Surname Saturday - HOLTZCLAW

Hans Jacob Holtzclau [later most often spelled as Holtzclaw] was one of my most interesting ancestors. He was my seventh great-grandfather, baptized in 1683 at St. Nicolai Church, Siegen, Germany. Godfather at his baptism was Han Jacob Spiess. Quite possibly Holzclau was named for his Godfather, but any familial relationship is unknown. Parents of Hans Jacob Holtclau were Hans Heinrich Holtzclau and Gertrud Solbach.

Hans Jacob took over the position of schoolmaster at Oberfischbach when his brother died; he was then age 24. He married the following summer on 7 Aug 1708, to Anna Margaret Otterbach, daughter of Hermann Otterback and Elizabeth Heimbach. Margaret died in Virginia sometime prior to August 1729 when Hans Jacob's wife is listed in records as Catherine, surname unknown.

The first organized body of Germans who came as permanent settlers to Virginia included Jacob and Margaret his wife, and sons John and Henry [my descent is through their son Henry]. Twelve families went first to London to await passage; they were there about a year, arriving in Virginia in April of 1714. They all came from the principality of Nassau-Siegen (Westphalia) and most were skilled workers in iron. The families were John Spillman & wife Mary, Herman Fishback and wife Kathrina, John Henry Huffman and wife Kathrina, Joseph Coons and wife Kathrina and son John, John Fishback and wife Agnes, Jacob Rector and wife Elizabeth and son John, Melchior Brumback and wife Elizabeth, Dillman Weaver and Ann Weaver his mother, Jacob Holtzclaw and wife Margaret and sons John and Henry, John Kemper and wife Alice Kathrina, John Joseph Martin and wife Maria Kathrina, Peter Hitt and wife Elizabeth.

Hans Jacob Holtzclaw also functioned as the schoolmaster for the small German colony and was evidently able to converse and write English as he appears in several records on behalf of the entire group.

From Essex Co VA, Will Book 16, p.180 is the following statement: The Honable Alex Spotswood His Majesty's Leut. Governour & Commander in Chief of Virginia did put under my command Eleven Labouring men to work in Mines or Quarries at or near Germanna, and we began to work March One Thousand Seven Hundred and 15/16 and so continued til Dec. One Thousand Seven Hundred & Eighteen.
Signed: John Justice Albright
What is subscribed above by the Hofman is true, for I kept the accounts for and was one of the men.
Signed: Jacob Holtsclare
At Court for Essex Co on Tues the 17th May 1720 - Then sworn to be the above named John Justice Albright and Hans Jacob Holsclare & Ordered to be recorded. Capt. W. Beverly, Clerk.

Johann Justus Albrecht was the recuiter of the Germans in Nassau-Siegen and thought to have come with them to Germanna [he is not in the above list of families]. It is believed the first two years the men labored in clearing land, building houses, and guarding the Virginians against the Indians. They first looked for silver, but found iron and spent approximately two years developing iron mines, but this first group did not build a furnace. They moved to Germantown, 20 miles to the north of Fort Germanna, probably in January of 1719. The above document does confirm that the Germans labored for Gov. Spotswood for four years to pay for part or all of their passage.

Jacob was naturalized Jul 11, 1722 and the copy is in Deed Book A, p.165 of the records of Spotsylvania County VA.
It states "Jacob Holtzclow a native a Nassace-Sieger in Germany having settled and inhabited for several years in the County of Stafford in this Colony and now made application to me for the benefit of Naturalization and before me taken the oaths precribed by Law and subscribed the test." Signed A. Spotswood [Governor of VA] This application direct to Gov. Spotswood suggests perhaps a measure of friendship between the Gov. and Jacob. This act was one of Spotswoods last official duties. [This naturalization has been reprinted in VA Historical Magazine and Beyond Germanna and is in my files.]

The Holtzclaws had sons. Here is the distribution of the surname today as found on Dynastree:

Goodman - My Last Word

In trying to find Nancy Goodman Comstock's family, I have looked at many Goodman families, particularly those that had either lived in counties where she lived earlier, or were in Perry County, TN, during the 1840's and 1850's.

One Goodman - Alexander - was in Barren Co, KY, 1810, Maury Co, TN in 1820, Hickman County TN in 1830 and 1840, and his widow is found in Perry County TN in 1850. He certainly was not Nancy Goodman's father, but I will include here what I know about Alexander Goodman in case it will be of benefit to someone else. I suspect Alexander was her uncle or cousin.

