loftis, 1763-1849, Greenville County, South Carolina

I don’t know a lot about Solomon Loftis, but he was my fifth great-granduncle and he was probably born in Kent County, Delaware or Maryland.  I do know that he was the son of Job Loftis and Elvira Goodlett and one of his brothers or possibly one of his sisters was my fifth great-grandparent.  I have yet, to figure out for certain who my Labon Loftis’ father and mother were, but my DNA puts me in the Job Loftis and Elvira Goodlett family.

Sometime before 1785, this Loftis family left the Delaware/Maryland area and moved to South Carolina, possibly stopping in North Carolina for a short time.  Solomon married Margaret B. Dill in South Carolina we believe around 1788 or so and they had at least the following children: William, Andrew, John, Susan, Sarah, Pheny, Prudence, Charlotte ‘Lotty’ Ann, James and Solomon Jordan Loftis.

From the County Wills of South Carolina for Greenville County, 1787-1853, we find Solomon Loftis, Sr. in Volume 2, 1840-1853, Section C, page 192.   Solomon Loftis, Sr. wrote his will January 8, 1847 and he only mentions his three unmarried daughters: Phenia, Prudence and Lotty Ann Loftis, and he also mentions his wife, but not what her given name was.  He mentions other daughters that are married, but again does not name them and he doesn’t mention any of his sons at all.  Solomon only mentions one negro, a boy named Joe.  Solomon’s will was brought to court and recorded on August 3, 1849.  The following is the copy of the will and recording.

*************

John Loftis, 1772-1845, Greenville County, South Carolina

John Loftis born about 1772, died before 22 May 1845, son of Job Loftis and Elvira Goodlett and one of his brothers or possibly one of his sisters was my fifth great-grandparent.  I have yet, to figure out for certain who my Labon Loftis’ father and mother were, but my DNA puts me in the Job Loftis and Elvira Goodlett family.   The Will of John Loftis, mentions his wife Malissa Loftis and her 3 children Eliza Jane, Margaret Ellen & Sarah Elizabeth; negro named Anderson also called Tony. He mentions all his other children by his former marriage but does not name them.  Executor Edward Clements, my friend & neighbor; dated May 22, 1845; witnesses were John Bomar, William Wheeler & S. Goodlett; on July 14, 1848 Edward Clements refused to accept appointment as the executor.  Proven by Spartan Goodlett, John Bomar & William Wheeler and recorded August 4, 1848.  I only have an extract of this will, I haven’t had time to look for the original.  The following is the extract.

**********

Lemuel Loftis, 1774-1838, Greenville County, South Carolina

Lemuel Loftis, was born in 1774 and died on April 23, 1838 in Greenville County, South Carolina.  He was the son of Job Loftis and Elvira Goodlett and one of his brothers or possibly one of his sisters was my fifth great-grandparent.  I have yet, to figure out for certain who my Labon Loftis’ father and mother were, but my DNA puts me in the Job Loftis and Elvira Goodlett family.    Lemuel married Susannah Leech in about 1800, probably in South Carolina.   The Will of Lemuel Loftis mentions the following people: his wife Susannah Loftis, sons: Pleasant A. Loftis, Madison D. Loftis, and Spartan L. Loftis; daughters: Martha Green, Prudence Dill, Sarah L. West, Lotty Ann Crane and Achsah Few and the following negroes: Solomon, Alsa, boy named Gilbert, girl named Lurana.  The following is an extract of this will.

**********

Mary Carr Loftis, 1770-1829, Greenville County, South Carolina

Mary Carr Loftis, born about 1770 and died in 1829 in Greenville County, South Carolina.  I know she was the wife of Martin Loftis and that Martin Loftis was the son of Job Loftis and Elvira Goodlett and one of his brothers or possibly one of his sisters was my fifth great-grandparent.  I have yet, to figure out for certain who my Labon Loftis’ father and mother were, but my DNA puts me in the Job Loftis and Elvira Goodlett family.  I don’t know much else about Mary at this time.

