r r f i _ f V \ ■ 1 i ar <> f C' , \ V ^ « / •^- aV^' -. ^ / A'^ •\^ N^^ "-^ V .0^. v\ A*- ^N^ O 5.0^^ '^, ir. .>^^ \\ A^^' % ■r 'ci- v^^ rO"^ v-^^'* (t V. xO, X^^x. ^N^ ^ f . A 7i -' V- y^ ']^^r ,,^^'^/. V Oo 'o. ' , A *• * , o. o ' « ,-^ v^- '^^. A^ ,. ^ -, ^/- ' » « s "• ^^ <\ ' , , •» .A •^O 0^' o 0' .0 o. \^°^. ■^ v\^ ^ •^o ^^ .Oc s*1 > O ^ •^ .^ V Your Fellow-Kinsman, GEO. W. NANCE. cA CU,^ 5-? , I i /J The Xancc Mciiiori^il A HISTORY OF THE XANXH FAMILY IX (;H\r;RAL But More Particularly of Clement Nance, of Pitts\- \ania County, Vir;^nnia, and Descendants, Containing Historical and Biocrraphical Records with Faiiiilv Lineag-e By GEO. W. NANCE It is wise for us to recur to the history of our ancestors. Those who do not look upon themselves as a link connecting the Past and the Future, do not perform their duty to the world.— Daniel Webster. 11101 : J. K. Hiirke & Co.. Printers Blootningtoii, III. ii The Nance Memorial. Jf^ Come, walk with me, adown the aisles, Of our ancestral halls, And learn of those, whose hearts and lives Were filled with love of God, and human love. And crowned, by His grace. Take pride, your ancestry was pure, Of sturdy, wholesome stock. That scorned a meanness, or a wrong ; A name which none could mock. These pioneers, who left their homes, — New fields, to till and try,' ■ ' And dangers brave, and ti;iAld meet, They made their mark, indellible, And stamped it on the race. Those yet to come, in honest pride, To bear an open, fearless face. Those who in this, the later day, Are numbered in " The Line," And in the " Record " have a place. Do here give thanks, and homage yield Our brave ancestors — gone. —Joanna Shields - IVarrcn. L 2 i'9 ^ ' 06" The Nance Memorial. j^j T) SACRED to the memory of CLEMENT NANCE, preacher, poet, pioneer, jud^e, and patriarch • ancestral head of Part I., is this volume affectionately dedicated by his great-grandson, The Author. The patnarch :s the mightiest of Kings ; he rules over countless .ener ations, not with laws written on tables of stone, but by the impress" his own character stamped in the nature of his posterity. So sh mael stamped the Arab character more than forty centuries ago and so Abraham became the father of a wonderous pro- ' geny, touched later by Jacob's greed. Clement Nance has already laid his wand of empire on several generations, and religion, probity, intelligence, and high and holy purpose is the message he is sending down the ages. His scep- ter over generations yet unborn is a scepter of righteousnes. —[J?ev.) N.J. AyllsworUi. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and that delighteth greatly in his commandments. His seed shall be mighty upon the earth thi generationsoftheuprightshallbeblessed."-Ps „2-r 2 IV The Nance Memorial. ^ PER MARE PER TERRAS NANCE COAT OV ARMS. " Semper-idem " — the same always, Whether the days be many or few, " Semper-idem " thus we praise. One whom we know to be true. This " Coat of Arms," a race belongs Whose history is not fully known, But that to Nance — whose lineage's traced In this Memorial's by them owned. To be of " Semper-idem " stock, With lives well regulate, and true, Is honor greatly to be prized, — The old gauge's better than the new. " Semi^er-idem," -Joe. There are two ways of spelling the motto on this Coat of Arms, Cousin Joanna prefers the one generally used, while Queen Elizabeth and the origi- nal owner used the other form. The meaning is the same, "always the same." The name of the original owner is not known, nor is his nationality, whether English or French. The origin and history of the larger " Coat of Arms " is also unknown. TiiK Nance Mkmorial. v PREFACE. When the author began the gathering of data presented in this volume, about January, 1S92, he had no thought of a pub- lished Memorial. David L. Demorest, father of Mrs. Nance, having prepared his own family tree of eleven generations and twenty thousand names, urged the privilege of doing the same for the author. Before Father Demorest became too old to use pen and ink, he had placed on the Nance family tree, two thousand six hundred and fifty names. The author had become interested and con- tinued the gathering of data. Different persons wrote urging the ])ublication of a Nauce history. After his return from New Albany, September, 1901, the author first gave .serious thought to the publication of a family history. The author is under obligation to all those who have furnished data of their own families. These are too numerous to mention. To tho.se who have gone outside their own families, sending data and assisting in other ways, he wishes to mention by name. The most prominent of these, doing more than any other, is Cousin William Mitchell, mentioned at length at the proper place. Space forbids the mentioning of more than the names of others : James D. Nance, \'ersalia Inman, Jas. H. Richardson, Merica P. Oatman, Media Caiisey, Prof. Chas. W. Shields. Dr. Willis O. Nance, and Herbert A. Barrows, deserve special mention. The.se are all of Part I. Clement Nance, ancestral head of Part I., left a trunk full of genealogical manuscript that was burned when the home of Susan Nance Gresham was destroyed by fire in 1867. No one has been found who had seen the contents, though several remember the trunk and were aware of the nature of the contents. With the 1 turning of that trunk all knowledge of the ancestry of our honored dead seems to have perished from the earth. vi The Nance Memorial. The author is not aware that any other person has ever attempted to write a history of the family. A goodly number outside of Part I., have taken deep interest in the progress of the Memorial, aiding in every way possible. Only a few of the most persistent and efficient can be named here: J. A, McDannel, Washington, D. C; W. E. Nance, Car- diflf, Wales; D. C. Nance, Cedar