In the early 1800s on Roanoke Island, North Carolina, a romance blossomed that would challenge the social and legal norms of the time. This is the story of my 4th great-grandparents, John Weskett Jr. and Barbara “Barby” Midgett, whose relationship began as a scandal but endured to become a legitimate marriage spanning decades.
The Early Years
Barbara Midgett was born in 1787 and came from a prominent Roanoke Island family. In 1802, at just 15 years old, she married Ambrose N. Dough, an 18-year-old mariner1. The marriage seemed promising at first, with Barbara bringing 76 acres of inherited land to the union2. However, their relationship would soon take an unexpected turn.
A Marriage Falls Apart
While Ambrose was away at sea, Barbara began a relationship with John Weskett Jr., who was born between 1774 and 1780. By 1807, Barbara and John were living together openly, having already welcomed two children. When Ambrose returned from his voyage to discover this new arrangement, he found himself in an impossible situation.
The Failed Divorce Petition
In 1809, Ambrose petitioned the North Carolina legislature for divorce. In his emotional appeal, he described how he had improved Barbara’s land during their marriage but had “declined any further use of the same” after discovering her relationship with Weskett. Despite support from several prominent citizens, including members of the legislature, his petition was denied.
Property and Financial Matters
In an interesting twist, despite his complaints to the legislature, Ambrose had already sold Barbara’s 76 acres to John Weskett in 1804 for 400 silver dollars. This transaction would later become part of a complex web of property arrangements between the three parties.
A Family Grows
Unable to marry legally until after Ambrose’s death, John and Barbara continued their life together, eventually having seven children: Thomas, Samuel, Patrick, Sally, Polly, Harriett, and John (my 3rd great-grandfather). Their relationship, though technically illegal, was accepted enough in the community that they were able to conduct business and own property.
Legal Marriage at Last
On December 22, 1824, John and Barbara were finally able to formalize their relationship. They signed a detailed marriage contract that carefully protected Barbara’s property rights and provided for their children’s inheritance. This contract offers a fascinating glimpse into both the legal complexities of the time and the couple’s commitment to securing their family’s future.
Later Years
By 1830, Barbara had established herself as head of her own household, according to census records. The family owned three slaves initially, though by 1840 this number had decreased to one. The census also notes “1 insane white” in the household, possibly referring to John’s brother James.
Home of three generations of Wescott's built around 1810. Moved from Manteo Airport in 1942 by D. Victor Meekins
Historical Significance
This family story has attracted scholarly attention, being featured in several academic works examining legal culture and gender relations in the post-Revolutionary South. It provides valuable insights into marriage, property rights, and social norms in early American society.
Endnotes
Barbara Midgett, The People and Their Peace: Currituck County, North Carolina, 1728–2000 (Currituck, North Carolina: Currituck County Historical Society, 2005), 170; digital images, Google Books (https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_People_and_Their_Peace/0cU3CwAAQBAJ: accessed 22 March 2026), entry referencing Barbara Midgett.
“Dare, North Carolina, United States records,” images, FamilySearch ({{FamilySearch Image | 3QSQ-G982-YCQW}} : Mar 23, 2026), image 414 of 668; Dare County (North Carolina). Register of Deeds. Image Group Number: 007538808
Barbara Midgett, The People and Their Peace: Currituck County, North Carolina, 1728–2000 (Currituck, North Carolina: Currituck County Historical Society, 2005), 170; digital images, Google Books (https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_People_and_Their_Peace/0cU3CwAAQBAJ: accessed 22 March 2026), discussion of Ambrose’s legislative complaint and prior sale of Barbara Midgett’s 76 acres to John Weskett in 1804 for 400 silver dollars.
Barbara Midgett, The People and Their Peace: Currituck County, North Carolina, 1728–2000 (Currituck, North Carolina: Currituck County Historical Society, 2005), 170–171; digital images, Google Books (https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_People_and_Their_Peace/0cU3CwAAQBAJ: accessed 22 March 2026), describing the relationship of John Wescott and Barbara Midgett and naming their children Thomas, Samuel, Patrick, Sally, Polly, Harriett, and John.
“Currituck, North Carolina, United States records,” images, FamilySearch ({{FamilySearch Image | 3QS7-898B-WTH}} : Mar 23, 2026), image 343 of 582; North Carolina. County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions (Currituck County). Image Group Number: 007513637
1830 U.S. census, Currituck County, North Carolina, population schedule, John Wescott household; digital images, Ancestry ({{Ancestry Record|8058|185142}}: accessed 22 March 2026); citing National Archives microfilm publication M19.
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For many years, I had a newspaper article about my second great-grandfather, but it was torn into two sections, making it hard to read. Plus, the person who cut it out removed the date, newspaper title, and publisher, so I couldn’t find it. Recently, I discovered the article online, and thanks to some amazing AI tools, I was able to transcribe it! I’m excited to finally share it with everyone so we can all enjoy the story together!
Captain Wescott Preparing For Season On “Dry Body of Water”
The article about Captain Wescott is from The Waynesville Mountaineer, published on June 1, 1939.
“Yes, I was born on Roanoke Island, where Virginia Dare first saw the light, but she had left before I got there,” said Captain John T. Wescott, with a twinkle in his eyes.
The captain, a landmark at the Lake Junaluska Assembly Grounds, has been in charge of the rowboats and has run the launch “Cherokee,” in which he has a third interest, for the past twenty-one years. Prior to his coming to the Lake, the captain had retired from the United States Coast Guard service, after 43 years of active duty.
“But I date back pretty well, even if I didn’t know Virginia,” continued Captain Wescott. “I was born in 1853, and I well recall the days when General Burnside captured Roanoke Island during the Civil War. We had food stored away to do us a year, but the soldiers took everything, and after they left, it looked like starvation. We had forty hogs and forty chickens, and they took them all. One of the Yankee officers, however, took an old hen away from one of the privates and came back and brought it to my mother. She kept it hidden in a barrel in the attic until she was sure the soldiers had left for good.”
“Another thing I remember were the decoy geese my father had and prized so much. They took them all and his guns too. We had been taking care of two Confederate soldiers who were wounded and suffering, and had asked us to give them shelter. So, when the Yankees found out about them, they took my father a prisoner. But what’s the use of recalling such things at this time? Somebody might have hard feelings about it, and I don’t mean it that way. I am just remembering when I was a child.”
Captain Wescott, erect, stocky, and ruddy-faced, denies in appearance and bearing the years he claims make up his age. He shows the clear skin of a person who has lived much in the open. His quarters in the Cherokee Inn, where he lives six months out of the year, are as immaculate as the cabin of a well-scrubbed ship. He showed us about. His closet, cedar-lined and large enough to hold a good-sized trunk, boxes, plenty of shelves, and rows of hooks for hanging garments, is as neat as a pin. Everything is in its place. But one could have guessed without being told where his great interest lay, for there were boat models.
“Yes, for twenty-one years I have run the ‘Cherokee’ on a regular schedule around the lake from 7 to 8 o’clock every evening except Sunday, during the entire season here. I always come early in April to get the rowboats and the launch ready for the summer,” he said.
“But after my years on the sea, I’ll have to admit that Lake Junaluska is the tamest body of water I have ever run a boat on. It’s like taking a broken dose of something for me to run the launch on Lake Junaluska, but then at 86, that’s alright, because I can’t do the work I once did,” said the captain.
“But I don’t like the looks of the lake a bit these days,” he continued. “Right now, it looks like I might have to hoist the old ‘Cherokee’ on wheels, because she has a poor chance of floating anytime soon. We are having a lot of dam trouble down here, but I think the good Methodists are having fun talking about their dam troubles,” he said when speaking of the present condition of the lake.
