Haden Family - Anthony of Goochland, Part IV

Sorry, but there are more "traditions" surrounding Anthony Haden.  These are easier to refute.

Tradition:  Anthony served under the great Marlborough.
Marlborough’s battles were between 1704-11 and ended when he was accused of embezzling public funds. Seems very early for a man born in 1694 to have been in battle. No proof can be found and this tradition seems most unlikely.

Tradition:  Anthony settled first in North Carolina in 1720 where he was Councillor of State for 10 years. No, I don't think so.
No records of any Haden, any spelling, are listed in the Index of the North Carolina Colonial Records. No early land records exist, etc. that have a similar name. There is simply no proof found he ever lived in North Carolina at all. If the Bible record of his birth is accurate, he would certainly have been young for such a responsibility in government. It is my opinion that Anthony was never in North Carolina, although two of his sons moved there and a third son owned land in the "Carolinas". A migration directly into North Carolina and then a move to King William and Goochland Counties in Virginia would be highly unusual for that time and place. However, for sons to move from Virginia to North Carolina, looking for cheaper land, would be the normal course of events. Although Anthony owned land and slaves, he held no governmental or vestry positions in Virginia - that would not seem to be his profile.  Because of this "tradition" some of Anthony's children are sometimes seen as "born in North Carolina".  No, I don't think so - his children were surely all born in Virginia.

Tradition: Anthony served in the Revolution with sons and grandsons [would have been 80+, now how unlikely can that be!]
The Blakey Family says he fought at Battle of Point Pleasant where he was a Lieutenant. Said to have negotiated a treaty with the Cherokees, Chickasaw & Choctaw in 1780.
None of this is in the Calendars of the Draper Papers or any records I can find of Indian treaties. He is not listed anywhere in books that list soldiers from Virginia in the French & Indian Wars or the Revolution. Not mentioned in anything else anyone has been able to find.
Battle of Point Pleasant was the only major battle of Dunmore's War. It was fought on October 10, 1774, primarily between Virginia militia and the Indians.  It took place along the Ohio River near modern Point Pleasant, now West Virginia.  It seems highly questionable that a man 80 years old would be taking part in this campaign.
Some of Anthony's sons and grandsons did serve in the Revolution, but it seems highly improbable Anthony was even living by the time of the Revolution, and indeed I've found proof he was not. Grandson Anthony has Revolutionary records – he served as a Captain. I believe the records were simply confused. And there are records of that Anthony D. Haden who applied for his pension from Pittsylvania Co, VA. Perhaps early researchers were trying to account for two men named Anthony Haden from Virginia and made the assumption one of them must have been the very old Anthony.

Tradition: Anthony Haden died in 1797 at age 103.
Last record known to be his is the Tithable list from Hanover Co in 1763. He would have been about 60; old for that time. Taxed on 200 acres of land.  All other records found can be attributed to the grandson Anthony, who was born 26 Mar 1746 and old enough to create his own records by about 1767.

And then I found a deed, showing that Anthony was deceased and that his son Zachariah had inherited the homeplace and was selling it in 1774.

7 Oct 1774
Goodland Co, VA, Deed Book 10, p.491
Zachariah Haden and Elizabeth his wife of Goochland to John Hopkins of said County. For 120£ a tract of land containing 250 acres “in the county of Goochland on the Great Byrd Creek, being formerly purchased by Anthony Haden, in two separate parcels, the one of Thomas Stone Containing two hundred Acres, and the other of Edward Rice Containing Fifty Acres Both granted to the said Anthony by Indentures of Bargain and sale Recorded in Goochland Court and by the said Anthony Devised to his son Zachariah Haden, the present Granter thereof” Begin at Spanish oak on Byrd Creek, on said Edward Rice, line of markt trees in said Hopkins line, on Obediah Daniel, corner red oak on Byrd Creek, down the Byrd according to its meanders. Signed: Zachariah Haden, Elizabth Haden. Zachariah & Elizabeth Haden acknowledged the deed and she relinquished dower 17 Oct 1774.

In 1774 the word “devised” was a particular legal term with a single meaning – a bequest from a will.. So Anthony obviously left a will – probably in Hanover Co where so many records were lost. In 1769, the will of Edward Rice in Goochland as mentioned in the above deed, specifies land that bordered on Zachariah Haden, indicating that by 1769, this property already belonged to Zachariah and Anthony was probably already deceased. I also have the two deeds mentioned above when Anthony bought the acreage - and this is the only land Anthony bought that he had not otherwise given to his older sons years prior.
 
There are also conflicts concerning Anthony's wife and children.  I'll leave those for future posts.