Hill, Texas; Miss Bathenia H. Nance, Murfrecsboro, Tennessee, and S. E. Nance and family, of Petersburg, Illinois, deserve special mention. Whole families would have had to be omitted, and in fact some have been, but for the interest taken by others, who, in addition to their own families, have done what they could to supply the lack of interest in their relatives. Should any member of a family who has not personally furnished records, reading this Memorial, find his family incomplete or incorrect, let him blame himself for not having insured its correctness, by sending the very knowledge by which he judges of the error herein found. And now a last word. The author is proud of his work. It is the child of his mature life ; the joy of his declining years. He presents it with all of its imperfections, without apology. He has done the best he could. He makes no claim to literary merit. He has tried to "tell the tale as 'twas told to him," in common, every-day language. The lack of interest on the part of many has been the only source of annoyance, yet he does not complain, for the letters of appreciation have been many and warm. The work has been a labor of love, in which he has taken great delight. He presents the Memorial as a parent would a fond child, asking that it be received without expressions of dis- like over its imperfections ; but he would be pleased to have words of approval from those who have longed for its appearance, if it prove not a disappointment. The Author. Bloomingtoii, 111., July, 1904. Tup: Nance Mhmokial. vii INTRODUCTION The plan of the genealogical tables in this work is so unicine that it may recjnire some explanation, but when understood, is so simple that the most careless may read and trace his genealogy most easily. As far as known to the author no work has ever been pub- lished following the plan of this work. The tree form idea was obtained from David L. Demorest, father-in-law of the author. The calling of the generations by the parts of the tree is original in the author. Beginning with the ancestral head of Part I., he is called the trunk. The trunk divides into limbs, the limbs into branches, they into twigs. The twigs bear buds which bring forth blossoms, and the blossoms grow into fruit. So the seven parts of the tree answer to the seven generations of Part I. The ancestors of our trunk, if they were known, might be called roots, as indeed some of the families have more than one generation before the one des- ignated as trunk. It has been the aim of the author to call the brothers, sisters, cousins, and supposed cousins of our Clement, trunks of their respective families, and where no definite relationship was known, to call those of same day and generation, as near as may be, the trunk. Thus .several of the families have one or more ancestors of their trunks that might be called roots, if one wished to run the simile into the ground. The advantage is this : Limbs of a common trunk are brothers and sisters. Branches of a common limb are also brothers and sisters. So also are twigs of a common branch brothers and sisters. Twigs having a common trunk, limb and branch are ahso brothers and sisters, while twigs having a common trunk and limb, but different branches, are cousins. If, however, the trunk only is common, then the twigs are second cousins. If the trunks al.so are different, then the twigs are third cousins, provided, of course, the trunks are brothers and sisters. If, however, the viii The Nance Memorial. trunks were cousins, then the twigs are fourth cousins. Thus the twigs in the families of William Howe, Zachariah I., David, and Frederick Nance, are fourth cousins, positive or supposed. It is believed that this will simplifj' the tracing of relationships. For example, turn to page twenty-five. Here you see Dorothj^ Nance-Burton, limb one. At the close of her life sketch is a list of her children, or branches. Immediately following, is Clement, branch one. Following his sketch over the leaf to page twenty- six, you see his likeness, and at the close, follow his children, twigs. Now see the first name or twig, you read William H. The surname, Burton, is left off as a superfluous repetition. Fol- lowing the name is a small w, meaning wife, whose full maiden name appears on the next line below. The small d following the w, means the person is dead. In the column to the right are the buds. In this family there is but one, Sarah C. The h means husband whose name appears on the line below, Ross Eldon Witt. Following his name is their address, Clarksville, Iowa. (The address is given when known.) The next column gives the three blossoms, all having companions and addresses. The last column has the fruit, each of these blossoms bearing fruit. Now by retracing this first famil}' in the book, from Dorothy Nance- Burton, limb, through branch, twig, bud, and blossom, to Charles E. Witt, the first fruit in the Memorial, often enough to thoroughly understand it, you will have no trouble in understand- ing any table in this volume. The indexes have been simplified and made more efficient by the leaving out of all buds, blossoms, and fruits, admitting onl}' the trunk, limbs, branches, and twigs. It is believed that any one desiring to trace himself or another, will have little or no trouble in tracing back to the twig without the use of the book. This saves the addition of 1,895 names to the index in Part I. alone, thus avoiding a very cumbersome list. Besides, very many would be repetitions of names, always confusing in a family index. P'ollowing the names in the index are the letters tr, 1, b, or t, indicating whether the person is a trunk, limb, branch, or twig. I'"ollowing the names in the index are two or more page numbers, some times. Tiiey usually refer to different persons with