Lake Junaluska has been drained for work on the lake bed, and it may not be filled until July, which seems to be mighty hard on the captain, who is at work on his boats, getting them ready to float, with a “dry body of water facing the boathouse,” as he says.
The captain’s 43 years of service were seen in the Revenue Cutter, Life Saving, and Inland Service of the Government, and he was located some fifty-five miles from Cape Henry in the coast guard service for 30 years, retiring at the age limit of 65.
After his retirement, two of his daughters, school girls at the time, came to Lake Junaluska, and were so enthusiastic that they persuaded their mother and father to come to this section the next year. They did so, and both liked it. They soon bought the Cherokee Inn, which they owned and operated for many years.
Two years prior to the death of Mrs. Wescott, they rented the Inn to Mr. and Mrs. Claude Medford, who bought the place about three years ago and have since operated it. The captain has continued to make his home at the Inn, during the time he spends in this section.
The rest of the year, the captain spends with his six children, who are scattered from Greenville, Ky., to Richmond, Va. The greater part of the six months out of the mountains is spent with his son, who lives in Norfolk. When his longing for the old life on the coast of North Carolina gets too much for him, he visits his brother down in Manteo.
“I’ll be coming to Lake Junaluska to run the ‘Cherokee’ as long as I live,” said the captain. “I feel more at home here than most any place now.”
Footnote: We, my genealogical cousins and I, have been unable to find any record of John Senior being a POW, but that does not mean he was not one. It could have been an overnight stay in jail, or he had to pay a fine, or he was part of the prisoner exchange.
Read my blog to discover the incredible story of Captain Wescott and uncover the fascinating details about this remarkable man!
When I watched an episode of Who Do You Think You Are? featuring actress Allison Janney, I was captivated by her journey tracing her ancestor Stephen Hopkins. Hopkins survived a shipwreck on the Sea Venture in 1609 and found himself stranded in Bermuda. The ship’s name, Sea Venture, nagged at me as I watched. It sounded so familiar, as though I had encountered it before. Sure enough, a dive into my family history revealed an incredible connection. Here is the story of my ancestry and the Sea Venture!
“Historic Voyage, Sea Venture and Consorts at Sea 1609,” a 1984 oil painting by Deryck Foster
The Fateful Voyage of the Sea Venture
The Sea Venture, also known as the Third Supply, was the flagship of a fleet carrying six hundred passengers—including men, women, and livestock—to the struggling colony at Jamestowne. On July 23, 1609, a hurricane separated the Sea Venture from the rest of the fleet. After four harrowing days, the ship began to take on water. Miraculously, it wrecked between two reefs on the island of Bermuda, allowing all 140 passengers to disembark safely.
Among the passengers was Stephen Hopkins, Allison Janney’s ancestor. The Hopkins family’s survival story was remarkable, but my personal connection to the Sea Venture lay elsewhere.
My Ancestors and Jamestowne
Tracing my lineage through my great-grandmother Wescott’s line brought me back to Jamestowne. For historical context:
“In June 1606, King James I granted a charter to the Virginia Company to establish an English settlement in North America. By May 14, 1607, settlers landed on Jamestown Island to establish a colony 60 miles from the Chesapeake Bay.” (Source)
This leads us to Alice, my 11th great-grandmother, whose last name remains unknown. Alice’s first husband was Thomas Pierce, both born in England around 1585. Together, they had a daughter named Elizabeth. To understand Alice’s story, it is crucial to delve into Thomas Pierce’s history.
Thomas Pierce: A Life of Service and Tragedy
Thomas Pierce arrived in Virginia aboard the Margaret, which set sail in September 1619. He held a distinguished position as the Sergeant at Arms for the first legislative assembly in Virginia, which convened on July 30, 1619.
Pierce established a plantation south of Martin’s Hundred along the James River. On March 22, 1622, tragedy struck during the Indian Massacre of 1622. This violent conflict arose from tensions between colonists and the Powhatan people, exacerbated by the colony’s relentless expansion for tobacco cultivation.
Thomas, his wife, child, two other men, and a French boy were reported killed at the plantation. Thomas appears to have been a relative of Lt. William Pierce of the Sea Venture (1609), who served under George Yeardley, Captain of the Governor’s Company of soldiers. Williams’ daughter, Jane Pierce, was the third wife of John Rolfe (who was also on the Sea Venture), the guy who married Pocahontas.
Survival Against the Odds
Despite the devastation, Alice and her daughter Elizabeth somehow survived. It is believed they were among 20 captives taken by the Powhatan and later ransomed after about ten months in captivity. Identified survivors included Mrs. Boyce and Jane Dickenson, both widows of men killed at Martin’s Hundred.
The Bennett Connection
Alice later remarried Richard Bennett Sr. of Isle of Wight, VA, my 10th great-grandfather. It’s important to note that this Richard Bennett is often confused with another man of the same name, a governor of Virginia from 1652-55. The two Richards, while contemporaries, are from different lineages.
The internet is rife with misinformation about the Bennetts, often conflating the two families. However, careful research through sources like Virginia Immigrants and Adventurers: A Biographical Dictionary, 1607-1635 by Martha W. McCartney has helped clarify the facts.
The following is transcribed from Colonial Records of Virginia, R.F. Walker.
At Mr. Thomas Pierce’s House over against Mulberry Island. Master Tho: Pierce, his Wife, his Childe, John Hopkins, (could he be related to Ms. Janney’s Stephen?) John Samon, A French Boy.
Named by the first colonists for its dense population of wild mulberry trees, Mulberry Islandshows up in some of the earliest maps of Virginia, as well as the writings of Capt. John Smith.
Courtesy National Park Service, Colonial National Historical Park
The following is a paragraph wildly spread on the internet but has been proven false by many history sites such as Chauco (Chanco) Virginia Indian.
Southside Virginia Families, Vol. I by John Bennett Boddie
In fact, it is more realistic to believe what is written on Historynet’s website:
These female colonists, perhaps 20 in all, were virtually the only captives taken by the Powhatans in the uprising. Few details of their ordeal have survived, and information about their lives is almost nonexistent. In fact, we may never know if they shared the fascinating, if often horrifying, adventures of more well-known Indian captives in American history. It is certain, however, that these women witnessed the violent deaths of neighbors and loved ones before being abducted; that they lived with their enemies while the English ruthlessly attacked Indian villages in retaliation; and that they received no heroes’ welcome upon their return to the colony.
The Richard Bennett above is not my Richard. Thomas Bennett is mine and the father of my Richard Bennett (not listed), the son of Alice and Thomas and half-brother to Elizabeth.
Records were destroyed in the Civil War, so nothing more is known about Thomas except what was found in the will of Anthony Barham, who was one of Elizabeth’s husbands. Because of this will, we can trace his descendants.
Richard Bennett, Jr., my 9th great-grandfather, was born June 1, 1644, in Isle of Wight, Virginia. He married Ann, last name unknown, and they had five children. Again, you can read about all five in the above link.
