Below is a conversation I had with the research people at the Library of
Virginia regarding Zachariah.
Perhaps this information will help to "connect" some dots. Hope somebody out
there can!
Greg
Mr. Scalf,
There is no way to know the reason why there is a gap of 29 years between
the issuance of the original treasury warrant and Zachariah Wells receiving
the grant of 100 acres.
One possible reason is that Zachariah Wells was not the man who took out the
treasury warrant. Treasury warrant number 9989 was issued to John Furnish
for 1250 acres in 18 December 1781. This warrant did not give John Furnish
1250 acres, only the RIGHT to purchase 1250 acres of land. At any point he
could sell off portions or the whole of his right as granted in the warrant.
A recorded copy of this treasury warrant can be found on microfilm at the
Library of Virginia: Old Treasury Warrants #9406-13305 (1781-1782) reel
334. It is possible to order a copy of this recorded copy. An interlibrary
loan copy of the film does not exist. John Furnish sold off rights from the
original 1250 acres to several other people. It is not possible for me to
say where the original warrant may be. It should be filed in the plats and
certificates, but with whose I cannot say as there were several grants of
land made to different individuals out of the original right to 1250. In
many cases the original treasury warrant does not survive.
Zachariah Wells purchased the right to 100 acres from this John Furnish.
The recorded copy of the treasury warrant for John Furnish shows this
although it does not give a date for that transaction. Wells then followed
the process through, had a survey done, and then received a grant for 100
acres. His grant may be found in Land Office Grant Book 60, page 259. You
may view this grant online, borrow it on microfilm through interlibrary loan
and make your own copy, or order a copy from the Library.
There is a surviving document for Zachariah Wells in the plats and
certificates. It is the document that you quote in your original email to
us and is essentially a survey of the 100 acres with an accompanying plat.
A copy of this document may be ordered from the Library. It is not
available on microfilm. If you decide to order a copy of this document,
please cite it as follows: Land Office plats & certificates, 1810, "W"
folder 2, Box 164, Zachariah Wells for 100 acres, 2 April 1810, Lee County.
Any copies may be ordered by clicking on the following link, printing off
the record request form, and submitting it along with the appropriate
service fee.
http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwehave/ARSform.pdf
To read further about the process of acquiring land from the Virginia Land
Office, please read the research note found at the following link:
http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwehave/land/rn20_landoffice.htm
I hope this answers your questions.
Sincerely,
Sarah Nerney
Research Archivist
-----Original Message-----
From: Gregory Scalf
To: Archives Desk
Sent: 1/11/2003 11:30 AM
Subject: Re: Research Question
Again, thank you for prompt response and the information. Since I am not
familiar with how these land transactions took place, can you answer
this
question?
The land was surveyed in 1808 and in that document it refers to the
warrant
in 1781. Governor gives him ownership of said land in 1810. Why did it
take
from 1781 until 1808 to get the land surveyed?
Secondly, would there be a 1781 document with information on it,
regarding
this purchase.
Thirdly, there are over 100 researchers trying to find info on this
Zachariah Wells. We can't find his birth or origin, marriage, or death.
While there are some dates circulated, they come without verification by
document. The earliest documented references are below.
1772 Fincastle Virginia on a list of tithables for Botetourt Parish The
Magazine of Virginia Genealogy Vol 25 #1, Feb 1987 by the VA Gen Soc
1773 Fincastle Virginia On tax list John Montgomerie's list in the 1773
tax
list for Fincastle County, VA tax paid by William Herbert
1774 Fincastle Virginia scout in the Fincastle Co. Militia Soldiers of
Fincastle County, Virginia - 1774, by Mary B. Kegley, 1974
Can you offer any advice in finding info on him prior to 1772?
Thank you so much.
Greg Scalf
----- Original Message -----
From: "Archives Desk" <archdesk(a)lva.lib.va.us>
To: <gkscalf(a)cros.net>
Sent: Friday, January 10, 2003 2:55 PM
Subject: RE: Research Question
Thank you for your follow-up inquiry. It may not be clearly expressed
within
the link to the Land Office Grant below, but Zachariah Wells
purchased
this
unappropirated land directly from the state government through the
Virginia
Land Office. The Treasury Warrant mentioned is simply a printed
voucher
listing the amount of money paid into the treasury by an individual
and
the
number of acres to which he was entitled. There is no other
application
for
the land.
If you wish to order copies of the Grant, please print, complete and
return
the mail-in Archives Record Request Form found at the following
link:
http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwehave/ARSform.pdf
____________________________________________
The Library of Virginia - Archives Research Services
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219-8000
(804) 692-3888
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 9AM until 5PM, EST
Please include all previous correspondence in replies.
-----Original Message-----
From: gkscalf [mailto:gkscalf@cros.net]
Sent: Friday, January 10, 2003 2:11 PM
To: Archives Desk
Subject: RE: Research Question
Thank you for the information. It made me aware of records I had not
yet
encountered before. However, I am looking to try and find what he did
to
get
the warrant in 1781.Where does one look for the appplication for the
warrant?
Thank you for your prompt response on the previous question!
Greg Scalf
---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: Archives Desk <archdesk(a)lva.lib.va.us>
Date: Fri, 10 Jan 2003 10:07:07 -0500
>Dear Mr. Scalf,
>
>Thank you for your question concerning treasury warrants, which were
issued
>by the Land Office and authorized a survey of the land to be
purchased.
>
>You may click on the link below to see Zachariah Wells's grant:
>
>http://eagle.vsla.edu/cgi-bin/lonn.gateway?authority=0079-87380
<
http://eagle.vsla.edu/cgi-bin/lonn.gateway?authority=0079-87380&conf=0 1000
0
>> &conf=010000++++++++++++++
>
>We hope this information is of assistance in your research.
>
>http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwehave/land/rn20%5Flandoffice.htm
><http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwehave/land/rn20%5Flandoffice.htm>
>
>____________________________________________
>The Library of Virginia - Archives Research Services
>800 East Broad Street
>Richmond, VA 23219-8000
>(804) 692-3888
>Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 9AM until 5PM, EST
>Please include all previous correspondence in replies.
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Gregory Scalf [mailto:gkscalf@cros.net]
>Sent: Friday, January 10, 2003 12:27 AM
>To: archdesk(a)lva.lib.va.us
>Subject: Research Question
>
>
>
>
>
>
>To whom it may concern,
>
>Could you please help direct me where I would look to find out how
Zachariah
>Wells
>obtained this Warrant in 1781? This comes from Surveyors Records
1794-1814
>Lee County
>
>Thank you very much, below is the record transcribed as best I could.
>
>R. Gregory Scalf
>
>Nov. 8th, 1808 By virtue of a Virginia Land office Treasury Warrant
>No 9789 ( or 9989 or 7789, hard to read )dated 18th Dec. 1781.
>I have surveyed for Zachariah Wells 100 acres of land in Lee County
>on the North fork of Powel's river about the big Stone Gap. Beginning
>at a hickory and two dogwoods on a hillside thence S70E90poles
crossing
>Looney's
>Creek to a white Oak and two pointers on the river Clift S70W162
poles
>crossing the
>river to some Laurels N70W90 poles to a stake N70E162 poles to the
>beginning.
>It also comes with a drawing of the rectangular property and the
>measurements.
>
>Signed by:
>John Crabtree
>Martin Beaty
>
>
>
>