the same name. Cox'SiN, One collaterally related by descent from a common ancestor, 1)ul not a Ijrollier or sister. The children of brothers and sisters are first cousins ; the children of first cousins are second cousins, etc. A first cousin once renio\ed is a cliild of one's first cousin ; a first cousin twice removed is The Nance Memorial. ix the grandchild of one's first cousin, etc. A second cousin once removed is the child of one's second cousin, etc. A first cousin once removed is some- times called a second cousin ; a second cousin, a third cousin, and so on. — The Standard Dictionary. The author has been careful in quoting the above, becau.se of the confusion on the subject of consanguinity in the minds of a good raan3\ Indeed the very best and most extensive Memorial that the author has been permitted to peruse, gives a very differ- ent definition of the term cousin. It is a mystery where the com- piler obtained his definition. The page in the index, after the name, always refers to the page where the name is found in the table. The life sketch and the half-tone of the trunks, limbs, and branches, are always found above their respective tables, while those of the twigs, buds, and blossoms, are always found below their respective tables. The chief value of this work, apart from the historical matter, is centered in the genealogical or family tables. Study them. Understand them. No attempt has been made to write a life sketch of each of the more than five thousand names appearing in this Memorial. Such would be an impossible task, besides it would not be interesting, if it were possible. An attempt has been made, however, to write a .short sketch of a few of the most prominent members of each family and generation. In many instances it has been impossible to get data from which a sketch could be written. Many families have furnished very meager information, or none at all. Others have furnished more than could be u.sed, consequently much interesting matter had to be dropped or condensed, to keep a proper equipoise between the various parts of the volume. As a very large percentage of those named in this Memorial are members of the religious body calling themselves variously the Christian Church, Church of Christ, Disciples of Christ, and in a few instances Disciples Church, the author has deemed it best to use but one term, the first mentioned, and to explain the same here. He prefers the term. Church of Christ, and indeed he thinks a very large majority of the congregations have been legally organized under that name, while at the same time locally using the term Christian Church. The Nance Memorial. CONTENTS, Nances of the World, PART I. Chapter I., Clement Nance, Trunk, Chapter II., Dorothy Burton, Limb, Chapter III., Mosias Nance, Limb, Chapter IV., Susan Shaw, Limb, . Chapter V., Mary Shields, Limb, Chapter VI., William Nance, Limb, Chapter VII., Nancy Oatman, Limb, . Chapter VIII., Clement Nance, Limb, Chapter IX., Jane Jordon, Limb, Chapter X., John Wesley Nance, Limb, . Chapter XI., Elizabeth Richardson, Limb, Chapter XII., James R. Nance, Limb, Chapter XIII., Giles Nance, Limb, PART II. Chapter I., Zachariah Nance I., . Chapter II., David Nance, Chapter III., William Nance, Chapter IV., Richard Nance, Chapter V., John Nance, James Nance, James Nance, Chapter VI. ] James Nance, James Nance, James H. Nance, Giles Nance, Eaton Nance, . George Nance, Robert Nance, . George W. Nance, Miss Nance Chandler, . William Nantz, . ^ Archibald J. Nance, Chapter VII. PAGE I 9 25 57 81 83 125 154 183 196 200 202 226 232 243 286 303 312 321 325 326 327 327 327 328 328 329 329 330 331 331 332 Thk Nance Memorial. ILLUSTRATIONS. XI PART I. Adkins, Mary Cunningham and Family, Aylsworth, Elder and Mrs. N. J. Barrows, Mr. and Mrs. M. T., Baxter, Lucy Nance, " Lynden and Russell, Brazie, Fred E., Bullington, Mary Long, . Burlington, Dr. J. C, Burton, Charles W., " Clement, " Josephus, Carman, Dr. and Mrs. Isaac, Causey, Media Jennings, Claggett, Josephine and Louise, Cook, Prof. D. J., " James H., " Samuel, Craig, Elizabeth Graham, Crane, Charles E., Charles L., " Mary Lizzie Dewees, Mr. and Mrs. Ira A., Gates, Lulu Tyler, Harber Brothers, " Martha Nance, Hunt, Florence Carman, group, Inman, Versalia Nantz, Kingery, Rev. David, Kintner, Elizabeth Shields, Kistler, Carrie Oatman, McCrae, Rev. John, McKinney, Carrie Snider, Mitchell, Susan Long " William, Moore, Catharine Nance, Myers, Lucretia Wright, Nance, Albinus, " Brothers, group. PAGE 37 162 170 64 68 67 220 222 35 26 46 39 224 217 41 42 40 122 115 117 116 158 55 192 191 38 230 106 120 181 96 190 225 30 65 45 141 146 Xll The Nance Memorial. Nance, Charles H., " Mr. and Mrs. Clement, " Mr. and Mrs. David, " Mr. and Mrs. Francis M., George W., Mrs. George W., Dr. Henry H., " Dr. and Mrs. Hiram, " Dr. and Mrs. H. Irving, . " James D., Marie E., . " Martha Chamberlain, Olive L., . Richard R., . Richard W., " Roswell S., . " Dr. and Mrs. Roy, Mr. and Mrs. William, " Dr. Willis O., Xatitz, Mr. and Mrs. Orville R., NuiieTiiacher, Avesta Shields, Oalnian, Klder John, " Mr. and Mrs. Jesse, " I\Ir. and Mrs. Pleasant S., Rardin, Belle Burton, Reed, Carrie E., Kli/.abeth Burton, . Richardson, Aaron, " Aaron A., . " Elizabeth Nance, " James H , . " Mr. and Mrs. James M., " Mary Nance, " Russell A. and Family, Rev. W. F., Routh, Henry H., Shields, Rev. and Mrs. E. P., Mr. and Mrs. Henry B., " Mary Nance, Smith, Clarence W. and Raymond J Snider, Jane Nance, Tyler, Rev. B. B., Van Nest, Hattie Harber, Ward, Franklin A., . Warren, Sarah Nance, Washburn, Ida Burton, " Carleton E., . " Carrie E., PAGE 150 128 72 62 Frontice Piece 76 134 13S1 144' 78 143 183 75 142 130 147 148 125-6 151 228 116 154 . 