Will of Richard Bennett Jr. made on March 3, 1720
Isle Of Wight County, Virginia March ye 3rd Day 1720 In the Name of God Amen. Rich’d Bennett in ye upper parish of Isle of Wight County in Virginia being sick & weak in body yet in perfect memory thanks be to God for it Do therefore do make this my Last Will & Testament as followith-first I Commit my soul to God our Heavenly Father trusting to be saved by Jesus Christ our only Saviour and my body on Earth to be Decently Buried & as for my worldly Goods I bestow as followith I Give and bequeath unto my son Richd Bennett to him & his heirs lawfully begotten of his body two hundred acres of Land & over it being Land where on my Son Richard now lives I give & bequeath unto my son James with ye other two hundred acres of Land where on he now lives. I lay to him & to his heirs lawfully begotton of his Body forever it is a Coveyance of four hundred acres of Land I bought of Mr John Coffers pattin of Land being fourteen hundred & fifty acres 1 Give & bequeath unto Jane Coffer & her two sons Rob Coffer & John Coffer to them & their heirs Lawfully of their body for ever my plantation and land whereon I now live I lay to them & to their heirs for ever it being part of Land Which was bought formerly of Mr Wm Miles I Give and bequeath unto Jane Coffer a small trunk & a Gold Ring and a Great Iron pot I Give & bequeath to Rich Coffer my Long Gun I Give & bequeath to Magdalen Coffer one Great pewter Dish and one Great Basin I Give and bequeath to Francis Manggum my Gran Daughter a feather Bed & all ye belongs to it 2 I Give and bequeath unto my Daughter Silvester a Couple of Dishes & a Couple of plates furthermore I do appoint Jane Coffer & Wm Allen to be my full and whole Exct to pay my Debts & to Receive what is owing to me & when these my Debts being paid ye rest of my Goods within Doores and outDoores to be Equally Divided amongst my Children Desiring this my trusty friends Jno & James Carter to See this my Last Will & testament fulfilled In Witness here of I sett my hand & Seal Rich’d R Bennett (Seal)
Richard Jr.’s daughter, Ann Bennett, married John Cofer circa 1699, my 8th great-grandparent. You can continue this line by reading my previous blog post, The Cofer Legacy: A Journey Through Generations.
Inside the fort at Jamestown, in the cellar seen just below the back wall of a stone foundation, archaeologists found a pendant that dates to the Virginia colony’s earliest years. A seventeenth-century church tower and the 1907 tercentenary obelisk are also seen. ~website at history.org
Reflecting on Family History
Discovering my connection to the Sea Venture and Jamestowne has been an exhilarating journey. It’s incredible to imagine the resilience of my ancestors, from surviving shipwrecks to enduring captivity, and their role in the early days of America. Their stories are not just tales of survival but of strength and determination, echoing across generations to inspire us today.
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The perils of everyday life in early 20th-century America were starkly highlighted by a devastating tragedy in Manteo, North Carolina. This blog post recounts the heartbreaking events as reported in the local newspapers.
A Devastating Kerosene Lamp Explosion
On a quiet Monday afternoon in Manteo, a horrific accident changed the lives of two sisters, Misses Bessie and Lessie Wescott, daughters of Captain Josiah Holly and Louisa (Daniels) Wescott. A kerosene lamp, a common household fixture of the time, exploded in their home. The resulting flames engulfed the room, and the sisters’ clothes became saturated with burning oil, leaving them terribly burned.
The fire consumed the furniture and tapestries, spreading quickly throughout the house. Although efforts were made to rescue the sisters, both sustained grievous injuries. Tragically, Miss Lessie Wescott’s burns were so severe that she was not expected to survive. Medical aid was rendered at a nearby friend’s house, but the flames had already gutted their residence, leaving it a charred shell.
A Second Blow: Miss Lessie Wescott Succumbs
The tragedy took a deeper toll the following day. Reports revealed that Miss Lessie Wescott had succumbed to her injuries. At just 17 years old, she was a bright and beloved member of the Manteo community and engaged to be married.
The explosion was caused by a lamp that either fell off the mantel or was knocked over due to the intense heat. The spilled oil ignited, spreading flames across the floor and onto Lessie’s clothing. Her cries alerted her older sister, Bessie, who rushed to her aid. Despite Bessie’s brave attempt to extinguish the flames using a quilt, Lessie’s body, except for her face and head, was severely burned. She also inhaled smoke and fire, further compounding her injuries.
Miss Lessie Wescott passed away at the home of Mr. D. W. Etheridge despite the dedicated efforts of local physicians. Her death left the community in mourning.
A Life Remembered
Lessie Wescott was described as a beautiful and popular young woman. Her untimely death came as a shock to all who knew her. The funeral services were held at the Baptist church, officiated by Rev. D. A. Tedder with assistance from other local clergy. Lessie was laid to rest in a moving ceremony that reflected the depth of her community’s grief.
A Glimpse Into Early 20th-Century Dangers
This tragic incident serves as a sobering reminder of the risks inherent in everyday life during the early 1900s. Kerosene lamps, though innovative for their time, were fraught with danger. The Wescott sisters’ story is a poignant example of how quickly disaster could strike.
“The Robesonian. (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, January 13, 1910, Page 8, Image 8” newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn84026483/1910-01-13/ed-1/seq-8/. Accessed 10 Jan. 2025.
“Tar Heel. (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1901-1911, January 14, 1910, Page 1, Image 1” newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn84026481/1910-01-14/ed-1/seq-1/. Accessed 10 Jan. 2025.
A few years ago, I took the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge created by Amy Johnson Crow. Amy is a certified genealogist whose podcasts, webpage, and social media accounts have taught me a lot.
The challenge was “Long Line.” This phrase can be interpreted in many ways, but what came to my mind was, “I come from a long line of water-loving ancestors.” The Wescotts, Chadwicks, Midgetts, and Tilletts all served in the Life-Saving Service (now called the U.S. Coast Guard).
The Logans, Beans, Royces, and Roots grew up along the coast, with family ties ranging from Scotland to New Hampshire and England to Massachusetts. Additionally, the Kunkles, Younkins, Hawks, Rittenhouses, Nices, and Morrisons hail from Germany and the Netherlands, settling in Pennsylvania.
We also have the Wescotts, Chaddicks, Midgetts, Chadwicks, Pughs, Woodhouses, and Jennetts from various places along the East Coast, with roots in England and France. The Cofers, Moodys, Wards, Barhams, Argalls, Davises, Harrisons, and many more emigrated from England to Virginia.
Even my trans-Appalachian pioneer ancestor journeyed from Virginia to Tennessee, eventually settling on Boone’s Creek and the Watauga River. My German, Slovenian, Croatian, and Polish ancestors also lived by the coast, and my connection to Jamestown is coastal as well!
Today, the Logans still reside in Michigan and Pennsylvania, while the Wescotts and Chadwicks are in North Carolina, Jacksonville Beach, and along the Gulf Coast.
I live in Florida and have a deep love for the water—be it the ocean, rivers, or lakes. Now, I understand why. Could we all have a gene for seafaring? According to an article published in the journal, Genetic Determinism Today, researchers at Mystic University in Connecticut have identified a gene linked to a love of the sea.1
My “Long Line” is the enduring connection to the coast, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Just a moment…” genotopia.scienceblog.com/9/scientists-find-gene-for-love-of-the-sea-2/. Accessed 18 Jan 2020 . ↩︎
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Matthew Midyett – Our Colonial Pioneer from North Carolina – My 8th great-grandfather.
Legend has it that Matthew was shipwrecked on Bodies Island in North Carolina and chose to settle there.
Bodie Island, originally “Body Island,” is reportedly named after a family (Robert Boddy/Boddie) who owned the land. Still, folklore would say that the name resulted from the many shipwrecked bodies that washed ashore.
It appears that the Midyett (Now Midgett or Midgette) line came from France.
Huguenot refugees landing at Dover, from the bicentenary commemorative issue of The Graphic, 1885. Huguenot Library
FraNCe: The French Heritage of North Carolina Paperback – September 15, 2016
The map legend by H.Moll, geographer, reads: The English Claim the property of Carolina from Lat 29 & c degrees as part of Cabot’s Discoveries who set out from Bristol in 1498,at the charge of King Henry ye 7th but they did not take possession of that country till King Charles the ll’s time in 1663 who granted a patent to divers persons to plant all the territories within the North Lat of 36 deg & so west in a direct line to the South Sea.
