Chapter 5: Scogin

Scogin Family Origins

George Scoggin was born about 1630 in England. His parents names are unknown. It is speculated that the spelling has changed between the parents of George Scoggin and the name that appears on the documents found for this man.  This could involve misunderstanding or misspelling when in England, which was common for that time period.  Sometimes the spelling of a person's name would change more than once over their lifetime.  The possibilities for the spelling of his name were: Scoggin, Scoggins, Scogin, Scogan, Scoggan, Scoggen and Scogen.

The earliest reference for "George Scoggins" in America was when he arrived in Lancaster County, Virginia in 1653. His passage was paid by a William Tidner--he could have been indentured, but there has been no evidence of indenturement papers.  The source of this information is a book called "Pioneers and Cavaliers" by Nugent and the information from Andy Anderson who wrote a book entitled "Wright and Susan Scogins".

The only known child of George Scoggin is Richard George Scoggin (1665), and the name of his mother is unknown as well.

Richard George Scoggin was born in 1665 in Brunswick or Prince George County, Virginia and lived most of his life in Prince George. He married Lucy Harvey (or Harney) in 1684 in Virginia. They had three sons: Richard II (1695), John (1697), William (1699). It may be that they also had a son George (born around 1695) and a daughter Susannah Harny.*

Lucy Harvey was the daughter of William Harvey and a woman named Margery. William Harvey probably arrived in Virginia by 1668, if not earlier. Mr. Francis Campfield was given 314 acres in Glouster County, VA, in April 1668, for the transport of six people: "William Harvy, Jno. Roberts, Rich. Peake, Nic. Reinolds, Stephen Pore, and Cha. Gualter." (Cavaliers & Pioneers, Vol. II, p. 36, and Patent Book 6, p. 130 in the original record). There is no further record of Margery after 1695, and William's wife in his will was Sara, so he must have re-married.

Richard I was referenced in Surry County, Virginia deed books as early as November 1689 (Deed Bk 4, p.123). He witnessed a deed of Jethro and Mary Barker to William Killingsworth in September 1690 (Deed Bk 4, p.158). In January 1695 he witnessed a deed of William and Margery Harvey to John Barker (Deed Bk 5, p.51). In March 1702, he witnessed several deeds of William and Susannah Short to George Rackill or Rachell (Deed Bk 5, p.265-266). Richard and Lucy moved to Bristol Parish in Prince George County, Virginia. In December 1714, Richard and Lucy, now of Bristol Parish, sell to John Atkison of Lawnes Creek parish in Surry County, 100 acres where John Atkison now lives on the south side of Mill Swamp. The land was part of 400 acres granted to John Clark in May 1665. Richard I may have died in Prince George County but no record has been found.

The oldest son, Richard Scoggin II, was born in Bristol Parish, Prince George County, Surry, Virginia in 1695 (or 1698). He married a woman named Mary in about 1720. Her maiden name was either Ray, Webb or Harney. (If Harney, then her parents may have been William and Sarah Harney. Note that in some sources Richard's wife has been listed as Ruth Bostic but this is a mistake; that is his daughter's married name.) Richard and Mary lived in Prince George until 1721 when they moved to Washington, Virginia. There children were: Wall (1719, infant death?), Nathan Johnathan (1722), Richard Thomas (1723), Foy Francis (1725), Martha B. (1729, twin), Lutia (1729, twin), Mary Ruth (1732), Anna (1734).

On the Bristol Parish Register, Prince George County, Virginia, the children listed for Richard and Mary Scoggin include John, Richard, Francis, Martha, Lutia, Mary, and Anne. (original spelling and punctuation retained):
John son of Rich: & Mary Scoggin born 22th July last bapt 17th Sepr 1721
Rich son of Rich & Mary Scoggin born 15th feb last bapt May 26th 1723
Francis son of Rich'd and Mary Scogin born 22nd augst 1725
Martha & Lutia Drs of Richd & Mary Scoggan Born 11th of July 1729
Mary datr of Richd and Mary Scoggan born 1st July 1732 bapt 20th Aug 1732
Anne D: of Richard and Mary Scogin Born 25th May 1734 Bapt 11th August

In July 1724, Richard II was granted 154 acres of "new land" in Prince George County, on the north side of Hatcher's Run, below his house (Cavaliers & Pioneers Vol. III, p. 270). In September 1739, Richard II was granted 327 acres in Prince George County, on the north side of Hatchers Run, on the Rocky Branch, at the mouth of a small branch of Hatchers Run below his house, adjacent to George Scogan, Clemmonds & Williams. Of this 327 acres, 154 acres had been previously granted to Richard in July 1724 (Cavaliers & Pioneers, Vol. IV, page 206). Also in September 1739, Richard Jr. was granted 328 acres in Brunswick County on the south side of Waqua Creek, adjacent to John Scogin (Cavaliers & Pioneers Vol. IV, p. 199). At some point this Richard moved to Halifax County, Virginia, and left a will there in 1770.