167-8 17S 36 48 47 204 216 202 206 21 1-2 186 214 208 70 100 90 83 198 187 51 194 2tO 65 47 47 47 Thf Xaxck Mkmokiai. xitt PART 11. Adilisoii, Leilii Wallace, Craiji. \irj4i11ia Nance, Gum, Matihla, Kfo^'P. Matilda l"ariii Residence, Hill, I'arllieiia Xance, Kilbourn, Dr. and Mrs. G. A., Moore, Mary Nance, Nance, Ivlder A. J., :\Ir. and Mrs. Allen (J., . Helhenia II., . Charles L., Mr. and Mrs. David C, Ivlix-abeth Hingley, Mr. and Mrs. F. Carey, Henry \V., John 1-., " John Webl), " Joshua, " Jo-shua OKI Home, Klder and Mrs. Josiah C, " Josiah \V., " McHenry, Milton D., Neva, . Mr. and Mrs. Ulway Bird, Ross A., Roy C, " Sevij^nia !■'., Spotswood A. and Son, . " Washington J., William, . Zachariah Henry, Owen, Josiah W. and Kugenia vS., " Elder and Mrs. Wm. H., Rural Vale, Shipley, Mr. and Mrs. C. W., I'.M.I-. 292 25» 2.S1 264 261 3«'7 274 3"« 25.^ 275-6 244 249 256^ 3>5 32.^ 26.S 255 • 297 300 3'6 253 254 263 252 250 250 3'7 262 .VO 2.S9 299 29S 294 251 xiv The Nance Memorial. PATRIOTISM On the pages of this Memorial are expressions from some of those of the south land, concerning the issues of the days of the civil war of 1861-5, not always complimentary to the people of the north. The author, as well as hundreds whose names appear in this Memorial, was in the conflict on the side for the preserva- tion of the Union. There were other hundreds on the side of the Confederacy. The author has studiously avoided these questions himself while allowing others full right to express themselves in their own way. The author's sentiments on these matters are found only on this page. First, he is not conscious of now having, or ever hav- ing had any prejudice for or against the people of the south. Second, he believes the intelligent people, both north and south, are now convinced that the race problem is not settled as yet. Third, he believes that no one at all intelligent is sorry we have one united country to-day ; that we of the north can cross the Ohio river into lyOuisville, and the people of the south can cross the same river into Cincinnati, to do our shopping without having to pay duty on our purchases, and having our luggage inspected by government officials every time we cross the line. Fourth, he has asked cousin Joanna Shields- Warren, of Louisville, to express in rhyme an up-to-date sentiment on these issues, as a kind of antidote to some expressions that may appear to some as hardly present day sentiment. She responds as follows : The Nance Memorial. xv The Blue and the Gray. They waged the battle together, They fought in deadly strife ; 'Twas but the soul's appealing For a principle dearer than life. The ties of blood and of birthright Were ignored, forgot in the fray, And the one impelling impulse Guided each in this fatal way. The South was dear to its people, And just as dear, the to-day. And to see her crushed and wounded. Was a something to grieve alway. Each were right, and God will judge them With a judgment higher than man ; He knows what made these differences. Not alike, and yet not to blame. One family, each child with its impulse, Some stronger, and others more true. What caused the wild rush of feeling To differ, none living can know. But now that the war is long ended, And years have both come and gone. The brother — hood feel — the God man Rules again, and there's peace in the home. The feeling of hatred, — resentment^ Is softened — and wrongs endured— Are left in the past, but remembered Though unspoken, and the wounds scarce cured. In the Grand Lodge of Heaven, The Blue and the Gray Will meet and clasp hands By order of the Grand Master above. All differences healed, all wrongs forgot. They will aye dwell in unity, peace, and love. xvi Thp: Nance Memorial. ERRATA, Page I, line ii, for "contest," read "conquest." " 21, " 29, after "never," insert "had." " 77, " 25, between "the" and "more," insert "Lord." " 109, " 15, for "John," read "Hugh." " 127, " I, for "limbs," read "branches." 140, bud column, for "Zulu," read "Lulu." " 180, " 5 from bottom, for "developed," read "devolved." " 185, middle of page, for "1839," read "1838." " 201, twig column, for "Illinois," read "Indiana." " 223, twig column, for "Paer, Texas," read "Poer, Texas." " 255, " 2, for "twigs," read "branches." " 288, branch column, for "James Dayton," read Jas. Drayton." " 302, " 6, erase the word "intestate. " " 303> " 6 from bottom, for "road," read "rope." " 292, under the half-tone, "Addison," should be affixed to "Wallace." There are other typographical errors but they do not mar the meaning, and they will be easily detected. The reader will please turn at once to the errors indicated above and with fine pen and ink, make the corrections. THE NANCES OF THE WORLD. THE earliest mention of the name Nance as applied to a family, that the author has found, is in a communication from Padstow, Cornwall, England, written by Elijah Nance to W. E. Nance, Esq., of Cardiff, Wales. (See Appendix, Exhibit "A".) This letter was written in 1856, and covers, as it says, 790 3'ears from 1066, when William the Conqueror in one battle at Hastings, killed the King and took possession of all England and Wales. This army had crossed from Normandy, in France. The whole of England and Wales was confiscated and became the possessions of the Conqueror and his army. Under the heading, "The Norman Contest of England," in Johnson's Universal Cyclopaedia, is the following, viz : Domesday Book, William's famous property-survey, divides the land into 60,215 knii^ht-fees, 28,015 of which are in the hands of the church, each beins^ pledged to knight (or equivolent foot) service and to all precedental feudal taxes and tributes, liable also to escheat and forfeiture. These feoffs or fees are held from the Crown ( i ) by a score or so of great secular vassals, magnates of Normandy, leaders of the conquoring army invested with large but scattering complexes; (2) by several hundred lesser