Marriage Proof Found in Land Deed

James Rivers was born about 1835 to William Rivers and his wife, Elizabeth “Betsey” Rivers. The 1850 Census for Chesterfield County, SC shows James, age 15, in the household of his father, William Rivers, age 75. ¹

 

This is the only census in which James Rivers, born 1835, has been found. Folklore says that he served in the Civil War and was killed in 1862.   I have not been able to confirm his service in the Civil War.

There is a Civil War tombstone and a FindAGrave memorial for James S. Rivers, who served with Company “D”, 6th Cavalry. A July 19, 1862 shows that James S. Rivers was 20 years of age making his birth year to be about 1842, much younger than James Rivers, son of William & Betsey^.2

James S. Rivers returned home and is buried in the Rivers cemetery. At present, it is not known what happen to James Rivers, born 1835.

A check of the Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Database (CWSS), Broken Fortunes, Dark Hours and the Roll of the Dead turned up no viable candidates.

Pre-Civil records for Chesterfield County were destroyed by the Union forces in March 1865. There are very few, if any, records of an ancestor prior to the Civil War.

Available resources are very limited. One of those limited resources is a deed book “recovered” from the bonfire that General Sherman troops used to burn every record within the county. That book is maintained in the Probate Judge Office, Chesterfield County Courthouse and is known as the “Burned Book”. Within that deed book we find, on page 50, a Land Deed between John C. Davis to Thomas C. Davis. 



That Deed, John C. Davis to Thomas C. Davis, on page 50 contains a “Golden Nugget” for a genealogist.

That “Golden Nugget” is:


“conveyed to me by Wm. A. Rivers, by deed bearing date 10th Dec 1858. Said
Tract of land being a portion of the real Estate of Britton Dozier, laid off
To Nancy A. Rivers the wife of James Rivers, reference being had to a …”

This deed tells us that the land being sold is the Estate lands of Britton Dozier.

• That Britten Dozier has passed away prior to date of this deed.
• That the land being sold was set aside for Nancy A. Rivers.  Thus Nancy is related to Britten Dozier; we know from research that Britton is the Mother of Nancy A. Dozier.
• That Nancy and James Rivers were married before 10 Dec. 1858.

No record of James or his wife, Nancy has been found after this Land Deed. Folklore claims that James died in the Civil War but this information has not been confirmed.  It is not known what happen to Nancy A. Dozier Rivers after the Civil War. There is no application on file, in South Carolina, for a Widow’s Civil War pension.

In summary, James Rivers, age 15, is listed in the household of William Rivers in the 1850 census for Chesterfield County, SC. A land deed dated December 1858, mentions James and his wife, Nancy A., daughter of Britton Dozier.

James Rivers is my 3rd Great Grand Uncle.

If you have information about James Rivers and his wife, Nancy A. Dozier please contact me through this blog.








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[1] 1850 U. S. Census, Chesterfield District, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield District, South Carolina, Page 179B, Line 16, family 1242, dwelling 1242, Household of William Rivers; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 2010); citing National Archives Microfilm M432 Roll 851.
[2]  http://www.fold3.com/image/20/65078433/


[3] Chesterfield County, South Carolina, BURNT DEED BOOK: page 50, Land Deed between John C. Davis to Thomas C. Davis Deed; 22 December 1859, Register of Deeds, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina.

Laid off to Nancy A. Rivers the wife of James Rivers

 
James Rivers, born about 1835, was a son of William Rivers and his wife Elizabeth “Betsy” (Rivers) Rivers. James can be found with his Father in the 1850 Census for Chesterfield County, his Mother passed away in December 1847; he is listed as age 15. ¹



James is said to have died in the Civil War while serving with the 6th SC Cavalry. There is a Civil War Record for a James S. Rivers on Fold3 consisting of 11 images; but, there is no mentioned of him dying while on duty.² There is also a James K. Rivers serving in the 6th Calvary that was wounded. A FindAGrave Memorial (# 47258559), no dates, shows James S. Rivers buried in the Rivers Cemetery.³

No record of James has been found other than the 1850 Census and no document has been found that shows him with a middle initial of “S” or “K”. The Civil War Soldier and Sailor database shows 4 James Rivers serving in the Civil War from South Carolina. To date James Rivers death has not been confirmed but it is my belief that he did die in the Civil War.

What has been found is two documents that showed that James Rivers married prior to the Civil War. As I researched this family I had no idea that James had married; he was merely a lad of 15 in the 1850 Census. Beyond 1850 no additional information was found for James Rivers, born about 1835, in any record especially the census.