Midyett: Midyett families, originally from Normandy, France, were early inhabitants of Bodie Island and the Outer Banks in the late 1600s. “Many Midyett girls married sailors of Black Beard’s three ships. The name was spelled different ways: Midyett, Midyette, Midgett, Midgette, but no matter how you spell it, they all came from Matthew Midyett who landed at Bodie Island, NC around 1600. He was a ship captain and was shipwrecked off the coast of the outer banks.”–Donald Midyett. Midyetts helped start the US Coast Guard by establishing life-saving stations on the Outer Banks. Some of the family found their way to Beaufort by 1850.1
William Keith Midgette recently stated on a Facebook group “I recently learned that the South River area of which London Towne was a part where Matthew Midyett lived from the late 1600’s to 1708 was settled by Huguenots, Quakers, and Scottish dissenters, so perhaps the hypothesis that the Midyett’s or Midiate’s were originally Huguenots has some possibilities.”
Miles Midgette “From information I have gathered over the years, it is entirely likely that Matthew Midgett’s forebears were Huguenots. The name originates near Marville (now France) which was part of the Spanish Netherlands for several hundred years and was a hotbed for Protestant fervor. Perhaps a million Protestants fled that region when the French took it over, many ending up in Kent, England as did the Midgett forebears. The name is Spanish for “son of the Archangel Michael”
William Keith Midgette “My hypothesis is that Matthew Midyett’s parents came from the Devon, Exeter, England area based upon the number of Midyett/Midiatt/Mediate’s I found in records of that area from 1500’s to the 1600’s. Whether they originally came from France or Netherlands, I can’t say yet until the link tieing Matthew to his parents is postiviely proven and them to England, but the info that Miles posted is completely plausible.”
Kay Lynn Sheppard is a Midgett by birth and has dedicated her career to genealogy by gathering every document related to Midgett or Midyett history she can find. She has been an invaluable resource for me and countless others. I’m fortunate to stay in regular contact with her.
Regrettably, there is an article that mentions the Thomas Midyett Bible, but Kay discovered that it is a hoax; it never actually existed. Additionally, the article claimed knowing the names of Matthew parents, yet, as Kay points out, there is “not one shred of evidence” to support that assertion. Lastly, while she possesses a copy of the Matthew Midyett will, the original is currently missing from the North Carolina State Archives. It’s truly unfortunate that individuals would take away from our heritage in this way. The archives are meant for everyone to explore and utilize!
Kay generously provided her ten pages of notes, which also include some from Nancy Frey. Please note that I do not possess copies of all the court records. I’ll include the website or source for the ones I’ve been able to find.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Matthew was born on April 10, 1676, and passed away on December 25, 1734, Christmas Day, on Bodies Island in what was once Currituck County, North Carolina. He wed Judith “Judy” White on July 13, 1702, in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Judith, the daughter of Samuel White—evidenced by his will—was born on August 3, 1681, in Anne Arundel County and died on September 26, 1744, on Bodies Island. (The White family is reportedly traceable back to Jamestown, which I will elaborate on in a future blog post once I have the evidence.)
In 1703, court records reveal that Matthew is a ship’s carpenter. The notes indicate that his father was also a boatswain, but there are no existing records regarding his parents to date. During the January court session, William Killburne entered into an apprenticeship with Matthew Midiate to learn the trade of ship’s carpenter.
“Comes hereunto court Mr. Charles Killburne and Rachel Freeborne and bring William Killburne, son-in-law to said Rachel and nephew to said Charles, into court and binds the said William, with his consent, to one, Matthew Midiate, shipcarpenter, to serve the said Matthew till he comes to the age of one and twenty years, being now by the court adjudged to be sixteen years of age the nineteenth day of march next. In consideration whereof the said Matthew undertakes and bindeth himself to do his utmost endeavour to teach the said William Killburne the art or mastery of a ship carpenter and boatwright and also to teach him to read and write so well as he can teach him, and in all other things to do by the said William as it is usual for such masters to do by orphans in the county of Ann Arundel.” 2
In June 1703, Mathew Midget recorded his livestock “mark,” which indicated that his cattle had “a crop and two slips in the left ear.” During this period, livestock was allowed to roam freely and graze. The sole method to distinguish one farmer’s animals from another’s was through the use of these registered ear marks.3
In 1703, Judith’s father passed away, bequeathing 10 pounds sterling to Judith and Matthew Midgett in his will.4
March Court 1704
William Bateman vs Matthew Midiate
Command was given to the Sheriff of Ann Arundel County that he should take Matthew Midiate, late of Anne Arundel County, shipwright, if he should be found in this bailiwick and should him safekeep so that he should have his body before the justices of her majesties county court to be held at Annapolis, the second Tuesday of March then next, to answer unto William Bateman of a plea of trespass upon the case etc.
On which second Tuesday of March viz.–the fourteenth of the same month A.D. 1704 comes the said sheriff and makes return that he has taken the body of the said Matthew as commanded etc.
Whereon the said William complains as follows viz.–Matthew Midiate Of Ann Arundel County, shipwright, was attached to answer unto William Bateman of a plea of trespass upon the case.
Whereupon the said William by Clement Davies, his attorney, complained that whereas the said Matthew Midiate at London Town in Ann Arundel County, within the jurisdiction of this court, the 24th day of February in the year 1699 stood indebted to the said William Bateman in the sum of one pound and ten shillings of lawful money, by the particular account herewith brought into court may appear, and the said Matthew being so indebted afterwards, that is to say, the 24th day of February in the year aforesaid, at the county aforesaid, in consideration thereof, did assume upon himself and to the said William Bateman, did then and now, faithfully promise, that he, the said Matthew Midiate, the said sum of one pound and ten shillings to the said William Bateman when thereunto required would well and truly consent and pay, nevertheless the said Matthew Midiate his promise and assumption aforesaid not at all regarding but contriving and fraudentally intending him, the said William Bateman in this behalf craftily and subtley to devise and defraud the aforesaid sum of one pound and ten shillings to the said William Bateman although often knew unto required viz.– the day, year and place last mentioned and at divers times and places knew he hath not paid but the same to pay and content or satisfy to the said William Bateman hath denied and refused and will and doth deny and refuse to the damage of the said William Bateman there paid and sent of lawful money and thereof he brings this suit.
Pledge & John Doe & Richard Roe
June Court 1704
Mathew Midiate due to William Bateman——1 pound 10 shilling for cakes & beer & punch & wine
Matthew Midiate has his attorney, W. Bladen, defend the charges brought against him by William Bateman. The justices of the Court award Mathew Midiate the sum of_____(not specified)__ pounds of tobacco for his costs & charges because William Bateman’s charges proved false.
August Court 1705
Matthew Midiate vs Charles Linthicum
This writ and one other “countermanded by the plaintiffs”
Matthew was again in trouble in January of 1707 along with Thomas MacNamara for breaking into a tobacco barn and stealing one sheep. In June Matthew posted bond for his later appearance, but he did not appear and the bond was forfeited.
In June of 1708, Charles Kilburne sued Matthew for debt. Matthew was not found “in the bailiwick” whereupon the court ordered Matthew’s goods attached. That indeed got Matthew’s attention. Matthew was in North Carolina by this time and appointed Richard Johnson and William Nicholson to represent him in the Kilburne suit. Kilburne promptly sued both men as well as Midgett.
Although Matthew had left Maryland in 1707 or 1708, in 1716 Matthew was ordered to pay William Bladen 24 pounds of tobacco for representing him in the 1704 suit. William was apparently a very patient man.
The move to North Carolina removed Matthew from the Queen’s jurisdiction and put him under the much looser jurisdiction of the Lord’s Proprietors.
