19 Feb 2015. As the aforementioned Luke Wiles (Wildes) is my fifth great-grandfather, I thought that I would add to the conversation. At most genealogical website, we normally see Luke associated with Margaret Stovall. I must add that the discussion as to what Margaret’s surname is has been debated for some time. I have come to believe that her surname is Stovall. There is a well written, expertly documented, genealogy of the Stovall family. It is on the net and can be found by searching: “The Family of Bartholomew Stovall [Eight generations of Stovalls in England and America]”. I feel that the author makes a very compelling argument that Margaret was a Stovall.
Luke was presumed to be born on 22 Oct 1699. This is actually the day of his baptism. I am not clear rather the baptism occurred on his birth date or sometime later. He signed his will ( Lunenburg Will Book #1, Page 493-493) on 31 May 1749. His will was introduce in court on 2 Jan 1750. Between those two dates, Luke passes from this life. Again it is presumed, as I have never seen a marriage certificate, that Luke and Margaret were married on 27 Oct 1726.
J. Wyles [on Rootsweb 19 Feb 2015]
Thanks! Yes, the Stovall work is key. I think the theory may still be worth considering.
The Stovall work adds her as a child of Bartholomew because of the brother-in-law mention in 1726 (Luke Wiles and George Stovall are brothers in law). However, George Stovall can also be the brother in law through his wife’s relationship to a potential sister Elizabeth (poss) Lankford. In other words, another explanation is that they were married to sisters.
The work states that her inclusion is drawn from this record. There is no other record of Bartholomew Stovall having a daughter Margaret (that I know of).
But both Tandy Walker and Thomas Dupree were securities to the will of Luke Wiles. Isn’t the simplest explanation that they were his brothers in law? That can make Judith, Susanna and Margaret sisters.
“At the Court held for Lunenburg County the 2nd day of January, 1749* The within written last Will and Testament of Luke Wilds deceased was Exhibited in Court by Margaret Wilds Widow and Executrix therein named who made Oath thereto according to Law and the same was proved by the oaths of two of the Witnesses thereto and Ordered to be Recorded and on the Motion of the said Executrix who having first together with Tandy Walker and Thomas Dupree her securities entered into Bond and Acknowledged the same Certificate was granted her for obtaining a Probate of the said Will in due form. Teste: Clem. Read, CLC “
Clearly anyone can be a security, so this proves nothing, but I suspect that they would be trusted family members at the least. And the family would have chosen a Stovall family member instead if one were available. I still think that the easiest solution is that Margaret was a Lankford not a Stovall, connected because her sister Elizabeth married a Stovall.
The Dupre Trail is the seminal compilation of records related to this family and it has guided all researchers for decades now. I believe it can be supplemented as a basis for some revisions and additions to the story of the Thomas Dupree family. These suggestions follow with the innuendo, inference or more solid evidence that makes them possible. I think it could significantly add to the legacy of this family and, at the same time, challenge some sacred cow linkages that are prevalent in existing research.
The family of Thomas Dupre of Henrico, Lunenburg and Mecklenburg.
First off, I think Thomas’ wife was Susannah LANKFORD, not Stovall or Marsh. The logic for this is contained in the first post in this thread. Susannah may have been first married to James Wood. The Vestry Book of St Paul’s Parish mentions support for the son of Susannah Wood (1732) and later support for James Wood (1735) by name who is cared for by Abel and Eleanor Turner. Please note that outside of date and place, I have no evidence that this Susannah is the same one who married Thomas Dupree. There are earlier records for a James Wood in the Vestry book so it seems possible that Susannah was first married to JAMES WOOD and had a son named JAMES WOOD by him. John, David, Martha and Stephen Wood (Stephen might be a Mood) are mentioned on a 1778 Lunenburg Deed to Lewis Dupree the son of Thomas and Susannah.
So, I would start by considering that the family of Thomas might have looked like this:
Thomas married Susannah Lankford Wood (widow of James with son James)
Their children are Lewis, Elizabeth Whitlock, Joseph, Margaret Stokes and Mary Brizendine (as shown in Thomas will). An analysis of names suggests that Lewis is named for his uncle, Lewis Dupre; Margaret is named for her grandmother, Margaret Easley Dupree; Joseph might be named for his great grandfather Joseph/Josias Dupre; the origins of the names Elizabeth and Mary are not clear. Importantly missing are a son named Thomas, who would have been named for either of his grandfathers and a daughter named Martha, who would have been named for her Lankford grandmother. Since all three of these namesake candidates are dead before 1730, it might explain their absence or there could have been a Thomas and a Martha who died young.
