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From: "Paddy Buckley" <>
Subject: Adam Wall
Date: Sat, 4 Feb 2006 18:55:30 -0000

On page 203 of "Early Adventurers on the Western Waters" vol 1 by Mary B Kegley 1980, there is a 1780 reference to Adam Wall jr. If he was Adam junior in 1780, who was Adam senior? The man known to Wall family researchers as Adam Wall 1 had died in 1764. Below I have noted all the relevant references in Mary Kegley's authoritative account, but I still cannot come up with a solution to this puzzle. Have I missed some important clue?



According to the Proclamation of 1763, men who had served during the French & Indian War of 1755-1763 were entitled to a certain number of acres of land, awarded according to their rank. The first warrants were made in 1774 in Fincastle County (pg 71). Additional service records were recorded in Montgomery County in 1779 and 1780. On March 8 1780 Adam Wall received 50 acres for his earlier service as a soldier in the militia (pg 78). However by the time Adam received his 50 acres he was already, since 1779, serving once more in the militia, this time as an ensign, and was paid 3s 8d per day for four days patrol (pg 278). In a muster roll of Captain James Byrn's Company of Militia 1780 - 1781 Adam Wall jr was listed in third place just below the two Lieutenants. He was noted as being unfit for service (pg 203).



In November 1786 Adam Wall was noted as Second Lieutenant in Captain Preston's Company of Militia with his commission dating from Feb 3rd 1784 (pg 256). In February 1793 he was promoted to First Lieutenant and in 1794 and 1795 he was noted as Captain Adam Wall (pp 278-9). The Virginia Census Returns for 1790 and 1800 are missing.



On 6 June 1791 and again on 3 Nov 1795 Adam Wall and his partner Mary Trollinger were both indicted for adultery. Between 1790 and 1797 Adam & Mary had four children all of whom were acknowledged as Walls in Adam's will of 1799, written on 16 April 1799, and proved in July 1799.



If the 1780 listing in the militia of Adam Wall as junior was correct, then who was Adam senior in 1780? The man known to family researchers as Adam 1 had written his will on 23 Nov 1763. It was presented to the court on 19 June 1764 and finally proved on 21 Nov 1764. There was no mention of a wife or children in the will (pg 88). Adam 1 left his 150 acres on the east side of the New River (originally surveyed in March 1750 pg 176) to be divided equally between his sister Appel Wall and his brother's son John Wall (pg 176). To his sister Apell Wall, Adam left one grey mare and colt, half of his other horses, half of all his chattels besides, and all cash due to the estate, she paying the lawful debts. She was allowed to receive and use for her own, the debt of £20-1-0 incurred by Adam Harman senior. No executor was named in the will, but Apple Wall qualified as administrator. A year after the will was proved she married John Hill in about 1765 in Blacksburg, Montgomer!
y Co.(Leslie Leighton) or Augusta Va (Ray Hanson, 1989).



Abigail Hill wrote her will on 20 March 1787; it was probated on 3 April 1787 (recorded in the Deed Book A pg 415 in Montgomery Co). She left £30 to her brother Conrad and a colt to each of Conrad's three sons, John, Adam & Conrad Wall. All her 'close' were to go to Conrad's daughter Sally. She left one cow to James Salles (Sallust) and a colt to Adam, son of John Wall "whom I stood godmother for". All her land was left to Adam Wall the eldest son of her brother John Wall snr. Adam Wall (her nephew) was executor, with sureties given by John Preston. Appraisal was recorded on 17 May 1787 by John & William Godby; Jacob Shell and John Wall. (Kegley 176, 120, 277-278). Appel had two nephews called Adam Wall; one the son of her brother Conrad born about 1775; the other the son of her brother John, born not later than 1745, and at the time of the appraisal, an officer in the militia. This 1745 date for Adam is calculated from the fact that he served as a soldier in the Fre!
nch Indian war of 1755-1763 and as a militia man would have been between the ages of 18 and 60.



Paddy Buckley

Lancaster UK

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