In 1712, Matthew was living in Chowan County where he became a bit of a hero when he apprehended a brigantine belonging to Emanuel Low who had fired upon then Governor Edward Hyde and his supporters:
July 12, 1712. — Upon petition of Matthew Midgett, praying he may be allowed fifty pounds, pursuant to a proclamation for apprehending Emanuel Low, which is to be allowed out of his estate if convicted : Emanuel Low being apprehended and brought before this board, for stirring up sedition and rebellion against this government, and endeavoring to subvert the same, was committed to the custody of the provost marshal therefor.5
Not long after that, in February 1712, Matthew received his first land patent on the south side of Albemarle Sound, 341 acres, land commonly known as White Oak Island, “joining the sound, the swamp and the pocoson and the great swamp”. This had been surveyed by Jonathan Bateman who assigned it to Matthew. 6
State Archives of North Carolina
In April of 1712, Matthew received another 360 acres on the northwest side of the Alligator Creek in Chowan precinct of Pasquotank County. This grant was signed by Governor Hyde.
State Archives of North Carolina
In 1713, Matthew sat on a grand jury.
However, later in 1713, Matthew was once again in trouble, accused of underhandedly making a patent on another man’s land, knowing that the man had cleared the land but had not gotten the papers filed. Anthony Alexander asked to have Matthew’s right to the land forfeited. The jury ordered that Anthony be granted the patent to the land and that Matthew could “take up any vacant land if there is any left”. 7
Matthew and Emanuel Low appeared to continue their discord. In volume 2 of the Colonial records, starting in 1713, Emanuel Low charged Matthew with breaking into his storehouse during Edward Hyde’s governorship and stealing some rum and sugar. The board concluded that Low’s complaint was “entirely scandalous, damaging, seditious, and untrue.” Perhaps Emanuel never fully forgave Matthew for the incident in 1711.
Mr. Emanuel Low prefering a petition to this board ag’ Mathew Mid-gett therein setting forth that y” said Midgett had feloniously broke open his store house in the time when the Hon ble Edw a Hyde was Gov r hereand had take thereout a quantity of Rum & Sugar &c and pray’s y e Gov rwarr’ to appehend him therefore and it appearing to this board that y”What y* said Midgett did in that regard was done by y° authority of theGovernment and that y” Said Low has been considered & satisfied for y esame. Therefore It is the opinion of this board that y e Same Petition isaltogether’ Scandolous Infamous Seditious and false And therefore it isordered that y” Same be & is hereby rejected as Such.8
In 1717 he patented 200 acres in Currituck Precinct on the sand banks, south of Roanoke Inlet. See below:
State Archives of North Carolina
In 1721, Matthew and Samuel Midget were witnesses to a deed from Thomas Peartree to John Fitzpatrick. Matthew signed his name, while Samuel used a mark. Kay is uncertain about the identity of this Samuel Midgett. However, it’s likely that Matthew’s son Samuel, who was born around 1704 and would have been over 16 at the time, could have served as a witness if there were no other adults present.
In 1722, Matthew patents another 80 acres on “an island commonly called Bodyes Island, between Roanoke Inlet and his former survey”.
State Archives of North Carolina
In 1727, he patented an additional 1,900 acres on Cow and Bodyes Island, encompassing the entire length of nine and a half miles with a width of 100 poles. This area is described as “the seawall and all the marshland adjacent to it, commonly referred to as Cow and Bodyes Island… with a total length of 9.5 miles and an average width of 100 poles.”
State Archives of North Carolina
On December 21st, 1834 Matthew made his will.
In The Name Of God Amen: ye 21st day of December Anno 1734.
I, Mathew MIDYETT, of Body Island that is County of Albemarle being very sick and weak of body but of trew and perfect mind and memory thanks be to the almighty god for it and calling to mind the mortality of my body that it is appointed for all men wonce to die and do therefore put my last will and testament in wrightin therfore and first of all I give and recommend my Soul into the hand of the almity God that gave it and for my body I commend unto the Earth to be buried in a Christian like manner att the Discression of my Exetrs nothing doubting But att the general Resurrection I Shall Resive the Same — and foust [first] of my Disier is that all my lawfull depts be paid and as touching of my worly estate I give as in maner and forme following: Imprimis
Item: I give and bequeth unto my eldest son Samuel MIDYETT one hundred Eakers of Land lying and being on the South Side of Albemarle Sound alway Call his one [own] to him his heirs and asigns for Ever and futhermor I give unto my son Samuel sail cloth anouf to furnish his canneua [canoe] with one Sute of sails to him and his heirs for Ever.
Item I give and bequeth unto my son John MIDYETT one grate pereoarger and and [sic] sails that belong to her and a Small Cornua [canoe] that towes after her to him and his heirs and asines for Ever and fouthermore I give my son John one hamack on this Iland that has always gon by the name of Johns hamack for a prilavage of a stock to him and his heirs and assines.
Item I give and bequeth unto my son Josepth MIDYETT that part of the Iland whereon he now lives to him and his heairs or asines for Ever and Like wise and I give to my son Josepth one old connue called The Seaflower to him his heirs or asines.
Item I give and bequeth unto my Defters ann MIDYETT Cateran MIDYETT Judy MIDYETT, and Dinah MIDYETT Each and Every one of them a fether bed to them and their hears or asins for Ever.
Item I give and bequeth to my son,Samuel MIDYETT that part of the Iland whereon he now lives to him his heirs or asines for Ever and I give to my youngest Daufters Each of them the foust [first] two maire colts that is raised out of my stock to them and their heairs for Ever.
Item I give and bequeth to my sons Marthew MIDYETT and Thos MIDYETT this parte of Iland Wheron I now live from the Dugs Southely to them ther hears an their asines for Ever.
Item: I give my well beloved wife and my two Sons Marthew and Thomas and my younges Doafter Diner the priveleg of the Sea Side & Likwise my will and Desire is that my Son Marthew Shall not have the liberty of selling any part of the Land without he Should Com to his Sanses. Like wise I Give and bequeth to my well be Loved wife and my two Sons Marthew and Thomas and my Daufter Diner all the Rest of my movabel Estate in the house and the Rest of my Stock without to their youse and behoufe and hears for Ever and I Likwis my will and Disire is that all the Rest of my Land on the South Side of albemarle Sound may be Sold according as my Excutors see fitt and the money to be converted to the use of my well beloved wife and two sons Marthew and Thomas and my Dafter Dina to their use for Ever and Likwise my will and Desire is all my pork and pich tars Should fust be sold to purchase a negro and fouthermore I Give and bequeth to my two Sons Marthew and Thomas my two negros that I have already and that I leave to be purchased to them and their heirs and assigns for Ever. But my desire is that if my sons Marthew and Thomas Should Die without having heirs then this part of Dugs Sutherly to be Equely Devided amonkes my three Sons Samuell John and Josepth to them their heirs and assines for Ever and as to the personal Estate if they Should Die my disier is that my Sons and Deafters Should have it Equilily Divided amonkist them.
I Do hare apointe [rest of this line is torn] John, and Josepth to be my hole and lawfull exetrix and excuters and I do hare acknolege this to be my Last will and testament and do make void all and Disanoul all others whersom Ever they Shall apear as witness my hand and seale.
/s/ Matthew MIDYETT
Test before us the Subscribers
Tulle WILLIAMS
Josepth [His JO marke] OLIVER
Mary [her x marke] HUNTER
No Carolina} at a Court held for said Precinct at the Court house the first day of July anno Dom 1735
Currituck }
Present His Majesties Justices
These may Certifie that Tulle WILLIAMS one of the Subscribing Evidences to the Within will appeared in Open Court and Made Oath on the holly Evengilists that he was present and Saw Mathew MIDGETT Sign Seal and Declare the within to be and Contain his Last will and Testament and that the Said Mathew MIDGETT was then and at that time of Sound and disposing Memory and that he also saw Joseph OLIVER and Mary HUNTER signe there names thereto at the the Same time. Then also appeared Judea MIDGETT and Joseph MIDGETT Exx and Exr in open Court and took the Exers Oath in due forme of Law. Ordered by the said Court that the honble Nathl RICE Esqr Secretary of this province have notice thereon and the within Exx and Exr takeing the Oath [two words unreadable] appointed for Exx and Exrs that Letters Testamentory Issue thereon as the Law directs.