Alexander Goodman was living in 1838, Perry Co Deed Book F, p.161
27 Mar 1848 Alexander Goodman to William Wood/Ward, tract located Range 11, S4. Adjacent George Horn, Wallace Dixon. Another tract, same range & section, Corner of 540 acres, entry in the name of Alexander Goodman. 69 acres & 60 poles. Signed Alexander Goodman
Wit: J. A. Saunders, John Depriest. Acknowledged 27 Mar 1848 and recorded.

1850 Census, Perry County, TN
Hh 63 Nancy Goodman, age 62, b. SC [widow of Alexander]. William age 28, Elenor age 18 [marked as male and it's possible the name was a messed up "Elmor" - this could be Nancy & Alexander's son Jesse E.], and Christa Roberts, age 11, probably a grandchild because Mahala Roberts, once married but now widowed, daughter, was living next door, Hh 64.
Note: some have identified this Nancy as being the same Nancy Goodman found next to Ephraim Comstock in Carroll Co in 1830, but that Nancy was already aged 50-60 in 1830. Since four children of Nancy & Alexander will be identified as heirs and none of them are named William - this young man is a mystery.

Living in the next two households were more Goodmans, at least Asa was a son.
Hh 65 J. A. Goodman, age 17 with Mary E, age 19 [the 1840 census indicates a son born to Alexander between 1830 and 1835, at age 17 he would have been born 1833 - this could be Jesse E. Goodman with the wrong middle initial, but then who would be "Elmor" living with Nancy?]
Hh 66 Asa Goodman, age 40, b. KY and Catherine, 37, b. TN and 12 children from 19 to age 1

In Hh 69, was Hugh and Sarah (Goodman) DePriest - she gave her age as 40, the same as her brother Asa, but early censuses show she was born before 1810 so probably a year or two older. There were six children in the DePriest home, between the ages of 17 and 6 - the youngest was named Mahala.

This deed proved the heirs of Alexander Goodman, although it does not explain some of the young adult Goodmans living with the widow in Nancy in 1850. It is true that the earlier censuses very much support that Alexander had only four children - two males and two females indicated to be of ages that match their ages in the 1850 census:
Perry Co Deeds, DB H; [2nd p.407 – misnumbered]
12 Oct 1852 Asa D. Goodman to Nathan Ward. $600. all interest & title in a lot of undivided Negroes, property belonging to estate of Alexander Goodman, dec’d. Also all right & title of Hugh Depriest & wife Sarah them having conveyed their interest to Asa D. Goodman. Do defend the title I have in the two shares with all their increase in the possession of Nancy Goodman, widow of Alexander Goodman dec’d and to remain in her possession during her natural life and to be equally divided between Sarah Depriest, Mahala Roberts, A. D. Goodman and Jesse E. Goodman, all lawful heirs of Alexander Goodman. Good Title to one-half. Signed: A. D. Goodman
Wit: Thos. A. Kelly, G. B. Craig
Acknowledged by Goodman, 25 Oct 1852.

Here is the deed when Mahala Roberts sold her share to her brother Asa:
Deed Book I, p.233
Mahala Roberts to Asa D. Goodman. $125. all right title & interest in tract of land which my father Alexander Goodman, dec’d possessed, being my distribution share.
7 Sep 1853 Mahala (x) Roberts Wit: Nathan Ward, C. H. Ward who proved on 25 Sep 1853

and she also sold these slaves:
p.551 Mahala Roberts to Thomas Brashear all right title & interest in three slaves belonging to heirs of Alexander Goodman, dec’d for $312.50. ¼ interest in Adaline, William & Jane.
17 Sep 1853 Mahala (x) Roberts. Wit: J. Taylor, Charles Teas
Mahala acknowledged the deed 27 Sep 1853.
But Thomas Brashear sold them back to Hugh DePriest, husband of Sarah Goodman, daughter of Alexander. I did not at the time look for the deed when Brasher acquired the shares that Asa Goodman had sold to Nathan Ward in 1852, but obviously he had:
p.553 We have this day sold to Hugh Depriest, all title & claim in two shares in three Negroes, Adaline, William & Jane, belonging to estate of Alexander Goodman & Mahala Roberts being heirs of said estate for $625 paid by Depriest. Signed: Thomas Brashear
17 Jan 1755. Wit: James Morgan, S. B. Johnson
Brashear acknowledged 17 Jan 1755.