chief-tenants or crown vassals, nearly all Normans ; and (3) by the higher clergy, Norman and Saxon. From these, again held by re-enfeoffment 7,871 after- vassals- half Saxon thanes, left in possession under Norman overlords, half Norman soldiers, sharing with their leaders the lands they had helped to win. These, too, are sworn "men of the king," levied and led, not by their lords, but by the royal viscounts, constables, and marshals. Instead of the earlier, irreg- ular folk-service, stood now a strong fedual militia, paid with land and under full control of the monarch from whom the}' held their pay, making Eng- land's rulers, for the first time, full lords of the island, and England, from the side of power, at least, a thoroughly united state. The Normans had but one name, a Christian, or given name. Coming into England where people had two names, they adopted this custom of the country. In this army was a general from a valley in Normandy, called Nantes. This general took the name Nance from this valley home, for some reason changing the spell- The Nance Memorial. ing somewhat. His .share of the land was located at Padstow, Cornwall, and the family is still there, but they have lost their estate. There is another old family in Cornwall, for an account of which see Appendix, Exhibit "B." And still another, of which John Hobson Matthews, the author of " History of St. Ives, and Other Parishes, " is a descendant. (See Exhibit "C" . ) ALso see quotations from said work (Exhibit "D"). From these quota- tions you will .see references to one "Old John Nance," by John Wesley. Said John Nance was one of John Wesley's best friends and backers in his troubles at St. Ives. The author has no evidence that any of the American Nances have descended from any of these old families. He has not even a tradition pointing that way. Some of the above families were Catholic, and some were Protestant. The history of the family of Nance, in France, prior to their emigration to America, is but little known. Sufficient, however, has been obtained through history and tradition to establish the fact that we are of French lienage. The Nances were Protestants. The Protestants were called Huguenots as a reproach. The Standard Dictionary says : The Huguenots were the most uioral, industrious and intelligent part of the French population. Andrew X., of Belfast, Ireland (Exhibit "E"). says : My Uncle William spent much time and mone)- in looking up his ancestry. He found the " Coat of Arms" of the family, the motto of which is the same as that of Queen Elizabeth, and indicates that ro^-al blood of France flows in our veins ; and that the Nances appear to have been an aristocratic, noble famih- ; and that the name was a territorial name. Thus, we could call ourselves DeNance, if we so desired. Two brothers, Andrew I., and Clement, with their families, fled from France at the time of the Hugue- not persecutions, when so many fled to England, Gemiany, Switzerland, South America, and North America. These brothers came to Cornwall in South England where Andrew I. settled and became the head of a large family. His descendants have spread over England, Scotland, and Ireland. One family went to the Scilly Islands where it is said one island is inhabited almost entirely by Nances. That Clement went north and was entirely lost to his brother Andrew. The tradition of the family in America is that our ancestors were driven from France and settled in Wales, from which country they early came to America. Thus history and tradition seem to agree, Wales being just north of Cornwall, and adjoining .same. Just when the Nances came to America is uncertain, but it must have been very soon after settlement began, judging by the The Nance Memorial. very many of the name found about tide-water in \'irginia and North Carolina. It seems most reasonable that this Clement, brother of Andrew I., must have been our emigrating father. First, from the fact that no Nances are found in Wales who cannot be easily traced to a different ancestry. The family could not have remained there very long. Secondly, because of the preponderance of Clement's in nearly all Nance families in America. One writer says our emigrating father came over with Cap- tain John Smith on his third trip, the company forming the first permanent settlement in Virginia. This was in 1607. This is erroneous, for John Smith in his autobiography gives the lists of all who came with him on all his trips, and no Nance appears. This .same writer says that our ancestors were of the .\lbi- gensesof South France, and that " They ever held to the doctrine, faith, and practice of their ancestors, the Albigenses faith, and came to America with the hope of finding a country and a home in which they might establish a government fraught with moder- ation and religious toleration. They formed the embryo of the Baptist church that spread throughout the country, from whose church government Thomas Jefferson got his first form of a demo- cratic constitution which afterwards ripened into the Constitution of the United States of America." The author thinks he is in error in this as in the other state- ment, for "Albigenses" was a name applied loosely to "here- tics," belonging to various sects that abounded in the South of France about the beginning of the thirteenth century. From 1209 to 1226, a cruel war continued in which hundreds of thous- ands were put to death. A settlement was effected at the latter date. The Albigenses lost their idenity long before the settle- ment of this country began. These same "heretics" of the Romish church of the thir- teenth century, were called " Huguenots" in the later centuries. The war on the Huguenots began in earnest in 1559, and kept up to the edict of Nantes in 1598, when they had comparative peace for about