I will not follow the daughters of the family here, except to say that Mary Brisendine had a son named Lankford Brizendine, who could very well have been named after mother’s family. I continue with the families of Joseph and Lewis, starting with Joseph because I have less to say.
Family of Joseph Dupree
Joseph is said to have married Madam Nannie Sullivan. I have not located the origin or proof for this marriage but would suggest that whether or not he married such a person (or indeed that such a person existed), he did marry a woman possibly named Ann Wiles, daughter of Luke Wiles. Luke left a much analyzed will in 1748, discussed above, on which Thomas Dupree and Tandy Walker were securities (I think they were his brothers in law). In this will he mentions two daughters. I think these were unwed daughters because no mention is made is of sons in law. Fast forward to their son Stephen Wiles will in 1761. Thomas Wiles and Joseph Dupree are his executors. Joseph could just be a cousin but, since Thomas Wiles was Stephen’s brother, it seems more likely to me that this was his brother and brother in law. The Dupre trail suggests that Stephen’s daughter could have married Joseph Dupree, but the time frame doesn’t fit as well, and so it seems more apt that Stephen’s sister married Joseph Dupree. Also mentioned in this will is Lewis Dupree, important for the next part. There is also an indenture in 1765 that further reinforces this theory. See the end of this post.
Why would Joseph’ wife be ANN Wiles? There is no record to draw from but the two known children of Joseph Dupree and his wife are William and Nancy. Nancy can be a nickname for Ann. So can Nannie and this might account for the traditional naming of the first wife of Joseph.
Family of Lewis Dupree
It is here (disclosure my direct line) where I find the most suggested revision necessary.
We start with a first wife for Lewis Dupree. The Dupre trail suggests, based on the projected birth dates of his children that Lewis probably had three wives, not two (Amy Willingham and Median Cruse Atkinson). I believe that his first wife might have been a woman named MARTHA WILES, the second unnamed daughter of Luke and Margaret Lankford Wiles. First off, let me suggest four children of Lewis and Martha.
1) Thomas Deupree, Thomas was born about 1757, a good five years before Lewis married Amy Willingham, his second wife. What little I know is that he may have had children Mary, Susannah and Bannister. As he would have been very young when his birth mother died, he may not have named a daughter after his mother, but after his grandmother who he knew well. Nathaniel Dacus is given care of his children when he dies…
2) Martha Deupree, born about 1752. This Martha married Nathaniel Dacus. A 1768 marriage is cited by some. I have not seen this record and a DAR record calls her the WIDOW Dupree, which could point another direction. The Dacus family is closely linked to the Deuprees. Nathaniel Dacus was the administrator of Thomas Deupree’s estate in 1782. He also was the guardian of Thomas’s (purported brother of Martha above) orphans. A simple explanation is that he was their uncle.
3) Susanna Deupree born about 1755. Susannah married John Dacus, brother of Nathaniel above. Unlike with Martha, I have found no suggestions that Susannah was a Deupree (or any suggested maiden name). But there are some reasons to infer it. A 1775 indenture for Lewis Dupree is witnessed by John Dacus and in 1785 in Lunenburg, John, Susannah and William Dacus witness a deed of Lewis Dupree to Edward Robinson. Since Lewis’ mother was named Susannah it seems likely that he would have named a daughter after her.
4) Mary/Polly Deupree born about 1760. Polly married William T Dacus, brother of Nathaniel and John above. She died in 1788. She is mentioned in the 1782 Lunenburg inventory of Thomas Dupree (suggested as her grandfather). William remarries in 1788 to a Nancy. He dies in 1839 in Greenville, South Carolina, where Lewis Deupree moved.
In summary, Lewis Dupree and his first wife may have had Thomas, Martha, Susannah and Mary.
As mentioned above both Joseph and Lewis Dupree feature in the will of Stephen Wiles (their possible brother in law). Stephen Wiles mentions a patent he made in his name and Lewis Dupree’s. In a 1765 indenture of property of Stephen Wiles acknowledged by Thomas Wiles (his brother) and Lewis Dupree, the wife of Lewis is given as “at which time Amy, the wife of said Dupree came in and relinquished Dower.” This suggests both an earlier wife and the possibility that this wife was the relation to Stephen Wiles (I am suggesting, his sister).
