BAILEY'S OF BERKELEY COUNTY Bailey Family History August 1,2006 Forrest Dean Bailey Davis, California pa„e 2 Bailey's of Berkeley County Berkeley County was one of the first settled areas of the State of West Virginia. Many Quakers and Scotch-Irish Presbyterians, along with English and Dutch, became residents in the early 1700's. They were followed by Germans who built many of the still existing farm complexes. The County has a wealth of historic, architecturally important buildings dating from the 1740's into the 20th century. Many of these buildings, including several districts and villages, have been researched and placed on the National Register of Historic Places, Berkeley County was formed from Frederick County, Virginia, in 1772 and named for Lord Norbome Berkeley. The County seat was established in the colonial village of Martinsburg, named for Thomas Bryan Martin, Lord Fairfax's nephew, and was incorporated in 1778. The arrival of the B&O Rail­ road in the 1840's provided Martinsburg and Berkeley County a substantial im­ provement in transportation and acted as an economic generator for the area. During the Civil War (or War Between the States), Martinsburg and Berkeley County, still a part of Virginia, experienced conflict and much destruction. Many families had divided allegiances. In June 1861 Stonewall Jackson destroyed the railroad cars at the Martinsburg B&O Railroad complex and commandeered the engines, dragging them through Winchester to Strasburg. The roundhouse and machine shops were completely stripped. The first major conflict in the area occurred on July 2, 1861, when the North's General Robert Patterson crossed the Potomac River at Williamsport and defeat­ ed the South's General Joseph E. Johnston and General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson. On October 18 and 19, 1862, the Martinsburg B&O Railroad complex and roundhouse were burned. In 1820, Morgan County was formed from portions of Berkeley County. The town of Berkeley Springs was selected as the County Seat. The Oakland (Sleepy Creek) area settled by the Bailey family was originally in Frederick County, Commonwealth of Virginia, then in Berkeley County, Virginia, later in Morgan County, Virginia, and finally (since November 1863), in Morgan County, West Virginia. Page 3 Bailey's of Berkeley County After November 1863, Berkeley County became a part of the new State of West Virginia. The State of West Virginia supported the North, resulting in many problems that divided family and friends. The Pennsylvania Railroad entered the area in 1872. The Pennsylvania, along with the B&O, gave the area an excellent transportation base. In early times, a major source of the area's income came from selling flour produced by the area's water-powered mills to the Alexandria and Baltimore markets. The first written record (that we know of at this time) of Baileys in Berkeley County is a deed recorded May 9, 1752 in Frederick County indicating that John Bailey of Augusta County is an assignee. The next record is the March 8, 1753 land survey notation that Jno. Bayley is a chain man on a survey team. A land survey dated June 25, 1754 again indicates that John Bayly is a chain man on the survey crew. Family lore passed down says that Jonathan (John, Sr.) Bailey emigrated from Glasgow, Scotland in about 1730. Other family members say that Jonathan Bailey emigrated from Ireland. Some family reports say that Jonathan came to America as an indentured servant at 12 years of age, which would place his birth year at 1718. Mclntire family research indicates that a certain William Bailey was in Cecil County, Maryland as of March 12, 1734. This family narrative ties this same William Bailey to a deed dated August 15, 1768 for 380 acres of land on the Middle South Fork of Sleepy Creek in Frederick County, Virginia. Was this William Bailey the father of John Bailey, or was he perhaps a brother of John Bailey? Page 4 Bailey's of Berkeley County Recorded deeds and patents in Martinsburg, the county seat of Berkeley County, indicate the following early Bailey land acquisitions in the Sleepy Creek area of Frederick and Berkeley Counties: John Bailey Colony of Virginia Lord Fairfax, proprietor of the Northern Neck of Virginia South Fork Sleepy Creek 23 December 1769 200 acres William Bailey Colony of Virginia Lord Fairfax, proprietor of the Northern Neck of Virginia South Fork Sleepy Creek 27 December 1769 400 acres William Bailey Colony of Virginia Lord Fairfax, proprietor of the Northern Neck of Virginia South Fork Sleepy Creek 17 February 1777 200 acres Silas Bailey Commonwealth of Virginia (Lord Fairfax died in 1781) South Fork Sleepy Creek 23 September 1789 390 acres John Bailey Commonwealth of Virginia South side Third Hill 