Upon his death in 1770, Richard II left all of his property, which included "three Negroes, London, Sam and Siss", to his wife, Mary. At that time, Mary entered into indenturement papers which transferred the sum of $75.00 to a man named, Stephen Norton, of Orange, North Carolina and transferred to Mary Scoggins a 152 acre tract of land on the Broad River.  Executors were Mary, his wife, and David Wall, his son-in-law. Witnesses were David Grant, John Foulkner, and John Dunkly. Upon her death about 1780 in Antrim Parish, Halifax, Virginia, in Mary Scoggin's will, she leaves all of her worldly goods as follows: John Wilson (Son-in-law): one-half of her land in the State of North Carolina and one negro slave, London; John Scoggin (illegitimate son of Ruth Bostick): The other half of her land and two negro slaves, Jan and Jockey, one feather bed and furniture and one cow and calf; Sally Scoggin: Bed and furniture, a negro slave named Ely and one cow and calf; Daniel Wall (son-in-law): her negro slave Sam and, after Daniel's demise, to his son John Wall. Charles Bostick (son-in-law): a negro woman slave. Mary closes her will by requesting that the remainder of her estate be sold and distributed, in equal shares, to her four sons-in-law: John Wilson, Daniel Wall, David Wall and Charles Bostick. (Source: Library of Virginia, Will Book No. 1, 1773-1783 (Reel 36), pages 336, 336a. Will probated 16 Nov 1780. Inventory and appraisement recorded 21 Dec 1780.)

John Scogin, Richard and Lucy's second son, was born in 1697 and died in July 1760 in Halifax, Virginia. He had at least one daughter, Frances. In 1704, William Harvey left John Scoggin, and then John's daughter Frances, a chest that had been her grandmother's. I think he means Margery Harvey, even though that would be Frances' great grandmother (her grandmother was Lucy who was still living in 1704). It could however be that there is another John Scoggin, brother of Richard I who married another of William Harvey's daughters and had a daughter named Frances. In March 1718 John Scoggins and daughter, Frances Scoggins, of Prince George County sold to William Mixon of Surry County for 5 shillings... 100 acres in Southwarke Parish (formerly land of William Harvey, decd., who gave it to John Scoggins during his life). Land is part of a patent to William Short. Witnesses were John Tyus and John Aviris (Deed Bk 7, p.163). In August 1734, John Clemmond (Clemmons) of Prince George Co, VA, was granted 376 acres of new land between Hatchers Run & the Rockey Branch, adjacent to John Nance, Samuel Sentell, & John Scoggins (Cavaliers & Pioneers Vol. IV, p. 47). In November 1734, John Scoggin of Prince George Co, VA, was granted 100 acres in Brunswick Co, VA, on the south side of Waqua Creek, at the mouth of a great Branch adjacent to Tabb (Cavaliers & Pioneers Vol. IV, p. 63). In March 1739, James Hudson was granted 301 acres in Brunswick County on the south side of Waqua Creek, down the great Branch along the road, adjacent to John Scoggin & Tabb (Cavaliers & Pioneers Vol. IV, p. 185).

William Scogin, Richard and Lucy's third son, was born in 1699 and married a woman named Rebecca, who was born around 1698. They had at least two children, Rebecca (1721) and David (1725). In 1704 William Harvey left land to William Scoggin, son of Richard. In June 1714 William Scogin of Bristol Parish in Prince George County sold to Clement Lanier of Southwarke Parish in Surry County for 1 shilling... land above the head of upper Chipoakes Creek between Thomas Farmer and Capt. Cocke. Land was sold by Samuel Swann and wife, Sarah Swann, to William Harvey in July 1689, who willed it to said Scoggin. Witnesses were Robert Nicholson, Jr., and Joshua Nicholson (Deed Bk 6, p.192).

Nathan Johnathan Scoggin was born on July 22, 1721 in Bristol Parish, Prince George County, Virginia. He was baptized on September 17, 1721. In 1744, in Brunswick, Virginia, he married Mildred Jonas, who born in 1720 in Halifax, Brunswick, VA. They lived in Virginia their whole lives. They had six children: Matthew (1741), Alexander Ellick (1750), John Jr. (1752), Francis (1755), David (1758), Nathan (1759). Jonathan, Sr. died in the French and Indian War in 1763. I don't know when Mildred Jonas died.

Note: The information showing that Johnathan Scoggin was born on July 22, 1721 and the son of Richard and Mary is very strong. The information showing that his first name is Nathan is weak and so is the proof that Alexander Ellick Scoggin was the son of THIS particular John Scoggin. It is also possible that the son born after John was a Nathan Scoggin that one source indicates was born in 1722 who married Anne Marcey and had eight children.

As for the other siblings, Richard Thomas Scoggin was born on February 15, 1723 and baptized on May 26th, 1723. He married Mary Jones and died sometime between June 1770 and 1780. Francis Scogin was born on August 22, 1725. I believe he married Jemima and had seven children. Martha and Lutia "Lucy" Scogin were twins, both born on July 11, 1729. Martha married David Wall (and had six children) and Lutia married his brother, Daniel Wall (and had a son). I don't know when either of them died. David and Martha adopted David Scoggin after his brother Johnathan's death in 1763 and renamed him David Wall. Mary Ruth Scoggin was born on July 1, 1732 and baptized on August 20, 1732. She married Charles Bostick. She died around 1813. Anna Scoggin was born on May 25, 1734 and baptized on August 11, 1734. Anna married John Wilson. I don't know when she died.

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