twenty years. Then the cruel war began again. Rochelle, the stronghold of the Huguenots fell in 162S, and of her 24,000 inhabitants, but 4,000 remained, the balance having died by starvation or massacre. The wars continued until the revocation of the edict of Nantes, in 1685. In the next three years it is said France lost nearly one million by emigration. The Nance Memorial. Just when this Clement Nance came to America, if he really came, is unknown. From the Vestry Book and Register of Bristol Parish, Virginia (Exhibit "F"), we get the first birth records known. The number is about twenty-five, and date from 1712 to 1745. They contain the names Daniel, F^lizabeth, Elinor, Phebe, Lucy, Mary, Eliza, John, Jane, Thomas, Richard, William, Leonard, Nathaniel, Anne, Martha, Giles, Sarah, Pris- cilla, and Nancy. Several of the names appear a number of times. In a list of thirty-one land patents granted to "Nance," in Virginia, from 1639 to 1779 (Exhibit "G"), these names appear: Richard, William, John, Daniel, Thomas, Reuben, Giles, and Clement. Some of the names are repeated several times. The first was for 300 acres in Henrico county, to Richard Nance, for transportation of six persons into the colony. This was issued March 18, 1639, only thirty-two years after the first permanent settlement in Virginia. One patent to 1,574 acres, was granted to Giles Nance, December i, 1779. This is no doubt the tract from which he deeded something over 1,000 acres chiefly to our Clement and his family, from 17S7 to 1796. The Clement named in patent to 270 acres, is the ancestral head of Part I. There are about twenty-five supposedly dis- tinct families named in this volume. The particulars of each family are given in the proper place. The author can only men- tion a few of the most prominent, as to size here. Early in his researches for his own family, that of Clement Nance, senior, (Part L) he came across the descendants of Zachariah IL, (Part II.) in the family of A. G. Nance, Petersburg, Illinois. About the same time he was put into correspondence with Miss Bethenia H. Nance, of Nashville, now of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. She is descended from David Nance, who was uncle of Zachariah II., above. Mrs. Lucy Baxter Hunt is descended from the same David, but through another son. The family of David, as well as that of Zachariah II., is a very large one. It is very evident that Zachariah I. and David were brothers ; also as told more fully in Part I., many of us believing that the father of Clement, of Part I., was William How Nance, who also had a brother Frederick, father of Cloa Nance Mitchell, we settled down to the belief that these four, Zachariah I., David, William How, and Frederick, were brothers. This would connect three of the largest families, and a smaller one, making a family of The Nance Memorial. mauy thousands. This seemed ahnost positive, the more so, iu that Zachariah II. remembered seeing his Uncle William. He also remembered his uncle's son, Thomas, and son-in-law, Tucker. They returned to New Kent county after the Revolution, for the purpose of obtaining their mother's dowery from the Vaughn estate. (See Part II.) Some months since, Prof, Shields, of Part I., sent the author copies which he obtained of some old wills. (Exhibit "H.") Among these wulls is one of William Nance, evidently the uncle remembered by Zachariah II. In this will he names his children, but does not name Clement. This the author confesses was a hard blow to him for he had learned to love the family of Zachariah II. We have, therefore, been loth to give this infofmation out, as it cuts him off from close relation- ship to these two large families. There is another very large family with Richard as ancestral head. They are widely scattered. Mr. J. A. McDannel, of Washington, D. C, a member of this family, was a great help to the author, in tracing this famil}'. Another large family has Reuben as ancestral head. They are widely scattered. ' A North Carolina family, a large one, has John as ancestral head. His grand son, John Webb Nance, resides at Abingdon, Illinois. His picture appears with the family history. All these families from Zachariah II. down, and many more, appear in Part II. They are an interesting studv. The author has no doubt a good many of the.se families could be traced to a common ancestry, if one with time and money and a copy of this memorial should visit Virginia and make a personal investigation. He trusts someone may do this in his day. Our Religion. All Nances in America are Protestants. A few have married into Catholic families, but the author has never heard of one becoming a Catholic. As to Protestant bodies, a very large majority of Nances are members or adherants of the Christian church. Clement (Part I.), and his descendants, are fully nine-tenth of that faith. Zachariah II. (Part II.), and his descendants, are very largely of the same faith. The descendants of David are largely Baptist. The author is not informed as to the church affiliations of the descendants of Richard, to any large extent, but they are of the Christian church as far as his information goes. The descend- The Nanck Memoriai.. ants of Reuben are of the same faith as far as the author is informed, which is quite general. Our PoutiCvS. Not one of the name, as far as known, be it said to our honor, has ever taken up politics as a profession, or as a livelihood. We are strong in our adherance to what we believe to be right. We are lovers of political and religious liberty for which our fore- fathers came to this country. We are strong in our party affiliations. We are great lovers of our country and our religion, and are ever ready to die for either. This is evidenced by the very many who entered the armies in the rebellion of 1861-5. Those in the