[On the back is written: Letters grantd Novemr 7th 1735]
Four days later, Matthew died.
Regardless of how many times Mathew appeared in court, he remains a key figure in our colonial heritage. The Midyett (Midgett) legacy continues to thrive today. Below is an article detailing their history within the US Coast Guard (Lifesaving Service).
This document has a lot more information of his land patents and court cases and was sent to me by Kay Lynn–> Matthew Midyett from Kay
She also sent me this information:
John Durant was the King of the Yeopim Indians at that time. The Colonial Records have many entries for Durant, including selling of thousands of acres of land. Matthew Midgett also stole rum & tobacco from Emanual Low which Low brought suit against him. I am enclosing a document on what I have on Matthew.10
Upon complaint of Jno. Durant, a Yawpim Indian, setting forth that when he was out against the Indian enemy under the command of Mathew Midgett, he the said Durant, tooke an Indian slave woman and the said Mathew Midgett took her away from him without any sattisfaction: And the matter being heard it is the opinion of this court that the said slave woman did belong to the said Durant, wherefore it is hereby ordered and decreed that the said Mat. Midget doe pay unto the said Durant, ten pounds in consideration of the said slave.
Matthew Midyett’s legacy as a shipwrecked pioneer, ship carpenter, and early settler of North Carolina’s Outer Banks endures through the generations of Midgetts who followed. His adventurous spirit and enduring contributions, from establishing lifesaving stations to navigating turbulent legal waters, have woven his name into the fabric of coastal history. As I continue to uncover more of his life, I am reminded of the strength and resilience that define our family’s roots. The journey of exploring our past is far from over—there’s always another shipwrecked tale waiting to be discovered.
October commemorated the 150th anniversary of the United States Life-Saving Service, the predecessor of today’s US Coast Guard, along the East Coast!
The United States Coast Guard is recognized for numerous achievements, with its primary focus in the public’s eye being its mission to assist those “in peril upon the seas.” In fact, every federal agency that contributed to the establishment of the modern Coast Guard played a role in aiding those in distress and working to prevent loss of life at sea.
For instance, the U.S. Lighthouse Service was responsible for maintaining lighthouses and navigational markers to alert ships to potential dangers. Lighthouse Keepers also provided assistance to individuals in peril near their stations. Additionally, there were other agencies, such as the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service, which aided mariners in distress at sea, and the Steamboat Inspection Service, tasked with preventing disasters before they occurred. Among these organizations, the one that significantly shaped the U.S. Coast Guard’s reputation as a lifesaving entity was the U.S. Life-Saving Service. It is essential to explore the history of this Service, as many of the U.S. Coast Guard’s search and rescue practices can be traced back to its foundational work.
During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, much of the eastern coastline of the United States was sparsely populated. Crews of ships that ran aground could anticipate minimal, if any, assistance. As maritime trade expanded, so did the need for support for vessels wrecked near the shore. Both coasts featured sandbars located 300 to 800 yards offshore. In the event of a storm, ships stranded on these sandbars often broke apart within hours. Very few individuals could endure a 300-yard swim through tumultuous surf with a temperature of 40 degrees.
In 1848, the federal government initiated its involvement in shore-based lifesaving operations. The U.S. Revenue Marine, which later became known as the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service, was tasked with overseeing these stations under the Treasury Department. The Great Carolina Hurricane struck the East Coast in 1854 as a category 4, resulting in numerous sailor fatalities due to a lack of lifesaving stations and poorly maintained equipment, which was sometimes used inappropriately, such as using a lifeboat for mixing mortar or scalding hogs. In response, Congress allocated funds for additional stations, and this time, part of the budget was dedicated to hiring full-time keepers for each facility.
The American Civil War led to the neglect of the government’s lifesaving network along the coast, a situation that persisted until 1870 when another devastating storm caused significant loss of life. In 1871, Mr. Sumner Kimball successfully secured a $200,000 appropriation from Congress, which authorized the Secretary of the Treasury to employ crews of surfmen as needed. Kimball established six-man crews at all stations, constructed new facilities, developed regulations with performance standards for crew members, established station routines and physical requirements, thereby laying the foundation for a more professional organization.
By 1874, the lifesaving stations expanded to cover the Maine coast and ten sites south of Cape Henry, Virginia, including the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The following year saw further expansion to the Delaware-Maryland-Virginia Peninsula, the Great Lakes, and the Florida coast. Eventually, the Gulf and West Coasts were incorporated, along with a station in Nome, Alaska. Four years later, the lifesaving stations were formalized as a distinct agency within the Treasury Department, named the U.S. Life-Saving Service, with Sumner I. Kimball appointed as General Superintendent. The stations were categorized into three main types: lifesaving stations, lifeboat stations, and houses of refuge. Lifesaving stations employed full-time crews during periods with a high likelihood of shipwrecks, typically from November to April, known as the “active season.”
On March 26, 1887, John T. Wescott, my 2nd great-grandfather, was appointed Keeper of Poyners Hill Station, built in 1878. Poyners Hill was 6 miles south of Currituck Beach Lighthouse on the northern Outer Banks.
By the early 1900s, these operations expanded to year-round activity. Many stations were situated in remote areas, requiring crew members to proficiently launch boats from the beach into the surf. The third category, houses of refuge, were located along the coasts of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, housing a paid keeper and a small boat, though they did not maintain active rescue operations. Life-Saving District Superintendents reported directly to Kimball, while an Inspector of Life Saving Stations, a Captain in the U.S. Revenue Marine Service, also reported to him. This structure created a system of checks and balances.
The Superintendents were accountable for selecting keepers, who in turn chose their crews. Both keepers and crews underwent evaluations by an inspection board comprised of a Revenue Marine officer, a surgeon from the Marine Hospital Service (later known as the U.S. Public Health Service), and a skilled surfman to assess their health, character, and abilities. Keepers were expected to be physically fit, of good moral standing, literate, under forty-five years of age, and adept at boat handling, particularly in challenging weather. Many keepers had extensive backgrounds in fishing or maritime professions, or they advanced through the ranks of the U.S. Life-Saving Service. While some keepers moved from station to station, many remained at a single station or within close proximity throughout their careers.
The daring rescues undertaken by the U.S. Life-Saving Service captivated the imagination of 19th-century America. The image of a keeper standing tall at the stern of a small boat, gripping his sweep oar and motivating his crew through the towering surf, inspired reporters to craft thrilling stories. Phrases like “soldiers of the surf” and “storm warriors” became popular descriptors for these brave lifesavers. While their rescues were indeed remarkable, the majority of the crews’ efforts focused on rigorous training with rescue equipment, conducting patrols, maintaining lookout duties, and ensuring the general upkeep of their stations.
The men worked from Monday through Saturday, honing their skills with beach apparatus. When district inspectors arrived, the entire drill had to be completed in five minutes; any delays could lead to dismissal. Crews practiced launching and landing their boats through the surf, and to prepare for emergencies, they would intentionally capsize their boats and practice righting them. Training also included signaling, first aid, and maintaining the cleanliness of the station. Although the drills were simple in nature, they were continuously reinforced, ensuring that the crew could respond swiftly and instinctively in critical situations. Additionally, they had another crucial responsibility that occupied a significant part of the surfmen’s daily routine: lookout and patrol duties. During daylight hours, a surfman was designated to monitor the surrounding waters from the lookout tower. To ensure vigilance, no seating was provided in the tower.
