William Newland, son of John Newland and Savina (Waggoner) Newland, was born on August 24, 1787 in the Cripple Creek area, Wythe County [formerly Montgomery County], Virginia. He grew up on Black Creek in Wythe. He had at least seven older brothers and sisters, and six younger brothers and sisters. Some of them were half siblings. William’s father John Newland’s first marriage was to Margaret Bess[Best?]. His marriage to Savina Waggoner was his second marriage, and this was William’s mother.
Wythe River
Savina died when William was only 14, leaving many small children. His father then married a third time to Elizabeth Gannaway, a widow. This marriage produced no children, but Elizabeth did have children of her previous marriage.
William’s father, John Jr., was a Revolutionary War Patriot. He was born May 1, 1743 in Pennsylvania. John’s father, John Newland [Nouland] Sr. (originally John Ulandt), was an immigrant from Germany in 1710 and came to America on the ship “Hope” at the age of 24 from Rotterdam. Johann Ulandt traveled down the Rhine river to Rotterdam, Holland and thence to the English port of Cowes, because British law required that immigrants to the colonies must pass through a British port in order to be legally accepted at an American port. The year was 1734, and Johann Ulandt traveled or was listed on the arriving passenger list of the galley, “Hope of Rotterdam” as John Nouland.
Published manifests still available at Philadelphia indicate that the ship arrived at Philadelphia, PA on Sept. 23, 1734 and John (Passenger # 68 on the list of males) as well as the other 127 passengers signed an oath of allegiance to the British Crown. As was also the custom, John Newland’s passage of ten British pounds, perhaps thousands of dollars at todays rates, was paid by a wealthy landowner and businessman, Isham Randolph of the preeminent family in Goochland Co. VA colony. He had signed a four-year indenture for Isham Randolph for his passage money. A copy of this can be found in the Newland-Bush Saga by Dr. Janice Elaine Luellen in 1993.
John thus became indentured and apprenticed to the Randolph plantation in Goochland and became a cordwainer, or leather worker. As a cordwainer (a leather worker who made serviceable things, usually shoes, of cordovan–a soft, colored leather–usually of sheepskin or split cowhide), he served this apprenticeship and indenture until April 8, 1737, when he completed his indenture in Goochland County, Virginia. At that time, Goochland County took in all of Virginia north of Richmond up into Ohio. John Sr. signed his indenture with an “X,” his mark, and the name John Newland was printed in. He made for Randolph 250 pairs of mens, womens, childrens, and slaves shoes, and mended shoes, horse harnesses, etc.
Isham Randolph
The leather trade was passed from generation to generation… John Jr. was also involved in the business, and William was a tanner. Edith Reeder remembers reading that “a John Newland was requested to make 2000 shoes for the military by George Washington.” His grandson Rufus remembers that he had a heavy German accent. John Jr. was a private in the Revolutionary War who served in the county militias on at least three occasions, qualifying him as a Patriot. He also provided 300 lbs. of neat winter rotted hemp on May 3, 1774 for the war cause. The Public Service claims he had for provisions (lost blanket) furnished during the Revolution were paid [8 shillings] in Montgomery County, VA on May 8, 1882 [ANnals of SW VA pp 771-772].
On September 6, 1777, John Jr. took the following oath before James McGavok that was submitted on September 7 of that year: “To the Clerk of Montgomery County We whose names are hereunto subscribed do swear or affirm that we renounce & refuse all allegiance to George Third King of Great Britain, his heirs & successors, & that I will be faithful & bear true allegiance to the Commonwealth of Virginia as a free & independent State, & that I not at any time do or cause to be done, any matter or thing that will be prejudicial or injurious to the freedom & independence thereof, as declared thereof, as declared by Congress. And also, that I will discover & make known to someone Justice of the Peace for the said State all treasons or traitorous conspiracies which I now or hereafter shall know to be formed against this or any of the United States of America.”
When John Jr. married William’s mother, Savina Waggoner, in 1780, they began their own family with a baby coming about every two years. According to published records of the 1429 marriages performed in Lancaster County, PA, by Rev. John Casper Stoever (a Lutheran clergyman between c. 1730 and 1779), Johann Ulandt (a.k.a. John Nouland) married Elizabetha Linder of Earltown, PA on Apr 23, 1739. They had ten children all together: Abraham, Sarah, Henry, William, Mary, Jesse, David, Lydia, Elizabeth, and James. In the Newland family, there was an elderly black slave, Betty, remembered in John’s will. Her care was assigned to one of his sons-in-law. She was likely with the family for many years for John to make special provisions for her and to provide money for her care.
During the years following the Revolutionary War, John Newland Jr. acquired a great deal of wealth, in land and [disturbingly] slaves. In 1785, he purchased four parcels of land on Cripple Creek (Wythe County, Virginia), totalling 710 acres, from Alexander Ewing. He gave permission for the use of his land to establish a road from his house to the lead mines as early as 1773 [Wythe Co. VA, Deed Bk 2, p 320]. He bought 365 acres from James Robertson in Davidson County, Tennessee in 1796, and in 1797 bought 640 acres from Alexander Green [also of Davidson County].