It is apparent that Nathan Ward probably also had some familial relationship to the DePriests, because the widow of Alexander, Nancy Goodman, also sold her right and title to the same three slaves and states their relationship to each other:
Deed Book J p.132
Nancy Goodman to Hugh Deprest, Carroll H. Ward, Thomas Whitwell & wife Melisa C., Green A. Depriest & wife Jane, Johnson Depriest & wife Elizabeth. Hamilton G. Ward, Thos. D., Hugh L., Houston, A. Purlina, & Purlina Ward, all heirs & distributes of Nathan Ward, dec’d. Sold her lifetime title & interest in slaves Adaline, William & Jane and an infant child, all children of Adaline and all increase. Property of Alexander Goodman dec’d. $450.
9 Oct 1855 Signed: Nancy Goodman wit: Richard Dabbs, J E. Goodman

J. E. Goodman was definitely named Jesse as his name appears both ways in the following deed:
Deed Book I, p.446
Know all men by these presents. I, J. E., Goodman for $900 paid by A. D. Goodman. Sell one negro man named Alfred.
11 Oct 1854 Signed: J. E. Goodman
Wit: James H. Goodman, Wm. A. Cotham
Jesse E. Goodman acknowledged same on 12 Oct 1854.

And Asa sold some of his land to J. E. Goodman. There were two mortgages noted.
Deed Book J, p.2
13 Oct 1854 Asa D. Goodman to J. E. Goodman for $500 Range 11. On waters of Marsh Crk. 55 acres. Conditional line bet A. D. Goodman & J. E. Goodman. Signed: A. D. Goodman
p.3 J. E. Goodman to J. W. Shelton. Mortgage deed. Signed: J. E. Goodman, A. D. Goodman,
Another mortgage was signed by. J. E. Goodman, Nancy (x) Goodman [probably Jesse's mother]


There were other Goodmans living in Perry Co, TN in 1850.
Hh 216 Riley Goodman, age 25, Mary age 25, 4 children – all born in Tennessee
Hh 340 Thomas G. Goodman, age 23, Mary A., age 22, 3 children – all born TN
Hh 360 Toliver T. Goodman, age 52, b. North Carolina, Margaret 45, b. KY, two teenage daughters born in TN [Here is another link between Maury Co and Perry Co - Toliver was on a tax list in 1826 in Perry Co]
Hh 488 Jesse Goodman, age 30 and Sarah age 28, a young son age 1, and Griffith Goodman, age 19, all born in TN [this is a second Jesse - his age does not fit the 1810-1840 censuses of Alexander Goodman's family]
Hh 531 Thomas Goodman, age 21, Mahala, age 19, and Sarah J. age 1, all born TN

There was another Goodman widow [or rather her children] in Perry Co. She had been married to an older Jesse Goodman, not either of those living in Perry Co in 1850, and she was nee Anna Davidson, daughter of an Alexander Davidson who had lived in Barren Co, KY where all the Goodmans were in 1810. She was quite possibly the mother of Alexander Goodman:
Deed Book G:
p.363
1 Dec 1849 Appoint Pleasant Whitwell my attorney to demand from Isaac Davidson, distributive share from Anna Goodman, dec’d wife of Jesse Goodman, heir of one Alexander Davidson, now dec’d. in Barren Co KY. Signed: Mary (x) Saunders. Wit: John Depriest, John (x) Murray
p.365
1 Dec 1849 Pleasant Whitwell, attorney for Alexander (x) Davidson for his distributive share descended from James Davidson dec’d heir of one Alexander Davidson dec’d of Barren Co KY Wit: John (x) Murray, E. H. Whitwell
p.368
3 Dec 1849 Thomas Murray, attorney for Nancy (x) Murray and John (x) Murray to receive share from James Davidson dec’d heir of Alexander Davidson of Baron Co KY. Wit: Lewallen Murray, John O. Murry

I have found data on the Internet suggesting that the above deceased Alexander Davidson, born 1744 in Virginia, died in Barren County in 1817 - he was married first to Anna Bridges by whom he had children James, John, Margaret, Alexander, Hezekiah, Anna, born about 1776, who married Jesse Goodman, William, and Elijah. He married second Mary Ellis and had Rachel, Benjamin, Jesse, Isaac, Abraham, Ellis, Elizabeth, Sarah, Jacob, and Asa. Alexander Davidson did leave a will in Barren County naming all the children and a step-daughter. It's interesting that many of these names occur often in the Goodman family and the families would continue to live in so many of the same locations.

There was a very old Jesse Goodman living among the others in Hickman Co TN, 1830. His age was between 70-80, the probable spouse 60-70 [which fits the suggested birth year of Anna Davidson]. He was on the same census page as Alexander and his son Asa. I suspect Jesse Goodman and Anna Davidson could have been the parents of Alexander, as well as several of the other Goodmans, perhaps even Abraham Goodman. I simply do not have enough data to prove these relationships.