The beaches were often “cloaked in ice,” and at their best, resembled “pathless deserts in the night.” The treacherous combination of “soft sand, disorienting snowfalls, fierce winds, and biting cold” frequently threatened to halt the men. Surfmen dressed in oilskins and carried a patrol clock to avoid overlapping with other patrols, along with a pouch of coston signals (the pouch was created by my 2nd great-grandfather Captain John Thomas Wescott, Jr.) These signals functioned like flares, alerting ships that were coming too close to the shore or informing grounded vessels that they had been spotted and assistance was on the way. Mariners were fortunate that beach patrols operated in all kinds of weather. In 1899, for instance, surfmen using coston signals successfully warned off 143 ships at risk of running aground. Notably, in October of that same year, Surfman Rasmus Midgett (my 1st cousin 4x removed) of the Gull Shoals, North Carolina Station, achieved the remarkable feat of rescuing ten individuals from the wreck of the Priscilla while on patrol—all by himself.1
The Life-Saving Service saw its most significant expansion between 1871 and 1881, during which it executed some of its most notable rescues. However, as the nineteenth century approached its end, the Service faced two critical challenges. Firstly, the rise of steam-powered vessels reduced the reliance on sailing ships, making them less susceptible to the whims of the wind and decreasing the likelihood of shipwrecks. Secondly, the Service struggled to adapt to the growing number of gasoline-powered small boats, particularly those used for leisure activities.
Additional issues emerged, including the absence of a retirement system and a lack of compensation for injured crew members. Low salaries made it difficult to recruit new personnel, and without retirement benefits, promotions proved challenging. By 1914, some keepers were in their seventies, manning the traditional sweep oar, while the stroke positions were filled by men in their sixties. Kimball had long sought a retirement system for his staff. In 1914, he concluded that merging the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service with the U.S. Life-Saving Service would benefit both organizations and the nation. Consequently, the legislation establishing the U.S. Coast Guard was enacted on January 28, 1915, which included provisions for retirement for Kimball and many of the senior keepers and surfmen.
My 2nd great-grandfather’s retirement letter.
The U.S. Life-Saving Service exhibited remarkable dedication throughout its forty-four years of operation. During this time, “28,121 vessels and 178,741 individuals benefited from its services.” Remarkably, only “1,455 people lost their lives while under the protection of the Life-Saving Service.” Even as late as 1959, U.S. Coast Guard Lifeboat Stations on the Great Lakes were utilizing a revised version of the Life-Saving Service’s drill schedule. Weekly beach apparatus drills continued to be conducted for first aid and signaling practice. Additionally, lookout tower watches were still operational. The ongoing emphasis on practicing with rescue equipment and conducting inspections persists to this day.
The wooden Monomoy pulling surfboat Salisbury Beach LSS, Cape Cod, MA- Photo By: U.S. Coast Guard Historian’s Office
The United States Coast Guard has built upon the solid foundation laid by the U.S. Life-Saving Service and has incorporated its own initiatives, evolving into the recognized authority in maritime search and rescue operations. The introduction of the 36 and 44-foot motor lifeboats, the creation of a dedicated search and rescue school, and the utilization of helicopters have all enhanced the Coast Guard’s stature as the premier agency for those “in peril upon the seas.” Today, the men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard uphold the service legacy established by the U.S. Life-Saving Service crews, and with their advanced equipment, they have surpassed the achievements of their esteemed predecessors.
Massachusetts – Salisbury Beach USLSS Crew, surfboat & cart, no date. Photo By: U.S. Coast Guard Historian’s Office
As we reflect on the legacy of the U.S. Life-Saving Service, we honor the brave men, known as the ‘soldiers of the surf,’ whose dedication and sacrifice laid the groundwork for today’s U.S. Coast Guard. Their timeless commitment to rescuing those ‘in peril upon the seas’ continues to inspire the men and women of the modern Coast Guard, who uphold this noble tradition. As we commemorate 150 years, let us remember their courage, their innovation, and the lives they saved along the treacherous coasts of America.
On October 24, 1889, more from the violent nor’easter that began on the 23rd…
A fifth vessel that met with disaster on our coast in the heavy nor’easter gale that began about sunset on the 23rd was the British three-masted schooner Busiris of St. John, New Brunswick. This vessel, manned by a crew of seven men, including the captain, had sailed from St. Mary’s, Georgia, several days previously with a full cargo of lumber for her home port.
All went well until the evening of the above-mentioned day, when the weather became boisterous, with a terribly heavy head sea, causing the schooner to labor badly. At 11 o’clock at night, some twenty-five miles east-northeast of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse, the mainmast, and mizzenmast went by the board, rendering her entirely unmanageable. She fell off into the trough of the sea and drifted before the storm, completely at the mercy of the wind and waves.
The Busiris soon became waterlogged, but the buoyancy of her cargo prevented her from sinking. At 1 o’clock in the afternoon of the following day (24th), the wreck was sighted by the lookout at the Poyner’s Hill Station (Sixth District) toward which it was being driven. Station Keeper, Capt. John Thomas Wescott, Jr. led his crew into immediate action, for it was seen that the dismasted craft must come ashore nearby and that it would require sharp work to save her crew.
Time to raise the flags at Poyner’s Hill Life Saving Station. Ships in distress, such as the Busiris, were often first spotted from the lookout tower, seen here to the left.
The apparatus cart was run out of the boat room, hauled to the beach, and, as far as possible, the gear made ready for action. An hour after being discovered, the wreck grounded some two hundred yards above the station and about the same distance offshore. The Lyle gun was soon fired, placing the shot line across the jib stay, but so far aloft that the crew could not secure it from deck, and the frightful rolling of the vessel prevented them from climbing for it.
Seeing the difficulty and not wishing to lose any time, the life savers hauled the projectile ashore and fired again. This shot landed the line within the reach of the anxious sailors, who eagerly seized it and hauled aboard the whip that the station men had bent to it. The hawser soon followed, and in a very few minutes, the gear was set up.
The crew of Poyner’s Hill Life Saving Station working with breeches buoy equipment.
A tremendous surf broke on the beach, and the vessel was lying so uneasily that it was impossible to keep the hawser taut. At the suggestion of the district superintendent, who had hurried to the scene at the first alarm, cork jackets were sent off to the vessel with the breeches buoy. This proved to be a wise precaution, every man having to be drawn ashore through the surf.
Many residents in the vicinity gathered on the beach and rendered much-needed assistance to the life savers. Men were stationed constantly at the crotch to keep it upright and at the tackle, but so heavy and sudden were the vessel’s motions that the strain could not be kept on the hawser, and its bight was often in the water.
The work of landing, though expeditiously performed considering the circumstances, was attended with much labor and trouble owing to the slack line, and it would have been difficult for the station men to have accomplished it unaided. But for the cork jacket, which enabled the sailors to keep their heads above water when the buoy dipped into the surf, the rescued men would have fared badly.
One hour was consumed in effecting the transfer. The schooner’s captain was entertained by the district superintendent until after the sale of the wreck. Others of the shipwrecked crew went to the station, where they were furnished with a complete outfit of clothing (part of which was from the supply donated by the Women’s National Relief Association) until their own wet garments could be dried.