30 May 1794 120 acres Total 1,310 acres After examination of deeds and other documents, one could reach the following conclusions: Either William Bailey or John Bailey, Sr. (or Jonathan) immigrated from Scot­ land, or Ireland, about 1730. He may have immigrated to Philadelphia, traveled to central Pennsylvania, then to Maryland and finally to the Oakland (Sleepy Creek) area of Frederick County, Commonwealth of Virginia (later Berkeley County, Virginia, and now Morgan County, West Virginia). Page 5 Bailey's of Berkeley County John Bailey, Sr. was married to Nancy (also known as Ann, her surname is not known to us). They patented 200 acres in the Sleepy Creek area of Berkeley County (now referred to as the Oakland community) on December 23, 1769. This 200-acre farm is referred to in several deeds of contiguous property. Their sons are (or may be): John Bailey, Jr. and his wife "Jenny". John Bailey, Jr. may be the purchaser of the 120-acre parcel on Sleepy Creek, alluded to above, as of May 30, 1794. William Bailey and his wife Elizabeth. William Bailey would appear to be the purchaser of the two patents referred to above in 1769 and 1777. William and John Bailey are listed as being in the 1st Battalion, Captain Biggs's and Captain Springer's Company's of the Revolutionary army. Silas Bailey, owner of the 390-acre farm referred to above. Silas Bailey is alluded to as a chain-man in a December 1768 registered survey. Andrew Bailey is reported to have been a chain-man in a registered 1778 survey. John Bailey, Jr. and his wife "Jenny" may have had the following sons: John Bailey, III, owned land in Berkeley County in 1779. He married Elizabeth Long in 1785. Christian Streit was the minister. Basil Bailey, bom April 26, 1762 in Prince George Parish, Rock Creek, Frederick County, Maryland, and died March 6, 1794. Thomas Bailey, bom circa 1765, married Micha Catlett. Died in May, 1849 with a will (copy included herein) written as of May 9, 1843. Thus, Thomas Bailey is the first "Bailey" family member that we know as our ancestor, with a relatively-high level of confidence. Joel Bailey bom April 25, 1767, married Rachael Moore (bom July 10, 1769) on May 3, 1788. John Montgomery was the minister at their marriage. Thomas Bailey left a will naming his wife and children as heirs. Thomas married Micha (the spelling in the Thomas Bailey will) Catlett. Micha is reported to be the daughter of William Catlett and Ursula Bailey. Page 6 Bailey's of Berkeley County Their children are: William Bailey, bom September 8, 1795 in Berkeley County, Virginia. He married Drucilla Bohrer on April 7, 1818 in Berkeley County. He died April 13, 1864 near Clarks Hill, in Clinton County, Indiana. Elizabeth Bailey, bom in 1797 in Virginia, married George Unger December 20, 1817 in Berkeley County, died in 1860. Bazil Bailey, bom in 1801. He married Sarah Shocky (bom in 1805). He died April 9, 1872 and is buried in Perry Township, Clinton County, Indiana. Jonathan Bailey is reported to have left Ohio with the Mormons. John Bailey is mentioned as one of the Thomas Bailey sons in the Thomas Bailey will that is dated May 9, 1843, when many of the family live in Indiana. We need more information on Jonathan Bailey and would like to know what happened to him in later life. Hannah Bailey, bom June 30, 1809, married Adam Bohrer (nephew of Drucilla Bohrer Bailey) in Berkeley County. Died June 22, 1887. Buried with Adam in the Bohrer I cemetery on Timber Ridge, Paul Largent farm, Oakland (Sleepy Creek) Morgan County, West Virginia. Nancy Bailey, bom in 1811 in Berkeley County, married Henry Keedy (the spelling from the Thomas Bailey will) January 26, 1829 in Berkeley County. Silas Bailey, bom October 11, 1814, married Sarah Trotter January 1, 1835, died at Cleveland, Ohio. Please refer to his son's (Henry E. Bailey) story later in this narrative. Samuel Bailey may have been bom in 1816 (per 1850 Clinton County Census). Samuel Bailey is not mentioned as a son in the 1843 Thomas Bailey will. William Bailey's move from Virginia to Indiana is related by Marjorie Paul. Marjorie O. Paul of Lafayette, Indiana, who in one letter describes herself as a family historian, provided some of our knowledge of the Bailey family history. She wrote that Thomas Bailey was the son of Jonathan Bailey, who is reported to have emigrated from Scotland to Virginia in about 1750. Thomas Bailey, who was married to Michah Catlett, had several children including William Bailey who was bom in 1795. William Bailey (married to Drusilla Bohrer) is the father of Fill Pendleton Bailey, who is the father of Owen C. Bailey. Page 7 Bailey's of Berkeley County The most accurate Bailey history is from Ida Bailey Gable, reported by Mar­ jorie Paul to have been written about 1920.