I have seen a family tree, on the Internet and not proved, that groups some of the Goodman names I've found in these locations. A John Goodman married Mary Robertson, 9 Dec 1802, in Rutherford County, NC which also was the early location of these other Goodmans I've discussed - a William Goodman was one of John's bondsmen. Names given for their children include these: Frances, Ivan [Ervin?], Terrell, William who married Betsy Samples and lived in Blount Co TN, John who married Ruth Roach and also lived in Blount Co TN, Harve, Sarah who married Colly Robertson, Jesse who married Dicey ??? and died in 1852 in Lewis Co TN, Drury who married Martha Edwards [also found in Lewis Co TN in 1850], Elisa, and Robertson Goodman [also in Lewis Co and living in his household was a Nancy A. Bates, age 20, who was not a child of Mahala Goodman and Robert Bates].

There was a Toliver T. Goodman, age 52, in Perry Co in 1850, born in North Carolina. His name possibly was actually Talliaferro - I've seen some indications of connections of Goodmans and the Talliferro family in colonial Virginia. There was also a Toliver T. Goodman in Maury Co tax records, 1826-1830 - a young man who had no horses, cattle or slaves. Tolliver Thomas Goodman married Peggy Saunders, 14 Feb 1821, in Maury Co, TN. I'm sure this is all the same person, but no clues as to how he might be related.

An Overton Goodman was in Rutherford Co NC in the 1780's. There had been an Overton Goodman on a tax list in Caswell Co, NC in 1777. A man named Overton Goodman can also be found in the Greenville District of South Carolina, where James Bates was also located. If he is related, his given name was not passed down, and apparently he did not move on to Tennessee.

Fleming Goodman has a distinctive enough given name that he was easy to follow in spite of various spelling of Fleming, but again, no clues to his relationship. He was first found, age 26-45 in Rutherford Co, NC, 1800. He was in Barren Co, KY ,in 1810 and now over age 45, on the same page with a Jesse and a William, both younger. In 1820, Fleming was living in Maury Co, TN and counted next to John Fleming, and on the same page with Abraham Goodman, the most likely prospect for father of my Nancy Goodman Comstock. In 1830, Fleming was in Wayne Co, TN and aged 60-70. He was near John, age 30-40, and S. C., age 20-30. By 1840, Fleming had moved to Perry Co, TN. He again gave his age as 60-70 and was again next to a John Goodman, now age 40-50. A "Calep" [Caleb] Goodman was the only other Goodman in Perry Co that year, and was age 30-40 - S. C. Goodman had been 10 years younger in 1830. By 1850, there is no Fleming Goodman at all anywhere in the census and no Caleb Goodman of the right age and probable birthplace, and I've found no John Goodman in Tennessee whose age and family fits the earlier census information. I have found some indication that Fleming and Goodman families intermarried in Pennsylvania in the early 1800's, but this Fleming Goodman was already in North Carolina in 1800.

That's all. I don't know anything else about Goodman families. Internet searches indicate that no one else has had better luck. If anyone has more information about any of these families, please share.

Which Goodman Family? Part Three

My analysis of the 1820, 1830, and 1840 Census regarding the Goodmans in Tennessee revealed only one serious contender for the father of Nancy Goodman [1805-1855], wife of Ephraim Comstock, and that was Abraham Goodman.

Abraham Goodman lived in Maury Co TN in 1820 and had three females in his household aged 10-16. Three years later, 1823, Nancy Goodman married Ephraim Comstock there in Maury Co. In the 1850 census in Perry Co TN, the widowed Nancy indicated she was born about 1805, so she would have been about age 15 in 1820. In 1830, a widowed Nancy Goodman lived next to Ephraim & Nancy Comstock - of an age to be her mother.

I have found several family trees online for this Abraham Goodman. None have sources and none have responded to inquiries. Some of the data can be supported by census records. Oh, how I would like to find someone actively researching this family!

Abraham's wife is said to have been a Nancy - no surname known. Abraham is thought to have been born perhaps 1770-1780 in North Carolina and was living in Barren County, Kentucky in 1810 [confirmed by census records], Maury County Tennessee in 1820, and to have died about 1826 in Maury Co.

Lists of children differ with the most consistent ones named as:

Hosea, b. 1798 in SC [1850 census]
Abisha [Abijah, Bisha], b. 1800 - married his cousin Polly Goodman, 1820 in Maury Co TN, shown in 1850 as b. 1800 in NC, living in McCracken KY
Lemuel Oliver, born 1813 in Kentucky [1850 census]
Note the gap in ages between Abisha and Lemuel - some 13 years - the 1810 census indicates as many as four daughters born in this gap.
A daughter Telitha, b. 1815 in TN [1850 Census], married Jordan Middleton
Ervin, b. 1817 in TN [1850 census]
Maybe there was a son Jesse.
Possibly a son James W., b. 1822 in Tennessee [1850 Census]

Here are the censuses with possible family members in parenthesis.

