User:Dnicholas01

The Slave Descendants of the Cabell Family - Nicholas, Venable, Allen, Woodson, Mayo, Rose, and Rives families of Lovingston, Nelson, Virginia

As a young child, I was fascinated with the uncommon use of our family's last name of "Nicholas". It was normally used as a first name, at least in all of my encounters. I've rarely met anyone, with our last name, who was of African descent.

For the last 15 years, I've been on a constant search for the origin and meaning of this surname. With the advancement in our technology, and a book of family names, written by my grandmother, Carlie Anne Allen, (born 1898), of Shipman, Virginia, combined with a list of slave names, written by Nathaniel Francis Cabell, (born 1807). I've been able to delve deep into our family history.

This is how I invented the term "RBS", which means "Related By Slavery", since we weren't considered blood relatives to white slave owners.

I am often asked why spend all of this time and effort, researching my family history. The answer is simple.

First, I feel indebted for the efforts put forth by my grandmother, and the slave owner, NF Cabell, for having the insight to record this information for their descendants, and those who came after they were gone.

Secondly, this is a test for the "so-called" modern day technology, called the Internet. The information is out there, but scattered on various websites. I’m just compiling all this information pertaining to my family in one place. This is a very difficult task, but I’ve made some startling discoveries.

Perhaps, it was a pure stroke of luck that our family history, was left for someone to explore. It may have been my destiny all along. For the last 30 years, I've become an expert in the trade of sign painting. Which has enabled me to identify, all sorts of freehand and written letterforms.

Recent inquiries and discoveries have taken me on a long and exciting journey, into our family's past, and this country's history. From years of research, it appears that many of my ancestors were originally from Midway Mills, and Buckingham, Nelson, Virginia. Others migrated, and or were sold from "The Corotoman Plantation", owned by John Hartwell Cocke and ended up at Midway.

As each family member aged, they moved out with their children to other surrounding areas, such as Rockfish, Shipman, Massies Mill, and Amherst. The children of these descendants, moved even further to places such as Lynchburg, VA and Kentucky.

Other descendants took a northern track, in search of jobs. They settled in parts of Maryland, Washington DC, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York.

An important note: Midway Mills was the first Colony established in Nelson County, June 6, 1774, by Dr. William Cabell, (born 1699). This was the meeting place, where all other counties were created. This area, then was known as "Swan Creek Estates", and afterwards, "Liberty Hall". An ordinance was raised for providing the colony with a sufficient force for defense. The colony was then divided into sixteen districts, and required to organized a battalion of minute-men, who were to prepare themselves for regular service.

Not too long ago, I traveled to the state of Virginia to do some family research, and here is where the true quest began!

Saturday, November 7, 2009.

My first stop, along with my wife, Monica Stevens, was the Library of Virginia, in Richmond, to view microfilms of the "Cabell Family Papers". The Cabell's were listed in the same household, as my 4th great-grandfather, John Nicholas, born 1810, of Lovingston, Virginia.

We arrived in Richmond, late that evening, to find the location of the library, then checked into a nearby hotel.

Sunday, November 8, 2009.

My wife and I, drove to the Library of Virginia, in Richmond, to start the long and tedious process of searching for information. After locating the room where the microfilms are kept, we began our research.

The microfilms were extremely old, very hard to read, and decipher. Printing them out on paper, was even more of a challenge. We spent a full day, trying to gather and record the information stored on these films. We documented what we could, and it was off to the University of Virginia Library, in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Monday, November 9, 2009.

We drove to Charlottesville in Albemarle County, and stopped at the main library in the center of town, near the statue of General Lee, sitting proudly on his horse, across from the Historical Society in the main square.

We looked through various books about the town's history and it's original inhabitants. To my surprise, I found many books and documents concerning the slaves of Virginia, and discovered the book "The Cabell's and Their Kin".

Tuesday, November 10, 2009.