Old Newland Farm & Newland Family Cemetery, Rural Retreat, Wythe County, VA
On December 24, 1825 John and James Newland conveyed eleven acres to the Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Cedar Springs. This land was used to build the Asbury Methodist Church, cemetery, and campground. John’s daughter, Elizabeth, had married the minister, Zachariah Mitchell. Cripple Creek flows by it, providing ample water for thirty horses and people.
Asbury Methodist Church and Cemetery, South of Rural Retreat, Wythe County, VA
Asbury Methodist Church
Asbury Methodist Church and Cemetery
John Jr.’s two-story home on Cripple Creek was built with hand-made red brick [probably by slave labor]. The home sits a quarter mile from the banks of Cripple Creek. The Newland home remained in the family for five generations.
Wythe County, VA
John wrote his will in April of 1831, and it was proved May 13, 1833 in Wythe County, Virginia. He wrote the will so every child would receive a portion of his estate, and provided for his wife Elizabeth. He also set up the sale of his estate and the division of his slaves by drawing lots. John had about 24 slaves at the time of his death. He made special provisions for Betty, an elderly slave who was infirm, and a young boy named Jack, who was to go with Elizabeth’s son-in-law Zachariah Mitchell. John Jr. is buried in Newland Cemetery, located on the Phil Newland farm on Cripple Creek just southwest of Cedar Springs. The cemetery is on a knoll east of the old Newland brick house.
John’s will read as follows:
“I John Newland of the County of Wythe VA. being weak in body but of sound & disposing mind & memory; do make & publish this my last will & testament in manner following, to wit: Ist. I will that all my just debts & funeral expenses be paid 2ndly. I will that all myestate (except my slaves) be sold after my decease. 3rdly. Whereas my wife has relinquished all claim to dower in my estate, & hath agreed to accept & receive the sum of one thousand Dollars, after my decease in lieu of her said Dower, I do therefore will & bequeath to her the said sum of one thousand Dollars; & direct that my executers hereinafter named pay to her that sum at the expiration of six months after my decease, a bond having heretofore been executed by me for that sum. 4thly. I will that all the money arising from the sale of my estate, as well as whatever I may have on hands at my decease (including all outstanding debts) after the payment of my just debts & funeral expenses, & the sum of one thousand dollars to my wife; be equally divided between my sons Isaac, Joseph, Henry, William & Jesse NEWLAND & my daughter Elizabeth MITCHELL, the children of my daughter Sarah BURGE, the children of my deceased sons John & Ezekiel NEWLAND, & the children of my deceased daughter Polly MADDOX. (The children of my daughter Sarah BURGE to take only one child’s part between them, & the children of my deceased sons & daughters above named to take only the shares of their deceased parents.) 5thly. I will that all my slaves (except old Betty & my yellow boy Jack hereinafter disposed of) be appraised & equally divided between my sons Isaac, Joseph, Henry, William, & Jesse NEWLAND, my daughter Elizabeth MITCHELL, the children of my daughter Sarah BURGE, the children of my deceased sons John NEWLAND & Ezekiel NEWLAND & the children of my deceased daughter Polly MADOX; & I direct that the Commissioners to be appointed by the Court for the purpose of making said division do proceed as soon as convenient after their appointment, to divide the said slaves into ten lots or parcels as equally as they can as to value; & assign (by such mode as they may think best to adopt) one of the said lots or parcels of slaves to each of my said sons Isaac, Joseph, Henry, William & Jessee NEWLAND, one to my daughter Elizabeth MITCHELL, one to the children of my daughter Sarah BURGE, one to the children of my deceased son John NEWLAND, on to the children of my deceased son Ezekiel NEWLAND, & one lot or parcel to the children of my deceased daughter Polly MADOX. 6thly. I will that the slaves which may be assigned by the said Commissioners to the children of my daughter Sarah BURGE, & the children of my deceased sons John NEWLAND & Ezekiel NEWLAND, & my deceased daughter Polly MADOX be disposed of by my executors in the manner best calculated to advance the interests of the said children, & the money arising from such disposition, as also that herein before devised to them, be paid to them by my executors in due proportions as they respectively attain the age of twenty one years. And the money which may be due to such of the said children as shall be under age at my decease, or at the time their due portion is ascertained, I direct that my executors put to interest until each of them arrives at full age. 7thly. I will that my sons in law Robinson BURGE & William MADOX, shall not have or exercise any control whatever over any money or property or other thing herein before or herein after devised to the children of my daughter Sarah BURGE & of my deceased daughter Polly MADOX. 8thly. Whereas I have heretofore given to my son James NEWLAND a considerable quantity of land & three negroes to wit: Stephen, Edy, & Frederick which he has received, I will that he receive nothing more from my estate. 9thly. Whereas my negro woman old Betty is infirm & likely to become a charge, I will & bequeath her to my son in law Zecheriah MITCHELL without requiring him to pay anything for her to any of the other heirs; I also will & bequeath to him my yellow boy Jack requiring him to pay for him the sum of one hundred & twenty five Dollars under the following provison, to wit, that if in the opinion of two disinterested men to be chosen for that purpose, it will cost my son in law Zachariah MITCHELL that sum or more to keep & maintain old Betty during her life, then he is not to pay any part of the one hundred & twenty five Dollars to any of the other heirs but if in the opinion of those men it will not require that sum to keep & maintain old Betty during her life, then my said son in law is to pay to the other heirs herein before mentioned in due proportions whatever shall remain of the one hundred & twenty five Dollars, after deducting therefrom the sum that shall be adjudged to require for the support of said woman retaining his own proportion of the said surplus. Lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my son in law Zachariah MITCHELL & James NEWLAND Executors of this my last Will & Testament, hereby revoking & annulling all former wills & codicils, & acknowledge this to be my true last Will & Testament.
In Witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name & affixed my seal this 13 day of April 1831.
John Newland (seal)
Witness: Adam SHAVER, David VAUGHT
VIRGINIA: At a court held for Wythe Co. at the Courthouse, on Monday the 13 day of May 1833.
This, the last Will & Testament of John NEWLAND decd. was presented in Court, proved by the oaths of Adam SHAVER & Abraham VAUGHT subscribing witnesses thereto, & ordered to be recorded.
And on the motion of Zachariah MITCHELL & James NEWLAND the executors named in said Will who made oath thereto, & with John GANNAWAY Sr., Andrew S. FULTON, John P. MATHEWS & Peter GROSECLOSE their securities entered into & acknowledged a bond in the penalty of $20,000 conditioned as the law directs, certificate is granted them for obtaining probate of said will in due form. Teste: J. P. MATHEWS, CI.”
December 2, 1785 Land Grant to John Newland
December 2, 1785 Land Grant to John Newland (page 2)
October 18, 1796 Land Grant to John Newland
October 18, 1796 Land Grant to John Newland (Page 2)
January 19, 1802 Land Grant to John Newland
January 19, 1802 Land Grant to John Newland (Page 2)
August 15, 1809 Land Grant to John Newland
Appraisal & Division of John Newland’s Slaves-At the time of his death, John Newland had 24 slaves. The disposition of Old Betty & the boy Jack were provided for in his LWT. Per the further provisions of that LWT, five commissioners (Jo. P. Mathews, John Staley, Peter Groseclose, J.A. Sanders,& John Gannaway) made the following appraisal & division of the remaining 22 slaves on 8 Nov 1833. It was presented to court on 16 Mar 1836.
Lot 1 -Jenny, 22 yrs $385. Granville, 3 yrs $150. Anne, 1 yr $100. =$635
Lot 2 –Alfred, 25 yrs =$500.
Lot 3 -Littleton, 22 yrs =$570.
Lot 4 –Peter, 23 yrs $465. Priscilla, 60 yrs $60. =$525
Lot 5 –Joseph, 49 yrs $215. Anne, 23 yrs $400. =$615
Lot 6 -Betty, 40 yrs $200. Tom, 13 yrs $400 =$600
Lot 7 -Esther, 24 yrs $400. James, 2 yrs $125. =$525
Lot 8 –Eliza, 22 yrs $375. George, 3 yrs $150. Jeffry, 1 yr $100. =$625
Lot 9 –Dicey, 21 yrs $375. Thomas, 3 yrs $130. Lucinda, 1 yr $100. =$605
Lot 10- Ned, 47 yrs $240. Levi, 56 yrs $200. Sophia, 4 yrs $150.=$590
The total value of the slaves was $5790. an average of $579 per lot.
The commissioners stated that they took into regard the value of each slave & tried to make the lots equal in amount as far as possible. They also placed the children “of under years” with their mothers. except for Lot 10 where Sophia was placed with her grandfather.
William was married to Mary “Polly” Horn in Wythe County in November of 1808. The Horn and Newland families were both involved in the building of the Asbury Methodist Campground. William and Mary probably grew up together. They had eight sons and three daughters in all. Most of their children left Wythe County when grown.
In November of 1833, the division of his father John’s slaves took place. William inherited Dicey (21 yrs. old), Thomas (3 yrs. old), and Lucinda (1 year old). The “children of under years” were placed with their mothers, except for one who was placed with her grandfather. In the 1840 Wythe County VA Census, William is listed as having “4 in agriculture,” likely slaves. William bought and sold land in Davidson County (Tennessee), Wythe County & Smyth County (Virginia). The family moved sometime in the next ten years to Washington County, Virginia. On the 1850 Washington County VA Census, he is listed as a farmer, age 64. He was also involved in the tanning business.
Washington County, Virginia
According to “Wythe County Poor Children & Orphans & Apprentices” from county records, William Newland had children Elizabeth and Thomas Renfro living with him, maybe as apprentices. The Newland family was very involved in the Methodist Church. They helped establish the Salem Campground in Wytheville, VA, on land William’s father had donated to the church.
A list of Newland family deeds and other transactions was discovered on record at the Wythe County courthouse. The transactions take place from the early 1800s to the 1840s:
A family story says that William died in 1867, but there is no documentation to that effect. After the 1850 Washington County of Virginia Census, we lose track of him. Another family story says he moved west with one of the boys and then sent for Mary, but there are no records to this effect either. William and Mary’s burial places are unknown.