south land being found generally in the Confederate army, and those of the north, in the army for the preservation of the Union. Coming from the south it is natural that we should be largely democrats. Of course there are very many exceptions to this. Those settling fartherest north are more largely republicans. The prohibition party has its usual percentage of adherants in our family. Our Vocations. More of our family are tillers of the soil than follow any other one calling. Among the professions, that of medicine is far in the lead. (This is certainly true of Clement's family, but the author is not as well informed as to other families. ) The law has its devotees, as well as the gospel. Quite a number are profes- sors in colleges, or teachers'in other schools. He thinks we have attained greatest success as merchants and traders. We have a good sprinkling of bankers. We are found in all honorable voca- tions of life. We have never heard of a saloon keeper, gambler or criminal in our family. There are a few weak ones, weak to resist temptations of the open dram shop set along their path by our so-called Christian civilization. Be this said to the everlast- ing disgrace of Protestant America. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, when you find a Nance, you will find a citizen in the middle walks of life, honored and respected by all who know him. This last .sentence is the highest compliment that can be paid any people. Many of the family have much wealth, and .some are quite independent, but the author does not believe that the amassing of wealth is a characteristic of the family. PART I. The Nance Memorial. CHAPTER Clement Nance, vSenior. The head's the cap-sheaf of the man, And Clement Nance the head, this race began Bodily to form, and more adown the ranks of years, Long years. And from his 1)rain evohed The changes — traits — changes that multiply with time, The impulse governing — to many l)earing the name. Example his, to imitate — be as this good man was So, — " Being dead, he speaketh yet," to man. — Joanna Shields Warren. Clement Nance, like Melchisedec, seems to have been withotit father, withotit mother. He is the ancestral head of the family whose histor}' is given here. We do not know the name of his father or his mother. The author believes that the late William Mitchell, twig of branch two, limb one, was the most reliable living witness of recent years. He was al.so the eldest living member of the family for many years. He was born in 1817, and passed peacefully away September 28, 1903. He was positive that William How Nance, "Uncle Billy How," as he was familiarly called, was father of our ancestral head, Clement Nance. Said William Mitchell was grandson of Cloa Nance Mitchell. She was daughter of Frederick Nance. Frederick and William How were brothers. He well remembered a visit Cle- ment made at the home of his father, James Mitchell, and well remembered the meeting of Cloa and Clement. Clement remarked as they met and embraced, " Well, Cloa, I must kiss thee." She replied, "Why not, Clement, for are we not cousins? Were not our fathers brothers? " William Mitchell was a lad at this time, and the impressions received at this meeting of his grandmother on his father's side, and his great-grandfather on his mother's side, both aged, were indelibly impressed on his young mind. He also remembered frequent conversations between his father's mother, Cloa, and his mother's mother, Dorothy (limb one), as lo The Nance MemoriaIv. to old times iu Virginia where they were neighbors. They always spoke to each other, or of each other, as consin. Many times has he heard Cloa tell anecdotes of her "Uncle Billy," and he is posi- tive that no one ever received any impression from her other than that he was brother of her father, Frederick, and father of Clement. David Nance, father of the author, was as intelligent as most men of his day, but he had no idea as to the name of his great-grandfather. He frequently mentioned "Uncle Billy How," in connection with some anecdote. He was under the impression that he was brother of Clement. Also that Clement had another brother, David. The author had an abstract made of the name Nance, as found in the records of Pittsylvania county (Exhibit "I"), hoping therefrom to learn the parentage of our Clement. No light was obtained on this point, but other matter of interest will appear at the proper place. The only time that the name of William How Nance appears, is as a witness to the signature to a deed. This is only valuable in that it appears with five other names of the family, including our Clement ; also showing how he spelled the middle name " How." Prof. C. W. Shields, of Princeton University (twig of branch one, limb four), has had abstracts made of deed and will records of counties from tide-water westward, seeking information on the same point, but to no purpose. While the author has never found anyone, besides William Mitchell, who would venture to name the father of our ancestral head, still quite a number demur to the thought that " Uncle Billy How," was such. In the face of all these doubts and partial denials, and in the absence of any affir- mations as to any other parentage, the author assumes that William Mitchell was correct, and that William How Nance was the father of our ancestral head, Clement Nance. The abstract of deeds mentioned above is an interesting docu- ment, showing twenty-five transfers to or from Nance. These are nearly all our known family, and all are no doubt akin. Quite a number of these transfers are to or from those who had married into the family of our Clement. Our traditions agree with most of the name in America, viz : That our ancestors were driven out of France at the time of the persecution of the Huguenots ; that they came to Wales, and thence to America, settling at or near Jamestown, Virginia. The date of the arrival in America is very uncertain, but must have The Nance; Memorial. 