Went back to the main Library in town, which used to be the original post office, directly across the street from a building that was once, an old "Slave Auction" building. Back inside the library, I found more documents concerning slave births from the early 1800's. While I was there, I thought I'd look at some old newspaper articles on microfilm, pertaining to the history of that area. While loading the machine that reads the microfilm, someone had left the machine in full-unwind mode. The entire roll of film from the year 1834, unspent over the entire floor of the library. It took over 45 minutes to re-roll the film. After which, I sparked up a casual conversation with the head librarian, trying to smooth things over, and to avoid criticism of the disaster that just happened! After things calmed down a bit, he said I should check the "Historical Society" around the corner.

Later that afternoon, after a brief tour of the downtown area, we stopped in, and met the head librarian, Margaret O'brien. I told her of the information I was seeking, in which she filled an entire 8-foot table with documents and books. I recorded mounds of information, pertaining to the slave descendants of the Nicholas, Allen, Diggs, Venable, Woodson, Rose, and Rives families of Nelson County. It was so much information, that we had to return the following day.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009.

Went back to the Charlottesville Historical Society to continue my research, and finished early that afternoon.

Later that evening, we stopped at the "Special Collections" department, at the "University of Virginia Library", that was designed by Thomas Jefferson, built by the Cabell Family, his associates, and their slaves, (my ancestors). That evening, after reading through over 800 hand written documents by the Cabell family, I could only find a few articles, pertaining to slaves. Many documents that I held in my hands, were older than the "CONSTITUTION" itself. I've even read letters that Dr. William Cabell wrote to King Henry of England. William Cabell had lots of business dealings with his associates, who were all major landowners too. They sold and exchanged slaves, as if they were currency.

These slaves, were used by the slave owners, to satisfy debts to one another, like "Shillings, pence, and pounds".

I've read and recorded many documents concerning business deals, between William H. Cabell and William Mayo. There were also deals with Cole Diggs, William Loving, Nicholas Cabole Early, William C. Scott, William Venable, William Diggs, George Nicholas, John Diggs, John Dillard, Robert Rives, Alexander Rose, William Horsley, John Hartwell Cocke, Joseph Loving, Charles Kidd, H. Carrington, Mary F. Allen, Thomas Lockett, Joseph Shelton, William Ligon, and many more.

Finished for the evening... tomorrow's a new day.

Thursday, November 12, 2009.

We went back to the "Special Collections" department at the "University of Virginia Library". Today I met with Jean Cooper, a genealogist for the university. We had lunch, and discussed various aspects concerning ancestry research.

I received many important tips and advice on the subject. I went back to research, and to apply the techniques that I've just learned. Today, I read through the documents pertaining to Nathaniel Francis Cabell, who was listed as the head of household, along with my great-great-great-great grandfather, John Nicholas of Lovingston, Virginia, in the 1880 United States Federal Census. I read through hundreds of invoices, pertaining to the family operated businesses, which dealt with bridge building throughout this entire nation, and the production of tobacco at the old town of Warminster. I still could not find any information ,concerning the slaves that they've owned. I've read over two thousand documents in total, so far. In one of the boxes, was a diary written by Nathaniel.

Nate, was an unusual, strange and extremely intelligent character. His compassion for his fellow human beings, including his slaves, (my ancestors), truly showed in his writings. He wrote in his diary, about philosophy, and the Episcopal Religion. He's read literally hundreds of books. He's even read a book about "The Life of Bugs". He had a (multiplications times table card) that he carried in his pocket, along with hand-written business cards.

Nathaniel, also wrote an essay on "The Black Race in North America". From 1832 to his death, he took a special interest in his family history, and compiled a manuscript listing the details of his ancestry.

Upon his death, he willed a list of vocabulary words that he created, along with his massive collection of books to his family and friends.

Finally, in the last box of documents, (box 4, file number 5084), were the hand-written lists of slaves, which was discovered by my wife, Monica L. Stevens.

In his diary, and other documents, he specifically listed the full names of the slaves that they've owned, along with stories of their lives at Union Hill, Liberty Hall, and Edgewood in Warminster. The names were Susan "Sukey" Diggs, Emily Early,

and Sophy, (wife of my great-great-great grandfather, Washington Nicholas), along with Polly, Clarissa, Lizzie, Jennie, Betsy, Fredrick, Eliza, and the names of most of my ancestors living at "Cabell Farms", on the "Swan Creek Plantation" at Warminster, in Wingina, Virginia.