I have no record to show the name of this earlier wife. However, it seems possible, if Margaret Wiles is the daughter of Martha West Lankford, that she would name one of her daughters Martha. One of the children of Lewis and his wife is named Martha, potentially after her mother. The absence of a known MARGARET Deupree in the assembled family is problematic. But it seems like the evidence can infer that Lewis’ first wife might have been one of the two daughters of Luke and Margaret Wiles. It should be noted that this path would have Lewis and Joseph marrying first cousins, on their Lankford side.
The second wife of Lewis Dupree was Amy Willingham (as is well proven).
I would suggest the addition of one daughter for Lewis and Amy, JANE DUPREE, born about 1769 who married Alexander Dacus, younger brother of Nathaniel, William and John mentioned above. Some of this is culled from this excellent timeline on the Dacus family – http://psolter.com/GENEALOGY/Timeline/TimeLine.html. But it is also interesting to note that Jane names a son Lewis (after her father?) but has no known daughter named Amy after her mother.
In summary, here is an outline of how I think it might have been (I only elaborate on the suggested revisions/additions):
Susannah Lankford (d of Thomas & Martha West Lankford) m1 James Wood
* Child:
* B c1730 James Wood
m2 Thomas Dupree
* Children:
* (daughters Elizabeth, Mary and Margaret)
* B c 1732 Lewis Deupree m1 Martha(?) Wiles (d of Luke and Margaret Lankford Wiles)
** Children:
** B c1752 Martha Dupree m Nathaniel Dacus
** B c1755 Susanna Dupree m John Dacus
** B c1757 Thomas Dupree m Mary
** B c1760 Mary/Polly Dupree m William T Dacus
* m2 Amy Willingham
** Children:
** B c1769 Jane Dupree m Alexander Dacus
** (Also Ann, Lewis Jarell, Drury, Daniel and Sarah)
* B c1734 Joseph Deupree m Ann Wiles (d of Luke and Margaret Lankford Wiles)
** (Children William and Nancy)
Comments, contradictions and elaborations welcome!
Some original records
1760 – Lunenburg County
Sep 10, 1760 Bk. 34 (1756-1762), p. 703. LEWIS DEAPRESS and STEPHEN WILES – 382 A. in Lunenburg Co., on lower side of Buffalo Creek, down Roanoke River, adj. Luke Wiles. 10 Sept. 1760.1762 – Lunenburg County, VA
Will Bk 2, p. 10 Will of STEPHEN WILES, dated 5 May 1762; proved 1 June 1762. Wife: Mary Wiles – Bed and furniture; also 1 Bay mare I bought of LEWIS DUPREE; the land where I now live containing 200 a. and my Entire on the Great Branch of Sions’ (?) Creek, with the rest of my Estate (other than that elsewhere bequeathed) to be sold and my debts paid, etc. I will that tract of land at the Mouth of Great B____ Creek … came by Patent to me in my own name and LEWIS DUPREE’s … that my executors…etc. should make them deeds to ROBERT WILES one for the upper Half and JOSEPH DUPREE for the other. To THOMAS WILES all my Right and Title of that Track of land my father left me of the south side of the Roanoke River opposite the Mouth of Bl___ton’s Creek.
I will that THOMAS WILES and JOSEPH DUPREE should be my Executors. Witnesses: Neavill Buchannan ROBERT MILES STEPHEN x WILES (LS) LUKE WILES, ARON x PINSON.1765
Deed Bk. 1, p. 169 – 14 Oct. 1765, Indenture. THOMAS WILES, Executor to the Estate of STEPHEN WILES, Dec’d and LEWIS DUPREE, Lunenburg Co., to JOSEPH DUPREE of same. Thomas Wiles in behalf of STEPHEN WILES’ Estate, his heirs, etc., and LEWIS DUPREE for himself and his heirs, etc., in consideration of the sum of twenty pounds to be paid by JOSEPH DUPREE, sell, release, etc., the lower end of a certain Tract of Land (the whole containing 382 A.) granted by Patent in 1760 to said LEWIS DUPREE and STEPHEN WILES, said land lying in Mechlenburgh Co., and bound on the South by the bank of Buffalo Creek near the mouth of same, down the Roanoke River to Luke Wiles Corner, said tract containing 191 acres. Witnesses: WILLIAM WILLIS, Wm Fowler Thomas Wiles (Seal) John Roberts LEWIS DUPREE (Seal)
Proved 14 Oct. 1765, being acknowledged by THOMAS WILES and LEWIS DUPREE, at which time AMY, the wife of said Dupree came in and relinquished Dower.1769 Halifax County
Aug. 15, 1769. LEWIS DEUPREE of Lunenburg County, to ROBERT WILES, 214 acres in Halifax Co. near Hico Creek on Buck Shoal Branch, adj. Wm. Byrd’s old line, then south.