James remained in my database with the one event (1850 Census) from 1976 till September –October 1998. In mid-1998, I learned of a private genealogical collection with information on the Rivers of Chesterfield County, South Carolina. A copy of this collection was on file in Columbia, South Carolina. The collection was interesting but also disappointing. While it contained massive amount of data, there was NO SOURCE DOCUMENTATION provided.  Found within the collection was this note:

• James Rivers married Dozier [Nancy A.] ⁴

A search of the Census for Nancy A. Dozier resulted in no information being found and like a “Cold Case” the meager information on James Rivers continued to lie dormant in my database. 

Then there came a day when I was informed that a “single” Deed Book was rescued  during the Civil War from the Northern Forces bonfire of burning courthouse documents in March 1865. This “Burned Book” is kept separately from all deed books and was accessible through the Probate office at the County Courthouse. This book was also filmed by the LDS Family History Library.  Within this “Burned Book” is a single land deed that refers to the marriage of James Rivers and Nancy A.(Dozier) Rivers and suggests that she is a heir  of  Britton Dozier. 




[Partial Transcription]
John C. Davis to Thomas P. Davis Deed ⁵
The State of South Carolina,
Know all men by these presents that I john C. Davis of Chesterfield district in the State aforesaid for and in consideration of the sum of Three Hundred dollars to me paid by Thomas P. Davis of the same district in the state aforesaid have granted, bargained, sold and released and by these presents do grant, bargain sell and release, unto the said Thos. P. Davis all that piece, parcel, and tract of land containing one hundred and twenty eight acres more of lefs [less] adjoining the lands of Edward Mulloy, Rolin Kite and others, which said tract of land was conveyed to me by Wm. A. Rivers, by deed bearing date 10^th Dec. 1858. Said tract of land being a portion of the real Estate of Britton Dozier, laid off to Nancy A. Rivers the wife of James Rivers, reference being had to a plat of the same on file in the Ordinary’s Office of said district will more fully show &c together with all and singular the rights, Members Hereditaments and Appurtenances to the said premises belonging or on any wise…
The above Land Deed dated 22 December 1859

 
Britten Dozer is listed in the 1840 Census for Chesterfield County.




Another piece of secondary information came from Genform.
[Quote]”Ga. and SC I found the following information in the documents related to the estate of James Dozier in Sumter County, GA in 1849. Lovett R. Dozier was issued Letter of Administration on the Estate. James' wife was named Britten. He owned property in Cherokee County and Sumter County, GA. Lovett R. Dozier was the son of James and Nancy Moore Dozier of Sumter County. Another connection was George Dozier, grandson of James and Nancy Moore and son of John B. Dozier, deceased, son of James and Nancy. He was enumerated in the Felts HH in 1860. I obtained a copy of the documents related to administration of the estate of James Dozier in Sumter County, GA 1849 and subsequent years. Lovett R. Dozier, son of James and Nancy Moore Dozier was granted letters of administration on the estate. James' wife was named Britten. She must have died previously or about the same time because Lovett R. was appointed guardian of Rebecca, Nancy, Eliza Ann and James W., children of James and Britten Dozier. This James had property in Cherokee County, Ga and Sumter County, GA at his death. This James W. appears to be the same James W. who went back to Chesterfield County, SC married Hulda Rebecca Alexander and had son named John W.. Rebecca married George Felts in Sumter County in 1852. Nancy moved to Geneva County, AL and married first Noah Meeks and later a Simmons. In 1880 Rebecca moved to Geneva County and was enumerated in her HH in 1880. In 1889, John W. moved from Chesterfield County, SC to Geneva County, AL to help his Aunt Nancy. At her death she willed her farm to him. From first blush it appears that this James is likely a son of James and Nancy Moore Dozier. The age are more comparable and it would be perfectly normal for a brother to be appointed administrator of the estate and guardian of his young children - the oldest being 17. Thought that you might be interested in this finding. Jim King (JasOKing@aol.com)....My line levitaann@yahoo.com”[unquote] ⁶

If James Rivers did in fact die in the Civil War; what happen to his wife Nancy A. (Dozier) Rivers. No record of James or Nancy A. has been found after 22 December 1859, the date of the above land deed.  Did Britten Dozier move to Georgia? Did Nancy A. Rivers move with her?

This family has created more questions that answers.


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[1] 1850 U. S. Census, Chesterfield District, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield District, South Carolina, Page 179B, Line 16, family 1242, dwelling 1242, Household of William Rivers; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 2010); citing National Archives Microfilm M432 Roll 851.
[2] http://www.fold3.com/image/20/65078433/
[3] Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database and digital images, (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 7 May 2012); Memorial page for James RIVERS; (Unknown); Find a Grave memorial # 47258559, Citing Rivers Cemetery; Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, USA.
[4] Private
[5] Chesterfield County, South Carolina, BURNT DEED BOOK: page 50, Land Deed between John C. Davis to Thomas C. Davis Deed; 22 December 1859, Register of Deeds, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina.
[6] http://genforum.genealogy.com/dozier/messages/1377.html