Most of my family, and their descendants still lives on, what was once, the Swan Creek Plantation. Many of my ancestors are still buried throughout this entire area, along route 56, and route 626, in Wingina.

Nate, often referred to his female slaves, as his "Aunts". He was so pleased at how they took care of, and nursed his family's children. It was those memories, according to his diary, that affected him the most.

In the mid 1700's, these original settlers, needed a large work force to carve out the new frontier. They imported indentured "Scotch-Irish" servants, for a 4-year contract. In return for their service, they would receive a small parcel of land. These new landowners, soon became wealthy themselves, and would then need slaves to labor on their rapidly expanding farms.

England, decided to import a massive labor force from Africa, the West Indies and other parts of the world, to handle the work that was once done by these "indentured servants". Except, with Negroes, it was a life sentence, that would span generations.

..... the rest is history.

I often wonder, if the Cabell family could ever imagine, a descendant of their slaves, reading and studying their documents and lives, 400 years later. Perhaps, that was Nathaniel's hope and intent all along. After all, befriending black people, let alone slaves, in those days wasn't very popular among the majority.

Friday, November 13, 2009.

Went back to the Historical Society in Charlottesville, and brought the faculty some coffee and bagels. I picked up the copy of "The Nicholas Family of England and Virginia, written by John Nicholas", that Margaret had copied for me. I thanked her for her time, and it was off to Lovingston.

After arriving in Lovingston, I immediately stopped at the main library, but it was closed. So I went into town to check out the county courthouse. Once there, I viewed will books, and marriages from 1850-1930. In those books, I found all of the information I needed.

Now it was time for some site seeing, before checking into a motel.

This area of Virginia, is located at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Not too far from the famous, "Walton's Mountain", from the old TV show, The Waltons. This area, is full of steep hills, and sharp winding roads, with heavily tree-lined hills.

Saturday, November 14, 2009.

Went directly to the Lovingston Library, on route 29, to gather information on maps of the area, and the locations of my family's gravesites. From the library, I traveled down route 56, also known as, (James River Road), passing through the town of Shipman, where my father, William A. Nicholas, was born. About 17 miles down, is the small town of Wingina.

The map said to turn on route 426, which is also, known as Cabell Road. The first set of graves, according to the map, was located somewhere on this road. I stopped at a house with people standing outside on their front porch, to ask for directions on the gravesite locations. They wanted to know my identity, and why was I asking for this information. I showed them my grandmother's list of family names, and explained to them, that I was trying to locate my ancestors and family. They wanted to know how I tracked my ancesters to this location. I told them, I traced my family history, through the slave owners, which appeared on the old United States Census documents.

To our surprise, their names, the Woodson family, was on my list. They were beside themselves, as was I. After a few pleasantries, they led me and my wife, up a steep mountainside, to the location of our family's gravesites, which was located on their land.

My newly discovered family, said the Venable family, lived nearby, and the Rose family, lived up the street. After all of the hugs and kisses, they took me over to meet my cousin's from the Venable side of the family. The Venable gravesite was located halfway up another tree-lined mountainside, located in thier backyard. My 72 year-old cousin, "Puddin", out-walked my wife and I, up the steep, leaf-covered mountain to the gravesites.

She said that she walks over 5 miles a day, and that she was used to traveling these distances. My excuse was, that I was concerned about being eaten by bears, which caused me to stop frequently, to take a look around. She exclaimed, "you watch too much TV", and that she hasn't seen any bears in weeks. I thought… only a few weeks? I've never seen a real bear, except in a zoo.

I took many photos, gather priceless information, and said my good-byes. After reflecting on the information gathered over the last 3 days, I realized that this entire area, where my family lives, and died, was all part of the Cabell owned, "Swan Creek Plantation".