1 1 been at a very early date, judging by the numerous number of families by the name scattered all over the South and West. The date of birth of Clement, senior, is not known. He is said to have died at the age of seventy-two, which would place his Ijirth in 1756. This would make him twenty at the birth of his first child. He was born in Virginia. He was also married there and all his children were born there. The first thing we can write with confidence is, that he, with his wife and most of his children, and their children, for several of them were married in Virginia and had children there, left Pittsylvania county in 1803, and settled in Kentucky. William and Susan Shaw had preceded the father, settling in Mercer county, Kentucky, on the Kentucky river. Mosias and family remained a couple of years in Virginia after the father had removed to Kentucky. A goodly number of the name came with Clement from \'ir- ginia, settling in Kentucky and Tennessee. These were brothers, sisters, or cousins. They have been lost to our branch of the family. No doubt they are the ancestors of many of the numer- ous families of the name in those states at the present time. After remaining in Kentucky about eighteen months, Clement determined to press on to Indiana Territory. He constructed a flatboat, upon which he placed a part of his family, all the women and children, and all the household effects. Upon this boat they floated down the Kentucky and Ohio rivers, landing just below the present site of New Albany, Indiana, and on sec- tion 10, town 3, range 6. A portion of the family came over land with their cattle and horses, they being possessed of quite a number of cattle, which, by browsing upon the cane-break and wild grasses that grew abundantly, kept fat. Thus he landed a large family in the wilderness, without house or even shelter. It is said the mother cried piteously when she found henself sur- rounded by a helpless family of children brought to this dreary, desolate region, and landed in a cold March storm of sleet and snow, without shelter of any kind. A three-sided pole shanty was soon erected, with open end from the storm, and a log heap fire was soon cracking away, bringing good cheer to the cold and wet. In this little open camp, covered with only bark and brush, the family lived until a permanent cabin could be erected. They did not suffer for provisions for the cows gave milk and the woods were full of game. This lauding was made on March 5, 1805. 12 The Nance Memorial. This was the second family to locate iu the present limits of Floyd county, Robert Lafollette and his new bride having pre- ceded them the previous November 4, 1804. Clement, senior, did not take the precaution to pre-empt his claim when he "squatted" on the same, for it was almost an unbroken forest to Vinceunes, where the Uuited States Land Office was located, and settlers were coming in so slowly that he did not fear his claim would be " jumped." It is claimed, but by how much authority the author is unable to say, that one Joseph Oatman, who, with his family, soon followed the Nances into the territory, fell in love with one of the Nance girls, but his suit displeasing the father, the visits to the daughter ceased. In order to "get even" with the father of the girl, Oatman slipped off to Vincennes and returned with a receipt, calling for the patent to the Nance claim. Oatman's entry was dated April 28, 1807, and called for fractional section ten, town 3, range 6, containing 335.60 acres. The extreme northeast cor- ner of this tract is cut by the stream, Falling Run, leaving a few feet only on the east side at the river's brink. After losing this place, Clement, senior, removed to the western part of Franklin township, two and one-half miles from the pres- ent village of lyanesville, where he continued to reside to the date of his death, dying and being buried on the same farm. His entry at the United States Land Office, at Vincennes, was dated June 25, 1807, and called for the northwest quarter section 15, town.ship 3, range 5, 160 acres. This entry was made in less than two months after his former claim was "jumped" by Joseph Oat- man. Clement, senior, afterwards entered the following tracts adjoining, viz: December 23, 1S15, southwest quarter section 9, township 3, range 5, 160 acres. May 11, 181S, northeast quarter section 15, township 3, range 5, 160 acres; and September 24, 182 1, west half southwest quarter section 14, township 3, range 5, 80 acres. In all making entry to 5oo acres. This tract of land is situated over the " knobs," or hills as many would call them, to the westward, and eight miles from New Alban3\ The original tract entered by Clement, senior, is the prettiest farm in all that part of the country. The sons and grandsons continued to make entry to the adjoining lands until the family were the owners of about four sections of land. FREEING SIvAVES. The following article is on record in the Harrison county The Nance Memorial. 13 records, having been made before the organization of Floyd county and when it was a part of Harrison county : Know All Men Bv These Presents, That I, Ckinenl Nance, of Harrison county, Indiana Territory, do this day make the following statement and commit to record in the clerk's office of said county, to-wit : In the year 1799, when I was an inhal)itant of Pittsylvania county, \'irginia, for and in consideration of the sum of 5200.00 to me in hand paid by a certain negro man named "Will," as a compensation to me for the ser\-ices I was entitled to receive from him as a slave, and that I did then and there emancipate or set free the said negro. Will, who has ever since enjoye