Tom McCabes Genealogy 2022

[samueldescendents.FTW]

From Joy Gann Brown, Hillsborough, NC.

!Clement Gann--Mjr. Thomas Brookes transported Clement Gann to St. Mary's Co., MD in 1660. Entry in MD Archive records for year 1666 shows Brookes "demanding" land for transporting Gann and several other servants. No record of Clement Gann filing for his headright. In fact, no other record for Clement Gann. Period 1700-1710, several records of a John Gann in St. Mary's Co., MD, who may have been Clement's son. John Gann witnessed will of Solomon Jones in St. Mary's in 1710. John Gann apparently died abt. 1716. Gann family next shows up in Frederick Co., VA, abt. 1748 with members named Clement and John. Any help, suggestions, ideas welcome. Did the Brookes family leave records that might have included the names of the workers on their plantations?

!In 1752, Samuel was charged with slander. This charge was brought by John Morgan in Frederick Co, VA in Sept 1752. Though court records indicate that several attempts were made to bring Samuel to court to answer this charge, they were unable to do so. In 1753, the warrant was filed away with the notation "Decd" written by the name "Gann" followed by the entry, "Aug dismsd not Ex." While it is not certain, it looks as if this Samuel died some time before Aug 1753, causing the charge to be "dismissed, not executed."

!In the early 1760s, a final Frederick Co, VA record shows that Samuel Gann, with heirs, had died shortly after he was driven from his land by the Indians. No death date is given.

!20 May 1762 Court records of letter from Thomas Rutherford to Thomas Bryan Martin, agent of Lord Fairfax: "...Samuel Gann made an improvement on the land and made an entry for it in the time Col. Fairfax kept the office but being drove from the land by the Indians, and soon after deceased, preventing a warrant issuing or a survey being made for him or his heirs..." 22 Mar 1764 Sworn statement from Widow Elizabeth Gan that she had sold to Andrew Longacre of Frederick Co., VA, a certain tract of land lying under the North Mountain on the drains of Cedar Creek, joining the property of John Blair. Wit: Adam Gan, Joseph Longacre.

Samuel Gann was driven by Indians from his homestead near Winchester in the Shenandoah Valley and soon died; subsequently his widow Elizabeth lost title to the land after being pressured to give up her rights to the land. Her neighbors tried to help her keep the land but evidently were not successful. The titles to many parcels of land were often in doubt due to the way the the English lands were distributed by the King and his supporters. The records for the widow's struggle can be found in the following.

Copied from ABSTRACTS OF VIRGINIA'S NORTHERN NECK WARRANTS AND SURVEYS FREDERICK COUNTY 1747-1780 VOL II by Peggy Joyner:

Richard Longacre, son of Andrew Longacre who bought from widow of Samuel Gann; 10 Feb 1762 - 22 May 1762; 245 acres on drs. of Cedar Creek; adj John Cash & including Gann's cabin. CC John Blair and Joseph Longacre.

10 Feb 1762 - Warrant to Alexander Evans. (Evans being dead it is supposed Jane Vance is Heir at Law)

22 Mar 1764 - Elizabeth (x) Gann to Andrew Longacre. 20 May 1764, Winchester (Letter of Thomas Rutherford to Proprietors office.) "Joseph Longacre having applied to me in consequence of one Samuel Vances having entered a caveat against his survey ...: and also a warrant issued to Alexander Evans. My brother and I explain that Samuel Gann made an improvement and was "Drove from the land by the Indians, and soon after deceased, prevented a warrant Issuing or survey being made for him or his Heirs upon which Alexander Evens made and Entry, pryer to Longacre Entry .." and was not able to pay for a survey "and then Deceased, but my Brother and Self and Every Person who was acquained with the affair understood and allowed the Land to be the Property of Gann which Right Andrew Longacre has Pressured of the Widow and has given her some consideration for her Right ... in consequence surveyed for the Sd Longacre Son Richard Longacre ..."