All of my original ancestors were slaves of the Cabell family, and their associates. This is how my ancestors got their surnames, such as Nicholas, Allen, Diggs, Mayo, Woodson, Beverly, Early, Rives, Rose, Venable, Terrell, Bolden, Bowling, Horsley, Payne, Patterson, Shelton, Shipman, Miller, and Brown.

As I stated above, this is how I invented the term "RBS", which means "Related By Slavery", since we weren't considered blood relatives to white slave owners.

We've been here for hundreds of years, since our country was in its infancy, but never appeared in any history books. We built the universities, bridges, roads, railroads, historical buildings, and monuments. My ancestors has fought along side the Cabells, during the French and Indian, the Revolutionary, and the Civil Wars.

But now, I can put names to these faces, along with hand written proof of ownership, by the slave owners themselves. Along with the direct ancestry connection, from the Mulatto family members of Scotch-Irish descent, the locations of my family's burial grounds, which were my 4th grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Sunday, November 15, 2009.

Today, my wife and I, decided to do a bit of sightseeing, and take a drive along the road, that runs alongside the James River, where Nathaniel F. Cabell, once walked. We started from the Old Richmond Highway, and drove about 18 miles on Union Hill road. Passing through the old towns of Norwood, Union Hill, Buffalo Station, Soldiers Joy, and Liberty Hall. We took many spectacular photos along the way. This road changed into Cabell road, at route 56. We ended our journey at Edgewood, in the old town of Warminster, and toured the Historic Estate called "Bon Aire", at "Cabell Farms", which overlooks the entire Swan Creek Plantation.

While touring Warminster Road, we met a local woman named Gracie Davis. She grew up with my cousins from the Venables, and told us wonderful stories of my ancesters. She said back in the early days, my uncles, taught her children how to read, and that black and white people treated each other as family.

Monday, November 16, 2009.

Went to the Lovingston visitor's center, and spoke with Becky Howard, head of the historical society in Nelson County, to gather information on Union Hill and Liberty Hall. They directed me back to the Library, and two large file cabinets containing all of the information needed, on the Cabell Family and their history. I recorded what I could, and headed for home, after taking a few more photos of the family gravesites, and scenery, located on James River Road.

My final assessment and realization, was that there are more records of slave ships than one would dream. It seems inconceivable, until you reflect that for more than 200 years, ships sailed carrying cargoes of slaves. The earliest information on our families slave descendants that I’ve been able to retrieve, is only dated back to 1790. Slavery began around the year 1600. That’s two hundred years of unaccounted for family history.

When compared the Cabell family, who can trace their family history back to the 1400’s and even earlier. The Cabells were descendants of Normandy. The Normans were the ones who conquered Europe. It’s been said through our family lour, that our earliest ancestors came from Cameroon, Africa. I’ve been unable to find any documented proof of that. I'm counting on the descendants of the Cabell family, to shed some insight in this matter, and that’s why I posted this story!

It was well worth the trip. It has changed my entire life, knowing who I am, and where I came from!

Here is the genealogy of the Nicholas family, of Lovingston, Nelson, Virginia.

The oldest ancestor that I've been able to find, is Lewis Nicholas, born in 1785.

(See the 1870 United States Federal Census - Lovingston, Township, Nelson, Virginia - page 8).

Father of John Nicholas, and owned by Robert N. Kidd, of Buckingham, Virginia.

It appears that Lewis Nicholas, (born 1785) was a slave tithable of the Nicholas family, which owned the Seven Islands plantation, in Buckingham, Virginia. Without documented proof, that I have yet to locate, I can only assume that Lewis was sold to Robert N. Kidd, by one of the "Nicholas Brothers", sometime during the late 1700's to early 1800's.

Starting with John Nicholas, (born 1810), from Buckingham County, Virginia. John, married Judy, (born 1820). He worked as a farm laborer of the Cabell family, on the Swan Creek Plantation.

(See the 1880 United States Federal Census - Lovingston, Virginia - District 3 - page 8, and the 1870 United States Federal Census - James River Township, Buckingham, Virginia - page 22).

John's son was Washington Nicholas, (born 1845). He worked as a farm laborer on the Swan Creek Plantation.