Test: LUKE WILES LEWIS DEUPREE (LS) Drusilla Griffin MARY WILES Prov. 17 Aug. 1769.
[Robert and Luke are brothers, Mary could be the widow of Stephen]1778
DEEDS, Bk. 13-184. 8 Oct. 1778. LEWIS DUPREE to JOHN WOOD, both of Lunenburg Co., 55 A. for 32 Lbs. 1Os., land in Lunenburg Co., on north side of Middle fork of Snake (?) river — John Colwell–(?) – William’s Branch. Witnesses: James Armstd Stephen Fuqua LEWIS DUPREE (Seal) Temperance Fuqua THOMAS DUPREE David Wood Martha Wood Stephen MoodDACUS LINKS
1768
Martha Dupree b.abt.1752 d. bef. 1785 married NATHANIEL DACUS in 1768 (ROOTSWEB)1775
26 Dec. 1775:. Indenture. Thomas Norris of Charlotte Co. to LEWIS DEUPREE of same, 230 acres for 100 Lbs. – in Charlotte Co. on south Fork of Meherrin River, it being patented to Thomas Norris 27 Aug. 1770. Witnesses: James x Owen William Burn Thomas Norris (LS) Richard Amold JOHN x DACUS, Margaret x Owen. Prov. 1 Apr. 1776.1785
10 Jan. 1785;. Lewis Deupree/to Edward Robinson of Cumberland Co., 527 acres for 263
Lbs. Land in Lunenburg Co. on branches of Meherrin River, adj. Daniel Weatherford, Deupree’s Patent line, John Robinson, Peter Ward (or Wood), and Evans. Witnesses: JOHN DACUS Lewis Deupree (Seal) WM DACUS SUSANNAH DACUS Proved June 10, 1785.1788
DEEDS, BOOK 15-161. 10 Feb. 1788. DANIEL DUPREE of Lunenburg Co., purchases 130 A. of land for 25 Lbs., from NATHANIEL DACUS of same county, land in Lunenburg Co. on Branch of Juniper Creek and Farmer’s line.1789 (Dacus/Dupree marriage)
ALEXANDER DACUS, of Lunenburg Co. & JANE DUPREY, 17 Nov. 1789. Drury Duprey sec.1791
p. 106. 8 Sept. 1791. Nathaniel Dacus, Guardian of the Children of THOMAS DUPREE, dec’d – Account “Same as Last”.1800
ed Bk. F-533 19 March 1800 – DRURY DEUPREE, Mary Adkinson, and JOHN DACUS, Executors of Henry Adkinson Dec’d of Laurens Co. and State of South Carolina, planters, to Joseph Cox, of same – 103 acres for “Three hundred Dollars and nine Sterling” – land originally granted to David Craddock Deed and conveyed to James McDowel, thence by McDowel to said Henry Adkison Deed. Witnesses: Joseph Cox Mary x Adkinson (LS) Thomas Cox DURY x DEUPREE (LS) Jesse Cox JOHN DACUS (LS)1802
2 April 1802. Indenture WILLIAM DACUS, by virtue of a Power of Attorney given him by BANISTER DEUPREE Sells 60 acres of land for Banister Deupree for 30 Lbs. to Benjamin Lewis – land in Charlotte Co. on head waters of South Meherrin River, adj Edward Dacus, Edmund Ryon deed & by Weatherford, with all houses, orchards, woods, water courses, etc. Witnesses: Wm Thackston Margaret Thackston William Thackston jr, WILLIAM DACUS (LS) Prov. 7 June 1802, & acknowledged by WM DACUS, Atty in Fact for BANISTER DUPREE