Treasure Chest Thursday~Marriage of Nancy A. Rivers and Noah Meeks

James Rivers, son of William Rivers and Betsy Rivers was born about 1835 in Chesterfield County, South Carolina. He is enumerated in the 1850 Chesterfield Census as a 15 year old male. Unbeknown to him but his birth would make him of prime age for fighting during the Civil War.¹

Sometime prior to the start of the Civil War in 1861, James Rivers married Nancy A. Dozier. Nancy was the daughter of  James and Britten Dozier of Chesterfield. Her father had passed away sometime before 7 October 1848 and Mother, Britten before 7 June 1852.  
Nancy and her sister Rebecca are enumerated in Marlboro County in the 1850 Census.²
Probate of James and Britten Dozier Estate in Sumter County, Georgia shows that Lovett R. Dozier was named Guardian of their minor children.³

Georgia}
Sumter County} Know all men by these presents; that we Lovett R. Dozier and William Johnson, Security, acknowledge ourselves jointly and severally boun[d] <sic> unto Louis Bruner, Ordinary of said County and his succefsors and afsigns in the just and full sum of Four Hundred & fifty dollars, to the true payment of which,will and truly to be made, we bind ourselves, and heirs, executors, and administrators of us, and each of us, jointly and severally, by these presents. Sealed with our seals, and dated this 7th day of June 1852.
The condition of the bond or obligation is such; that if the above bound Lovett R. Dozier, who is this day appointed Guardian of the persons or property of Nancy, Rebecca, Eliza Ann and James W. Dozier, Orphan children of Britten Dozier, deceased, he acknowledging the same by his acceptance of said appointment, and Letters of Guardianship
 
Proof of the marriage between James and Nancy can be found in the “Burnt Deed Book” kept on the Probate office of Chesterfield County.⁴

BURNT DEED BOOK: Chesterfield County , SC; Page 50, Land Deed between John C. Davis to Thomas C. Davis Deed: Parts illegible, Burnt. Visible names and comments are: John C. Davis to Thomas C. Davis Deed; Wm. A. Rivers, Estate Lands of Britton Dozier, laid off to Nancy A. [Dozier] Rivers the wife of James Rivers, dated 22nd Day of December 1859.“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 …”

James Rivers died early in the Civil War, we know this because of a Georgia marriage licensee between the widow of James Rivers, Nancy A. [Dozier] Rivers and Noah Meeks which took place on 16 January 1862 in Sumter County, Georgia.⁵
 


State of Georgia, Sumter County:
To any Judge of the Inferior Court,
                                  Justice of the Peace, or Minister of the Gospel:

YOU ARE HEREBY AUTHORIZED TO JOIN

Noah Meeks and Nancy A. Rivers

In the holy state of MATRIMONY according to the Constitution and Laws of this Sate; and far so doing shall be your sufficient Licensee.
Given under my hand and Seal, this Fifteenth day of January 1862.
                                                 Louis Brumer …….ORDINARY

___________________________________________________________

GEORGIA,………Sumter………County:
I Certify, That Noah Meeks ……..and Nancy A. Rivers……were duly joined in MATROMONY by me, this ………16^th………………day of …. January…….1862.
                                                                              W. H. Hammoch JP





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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] 1850 U. S. Census, Marlboro County, South Carolina, population schedule, Marlboro, South Carolina, page 149, Line 25, Dwelling 397, Family 397, Household of Mifs N. DOZIER; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 3 March 2015); citing National Archives Microfilm M432 Roll 856.
[3] "Georgia Probate Records, 1742-1990," images,FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-30448-1595-78?cc=1999178&wc=9SB9-FMH:267781801,267875801: accessed 26 May 2015), Sumter > Wills, administration and guardian bonds 1838-1855 vol 00 > image 124-125 of 208; county probate courthouses,Georgia.
[4] 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.
[5] "Georgia, County Marriages, 1785-1950," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-25516-2304-81?cc=1927197 : accessed 10 June 2015), 0255437 (005190862) > image 154 of 621; county courthouses, Georgia.

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.