Washington married Sophia "Sophy" Diggs, (born 1850), who worked as a housekeeper for William D. Liggan.

Sophy was the daughter of Louis Diggs, (born 1823), son of Susan "Sukey" Diggs, (born 1780). She worked as a housekeeper on the Cabell family's farm, "Swan Creek Plantation". Sukey's full name, is mentioned in Nathaniel Francis Cabell's diary, and list of slaves, along with Washington and Sophy, and the rest of her children.

(See the 1870 United States Federal Census - Lovingston, Township, Nelson, Virginia, page 165).

Note: Washington's second wife was Julia Allen, (born 1852), who worked as a housekeeper for William D. Ligon, and daughter of George Allen, (born 1820). George worked as a farm laborer for John Ligon and his son, William D. Ligon, and married Anna Shan, (born 1828). Julia, married Abram Shipman, (born 1850), after William died.

Abram's daughter, Bettie Shipman, (born 1874), married Charles Early, (born 1871). Charles was the grandson of Emily Beverly Early, (born 1813). Emily, is also mentioned in Nathaniel F. Cabell's diary. She was the "mammie" to his children.

William Nicholas, (born 1865), is the son of Washington Nicholas, and worked as a coal miner. William married Julia Venable, (born 1872), daughter of Noah Venable, (born 1847). Noah was a slave laborer of Thomas Lockett, then became a farmer. Noah married Susan Jones, (born 1843).

(See the 1880 United States Federal Census - Lovingston, Virginia - District 111 - page 8).

Noah's second daughter was Fannie Venable, (born 1867). Fannie, married Alex Woodson, (born 1866).

Noah's son was Alexander Venable, (born 1870), and worked as a system head at the Cabell family owned and operated, "C and O" railroad. Alexander, married Clarissa Patterson, (born 1870).

William's second wife was Elizabeth "Lizzie" Garrett, (born 1887).

Noah Venable's second wife was Caroline Horsley, (born 1857).

Arther Garfield Nicholas, my grandfather, (born 1903), son of William, married Carlie Ann Allen, (born 1898), daughter of Alex Allen, (born 1868). Alex Allen was the son of George Allen.

Did you notice anything unusual in the above statement? It appears that Arther's grandfather, Washington Nicholas, married Carlie Anne Allen's great aunt. Julia Allen, which makes them 3rd. cousins.

William A. Nicholas, (born 1924) son of Arther, is my father. Okay! You got that?

Walter Morris Allen, (born 1912), is the son of Alex Allen, and married Lina Nora Rose, (born 1919). This is where the Rose family, enters the tree.

Ida Allen, (born 1856), also a daughter of George Allen, married Moses Brown, (born 1856). This is where the Brown family, enters the tree.

Julia, and Abram Shipman's daughter Jennie, (born 1876), married William Venable, (born 1877). William is the son of Noah Venable, listed above. William and Jennie's daughter Susan, (born 1905), married Leftrich Mayo, (born 1899). This is where the Mayo family, enters the tree. Looks like we are double cousins, to the Mayo's.

Leffrich Mayo's second wife was Ella Brown.

I'm still in the process of linking and adding family members, but this is the basic format, and foundation, of our tree. These are the original ancestors, stemming from the Swan Creek Plantation, owned by the Cabell family, of old Nelson, Virginia, and the Seven Islands Plantation owned by George Nicholas of Buckingham County, Virginia, and later his three sons, George, John, and Robert Carter Nicholas.

Here is an interesting story told to me by my father. It's the story of how slaves, or descendants of slaves, built their log cabins. These cabins were built by using a mixture of mud and pig hair. They would scrape the hair from the pig, and mix it with mud. This would give tremendous strength between the joints.

The freed slaves would often joke about how they used the whole pig, except the "oink", such as pigs feet, pig intestines or "chitterlings", pigs ears, pig belly, and pig skin. Everything was used from the pig, except the oink. There are still many remnants of these old log cabins, scattered throughout many parts of Nelson County.

Derek G. Nicholas