Abraham's family in 1810, Barren Co KY:
2 males under 10 [could be Hosea & Abisha], 1m age 26-45 [Abraham, born bet 1770-1784]
4 females under age 10 [No females of this age are ever shown in online databases so obviously there are unidentified daughters - my Nancy Goodman would have been about age five in 1810 & her likely sister Mahala, a year or two older. How nicely they fit there!], one female age 16-26 [Nancy, born bet 1784-1794, but most likely closer to 1784 given the number of children she has.]

Abraham's family in 1820, Maury Co TN:
2 males under 10 [Lemuel & Ervin] one male now over 45 [Abraham - born bef 1775]
1 females under 10 [Telitha] and 3 females 10-16 [Nancy would be 15; Mahala had married in 1819]. One female age 26-45 [Nancy - still shows her as younger than Abraham, born bet 1775-1794]

So if Abraham died in 1826 and his wife was Nancy, there should be a widowed Nancy Goodman in 1830. The only one around was the Nancy Goodman living next to Ephraim & Nancy Comstock in Carroll County, TN in 1830.
Nancy's family in 1830, Carroll Co TN:
1 male under 5 [James W.? A doubtful son and thought to be about age 8 by 1830. Or is this a grandson?] 1 male age 10-15 [Ervin], 1 male age 15-20 [Lemuel]
1 female age 20-30 [One of the older females still at home] 1 female age 50-60 [born bet 1770 and 1780 and consistent with Nancy's possible age in 1810 and 1820]

Also found living on the other side of the widow Nancy Goodman in Carroll Co in 1830 is Jordan Middleton! Oh happy day! He is the only man of this name in the Federal Census in 1830, and he is reported to be the husband of Abraham & Nancy's daughter Telitha. She is with him later in 1850, 1860, and 1870 so this certainly seems to be correct.
Jordan Middleton: 1 male under 5 [they had a son born 1829], 1 male 20-30 [Jordan, b. about 1806], 1 female 15-20 [Telitha - correct age]

Then the question of what may have happened to the widow Nancy Goodman arises. She is never found under her own name after 1830. There is a possibility she was counted in the household of her son Lemuel in 1840. Several of the probable family kin, notably Fleming and John Goodman who had been on the same page with Abraham back in Maury in 1820, had moved to Wayne Co in 1830 and then on to Perry Co before 1840. However, found in Wayne Co TN in 1840 was Lemuel Goodman and enumerated just after Lemuel was Jordan Middleton. There was also a Jesse Goodman in Wayne Co - he could easily have been part of one of the families of Fleming or John, but he could be the proposed son of Abraham named Jesse.
Lemuel Goodman, 1840, had an older woman in his household. Perhaps his mother Nancy.
1 male under 5, 1 male 5-10, 1 male 20-30 [Lemuel]
1 female under 5, 1 female age 20-30, and 1 female age 50-60 [based on the other censuses Nancy should have been 60-70, but she might have been very close to 60 and the elderly ages are so often wrong]

In studying Abraham's family, another interesting coincidence came to light. Family tradition had placed Nancy Goodman Comstock as being "of" Graves County, Kentucky, which is unlikely for several reasons discussed previously, and there's absolutely no indication she ever lived there. What is notable, however, is that in 1850, living in Graves County, Kentucky were Hosea, Lemuel and Ervin Goodman, all sons of Abraham, as well as James W. Goodman, a possible son. If Nancy was a part of this family, these would be her brothers living in Graves County. Her children could mistakenly assume Nancy, too, was "of" Graves County. And there is that grain of truth so often found in family tradition.

The 1850 Census also reveals that Jordan Middleton and Telitha [Goodman] were living in Perry County, TN. Until I discovered more about the family of Abraham Goodman, I had no possibilities for kin of Nancy living Perry County, until after she and family had gone to Missouri. Once I discovered that Abraham had a daughter Telitha who married Jordan Middleton, there they were living in the same place as Nancy Goodman Comstock in 1850

As you can see, the census numbers certainly indicate a place for my Nancy in the family of Abraham Goodman. I do not have positive proof, but it is plausible. The location and relationship of family members support the theory. The deed and probate records of Maury Co, TN, during the 1820's might reveal the answer. I need to search there.

The next and last installment about the Goodmans will place more of those I've found in the 1850, and later, censuses.