Mary Carr Loftis died intestate before November 16, 1829 when her son-in-law James G. McClurg ask to be the administrator of her estate.  Margaret Loftis McClurg shared in three negroes, named: Esther, Eliza and a boy named Lewis with her mother Mary.  The following is a copy of the administration and the second page list the three negroes.

**********

Francis Parker of Halifax County, Virginia and Smith County, Tennessee

I don’t know much about the man, I am going to be writing about this time.  His name was Francis Parker and I know he lived in the same area as some of my Parker families, but so far I have not been able to find the connection between him and either of my line of Parker’s.  My DNA however is matching up with the Parker’s of Halifax County, Virginia and Smith County, Tennessee.  The Parker line in Smith County, Tennessee is from my Mom’s side of the family through her Mom’s people.  I also have a Parker line from my Daddy’s side of the family through his Dad’s people, which I have been able to connect to each other.  The given names of Francis Parker’s family and my family on both sides are all pretty much the same, so I believe there is some connection somewhere, I just need to find it.  Here is what I do know.  Francis and his wife Lucy were probably born in the early 1750’s.  Francis Parker and his family lived in Halifax County, Virginia up until at least 1800, before coming to the Smith County, Tennessee area and some of his children went to the county to the north of Smith called Macon.  The following maps shows Halifax County, Virginia and Smith and Macon Counties in Tennessee.

From the will of Francis Parker, I know he had the following children and this is what I know about some of them: Abraham Parker, born ca. 1776 - died before 1860, who was married to Phebe Nichols in 1799 in Halifax County, Virginia; Francis Parker, born ca. 1778, Archibald Parker, born ca. 1787 - died before 1880; John Parker, born 1789 - died 1816, married to Nancy Lovelady; and Womack Parker, born ca. 1794 - died after 1862, married to Elizabeth; Tabitha Parker, born ca. 1780 married to William Nash in 1797 in Halifax County, Virginia; Polly Parker, born ca, 1784, married to Thomas Nash; and Lucy Parker, born ca. 1792.  Francis’ wife was named Lucy, as of yet I do not know what her maiden name was, but I am wondering if it might have been Womack, since that is an unusual given name.  Also, according to the will of Francis Parker, his children: John, Womack and Lucy were all under age and not married.  The majority of the time this would mean they were under the age of 21 and from what I have found so far, John, Lucy and Womack, were approximately 18, 15 and 13 years old respectively when their father wrote his will.

I found Francis Parker’s will and inventory in Smith County, Tennessee Probate Records 1805-1833, SLFHL Microfilm #319178, item 1, pages 141-143, 183-184 = The Will and Inventory of Francis Parker, written: September 28, 1807 = probated: December 3, 1807 = inventory: March 1808.  He didn’t live very long from when he wrote his will, until it was brought to court when it said he was deceased.  He mentions his wife Lucy Parker and the following children, sons: Abraham Parker, Francis Parker, Archibald Parker, John Parker and Womack Parker and daughters: Polly Parker married to Thomas Nash, Tabitha Parker Nash and Lucy Parker.  Also a grandson named Francis Nash, son of his daughter Tabitha.  Some online trees are showing that Tabitha’s husband died young and left her with just the one child. Francis Parker is giving some of his children land, some horses, with saddles and bridles and some get feather beds as well as a little cash. 

None of his children are listed as getting any slaves, but in the inventory of his estate the following negroes are listed: 1 negro boy named Oliver, age 12, 1 negro boy named Joe, age 2, 1 negro woman named Nancy, 1 negro woman named Mary, 1 negro girl named Rose age 11 and 1 negro girl named Mary age 2.

The following is a copy of his will, probate and inventory.

My Parker’s on both sides of my family were from Virginia and North Carolina then went to Tennessee and then on into Kentucky.  My good friend Malia’s, Parker line did pretty much the same thing.  To see what all I have collected on both of my Parker family lines and my friend, Malia’s, Parker family, you can go to my online tree at this web link: http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=vaparker