NEW KENT COUNTY, VIRGINIA

VAUGHAN FAMILY

Discussion and Analysis

This is a discussion of the New Kent County Land Tax Digests 1782-1863. There are a few inferences that can be drawn from the Land Tax Digests. Most fall short of proof. Normally, these would not be included. However, due to the lack of records in New Kent Co. an exception has been made. More names appear in the Personal Tax Digest series.

Ann Vaughan. William Vaughan was already deceased by 1782. His estate paid taxes on 275 acres from 1782 to 1794. Then Ann Vaughan started paying taxes on the same 275 acres. She paid taxes from 1795 to 1811.

Ann Maria Vaughan. See Ann Vaughan above. After Ann paid taxes, they were paid by Ann M. Vaughan 1812 to 1813. After that the 275 acres disappears from the tax digest. In 1810 A. Maria is listed in the Census with no age. I know that sometimes the census listed people based upon property they owned which is what I suspect happened in this case. Ann M. Vaughan appears in the 1850 census, b. 1810., unmarried.

Bowling Vaughan. Bowling Vaughan’s estate paid taxes on 200 acres from 1800 to 1807. He may be the same Boling Vaughan who was alive and paid personal taxes 1783 to 1792. There is no explanation for the gap from 1793-1799.

Bowling Vaughan. A second Bowling Vaughan pays personal taxes 1810-1813.

Henry Vaughan. His estate is listed from 1782 to 1797 in the tax digest, with unknown acres. He is possibly the same as Henry Vaughan (KHXJ-PYB), the husband of Elizabeth Rebecca with two children b. 1774 and 1776.

Henry Vaughan. A second Henry Vaughan paid taxes on 154 from 1805 to 1826. By 1826 his land was 223 acres plus another 100 acres. Thereafter, his estate paid taxes 1827 to 1834. Now is where it gets very interesting. In 1835, his widow Lucy pays taxes on a dower share on 74 1/3 acres (1/3 of 223 acres); and the heirs of William S. paid taxes on 148 2/3 acres. Lucy pays taxes on the dower share through 1838 and thereafter drops off the Land Tax Digests. This indicates that she died or otherwise forfeited her dower (perhaps by remarriage). When she drops off, the heirs of William S. start paying on all 223 acres which it paid all the way through 1856. See more on William S. Vaughan below. From Census records, Henry Vaughan was b. 1784-1794. He started paying personal taxes in 1801, which means he was b. about 1780. From the 1830 Census Lucy Vaughan was b. 1770-1780.

Pryor Vaughan. Pryor Vaughan paid taxes on 126 acres 1813 to 1814. He disappears from the land taxes until 1822 when he started paying on 226 acres which he continues through 1838. His estate picks up the 226 acres in 1839 and pays taxes through 1863 (end of research). Pryor Vaughan paid personal taxes from 1810 to 1839..

Robert B. Vaughan. He pays taxes on 333 1/3 acres from 1823 to 1831. He is not listed in the 1830 Census.

Shadrack Vaughan. Shadrack Vaughan pays taxes on 255 acres from 1782 to 1798 (225 acres in 1799). He then drops off the land tax digests. He never pays personal taxes, hence he is likely a nonresident of New Kent Co. He may be the Shadrack in nearby Goochland Co.

Stanhope Vaughan. He pays taxes on 90 acres from 1782 to 1795. His estate pays taxes 1796-1800 after which this land drops off the Land Tax Digests. It si known from the parish register that he had a wife Anne and a son Joseph, b. in 1774.

Timothy Vaughan. Timothy Vaughan was a taxpayer 1782-1784 after which he died. A second Timothy Vaughan started paying personal taxes sporadically starting in 1801.

William Vaughan. William Vaughan was already deceased by 1782. He may be the William Vaughan who d. 7 Sep 1774 according to Parish records. His estate paid taxes on 275 acres from 1782 to 1794. Please see Ann Vaughan above. After Ann and Ann M. stopped paying taxes, the orphans of William Vaughan paid taxes 1814-1822, after which the 275 acres drops off the tx digests.

William Vaughan, Sr. He was b. in 1788 and paid personal taxes 1809-1851. He never paid land taxes.

William S. Vaughan. William S. Vaughan started paying land taxes on 100 acres in 1825. He pays taxes through 1833 after which his estate pays taxes. In 1835 his heirs start paying taxes on 148 2/3 acres which indicates he was the sole heir of Henry Vaughan. In 1839 after Lucy Vaughan’s dower was terminated, his heirs started paying taxes on 223 acres, which continued through 1850. After that the 223 acres was added to his estate so that his estate paid taxes on 100 acres which he owned during his lifetime and the 223 acres inherited from his father Henry. His estate paid taxes through 1856 after which the 323 acres drops off the tax digests.

Compiled By: David H. Robertson, 159 Hickory St., Roswell, GA 30075 davidhr@hushmail.com