Twenty-four hours later, they departed for their homes. The Busiris and her cargo were sold at auction November 5th for a nominal sum. The following letter received by the assistant inspector of life saving stations (Sixth District) some days after the wreck plainly indicates the value placed upon the services of the life-saving men on that occasion by the captain of the schooner:
POYNER’S HILL STATION, November 1, 1889
“SIR: I beg leave to acknowledge the gallant service rendered myself and crew of the wrecked schooner Busiris, which drifted ashore dismasted and waterlogged during the terrible gale October 24th last, by the crew of the Poyner Hill Station. Their assistance was prompt and effective, and I desire to compliment them and the United States Life Saving Service in general for the efficiency displayed on that occasion. Without their assistance, all of us would have perished. I wish to extend my kindest thanks to all. Yours, ever truly, E.L. Morris, Master of the schooner Busiris.”
Poyner’s Hill Life Saving Station. Photograph is the property of Norman & Sandi Roberts and kindly submitted by Ben Bateman. No part of this document may be used for any commercial purposes. However, please feel free to copy any of this material for your own personal use and family research.
Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 1890
Photograph of Poyner’s Hill Life Saving Station is the property of Norman & Sandi Roberts and kindly submitted by Ben Bateman. No part of this document may be used for any commercial purposes.
In this 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge, Close to Home, I wrote about Mary Yeula Wescott, my great-grandaunt. She was born on 27 December 1889 at Poyner’s Hill in Currituck, North Carolina, where her father, John Thomas Wescott, was the keeper of the Poyner’s Hill Life-Saving station. She was the third of six children born to John and a year younger than my great-grandfather, Albert.
Laura Wescott, Martha Ann Chadwick Wescott, Mary Yeula Wescott
At a very young age, Mary loved to read and write. She was first published at the age of 12 when she decided to enter a writing contest for the St. Nicholas Magazine: An Illustrated Book For Young Folks by Mary Mapes Dodge. The following was published in January 1903:
Poplar Branch, N.C.
Dear St. Nicholas: I am a little girl twelve years old, and I live on one of the sand-bars of North Carolina, five miles from the mainland. The nearest store and post-office is five miles away. My papa is the captain of the Poyners Hill Life-saving Station. We are bounded on the north and south by sand-hills, on the east by the ocean, and on the west by the Currituck Sound. The land near and on which the station is situated belongs to the Currituck Shooting Club, the club-house is the nearest one to us except the station. The club does not allow any of the station men except papa to build on the beach. We live only a few steps from the station and a little further from the sea, while the club-house is on the other side of the beach. So you see, we have it lonely here sometimes. Inclosed [sic] find my contribution which I hope is worthy of a prize.
Yours truly,
Mary Yeula Wescott
(age 12)
The poem she enclosed won her a silver badge.
FORGIVING
BY MARY YEULA WESCOTT
(Silver Badge)
My little friend Annie
Came over to play.
We stayed in the house,
As ‘t was stormy that day.
She had her doll, Susan,
And mine was named Jane ;
We dressed and undressed them
Again and again.
We made them fine bonnets
For each little head.
They wore them to parties,
Then came home to bed.
Ann stepped on my finger,
And said she was glad.
I got up and slapped her,
She ‘d made me so mad.
Then I knocked Susan’s head off,
And Annie broke Jane.
We cried, and we quarreled
Again and again.
Then I said I was sorry,
As much as could be;
So I forgave Annie,
And she forgave me.
Mary continued to send in poems and articles, as did her brother, Albert, and her sister, Laura. However, Mary continued to write to them until at least the age of 17.
My Dear St. Nicholas League: I am sending to you today my verses for the September competition, and I am so sorry to remember that I have but three more. Does everyone get old so dreadfully fast?
Your subject appealed to me this month, for I have several relatives including my father, who are members of the Life Saving Service to which I have a reference in the poem. This small band extends along the coast of the United States and guards its coast from the ravages of the storm. They maintain a constant watch along the shore and at the appearance of a distressed vessel launch their frail boats and, pitting their strength against the force of the waves, give aid to the distressed seamen. When the sea is so high that launching a boat from the shore is impossible, the beach apparatus is used and the sailors are brought from the vessel by means of a ” breeches-buoy,” which is drawn shoreward over a cable that has been shot across the vessel from the shore and fastened to the mast of the distressed vessel.
On our part of the coast, storms are numerous, and a rescue of this kind is a frequent occurrence.
I thank you so much for the encouragement you have given me in my endeavors to win that coveted cash prize.
But whether I succeed or not, I shall ever remember with gratitude the pleasure and benefit I have derived from your interesting work. Long life to you, my dear St. Nicholas League, and best wishes from your devoted League member, Mary Yeula Wescott (age 17).
It must have been this magazine that sparked her love of books.
Mary went to school in Durham and graduated from Trinity College (now Duke University) in 1914 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree, Magna cum laude. She taught Latin in local schools and went back to Trinity. In 1920, she took a leave of absence to attend and then graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree from the Simmons College of Library Science in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1924, where she also worked in a government position while attending school. Mary returned to Trinity College, her alma mater, to work at Trinity College Library (now Duke University Library).
About 1932, Professor William K. Boyd organized the work of the Newspaper Department and placed Miss Allene Ramage in charge of it. Miss Ramage, aided by Miss Mary Wescott and Miss Eva E. Malone, prepared a checklist of these papers under the title Bibliographical Contributions of the Duke University Libraries: a Checklist of United States Newspapers. This publication has been of value to many librarians and scholars throughout the United States.
Part I: Alabama––Georgia
Part II: Idaho––Massachusetts
Part III: Michigan––New York
Part IV: North Carolina
Part V: North Dakota––Vermont
Part VI: Virginia––Wyoming
~LIBRARY NOTES -A BULLETIN ISSUED FOR
The Friends of Duke University Library April 1953; Number 27
She worked there until she retired in December 1954 as Head of the Catalogue Department. A dinner was given in her honor on 14 December 1954. Among the special guests was Lawrence Quincy Mumford, Librarian of Congress. Mr. Mumford, who had known Miss Wescott since his student days, summarized well her contribution to college and university when he spoke of her retirement as the termination of “a valuable career in librarianship.”
~LIBRARY NOTES -A BULLETIN ISSUED FOR
The Friends of Duke University Library April 1953; Number 27
“Pride in her profession, friendliness, compassion, and a delightful sense of humor — these were the characteristics that made Mary Wescott deeply loved as well as highly respected. Exactly what her personal philosophy was, one would not presume to say. One feels though that possibly she expressed it in the last stanza of a poem she wrote long ago — “The Dream of the Sea.”
O my Heart keep young, we would cross that main
With its raging tide;
We would enter those fields of glad abode
On the other side —
And we, how we long for the mighty strife
And the waves’ wild sweep —
To battle our way to the rich reward
And then to sleep! “
Seven months after Mary retired, she died in her sleep. She never married.
By the way, I have never been able to determine where the name Yeula came from. The closest I found was that it could be an Indian word meaning Upward slope. Fitting for a woman who never stopped climbing.
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My Eighth Great-Grandfather: Once Again, We Find the Wescott’s on the Shoreline
Many researchers have studied the Wescott name, but the exact origins of our lineage remain uncertain. Most findings are based on deductions rather than definitive records.
The earliest known record of our lineage traces back to John Wescott, who lived in Accomack County (now Northampton), Virginia. Much of the information about him comes from “The Miles Files,” a valuable research collection compiled by M.K. Miles. These files, generously donated to the Virginia Eastern Shore Public Library, contain over 83,000 names from the Eastern Shore counties of Accomack and Northampton, Virginia; Somerset, Worcester, and Wicomico in Maryland; and Sussex County, Delaware. This collection documents the Westcott family along with “hundreds of families from the Eastern Shore, from Charlemagne to the early 1900s.”
It is believed that John Wescott I was born in Accomack County, Virginia, in 1659. Although unproven, his father may have been William Wescott, one of three brothers from England and a nephew of Stukely Wescott.
John’s age was recorded in November 1684 in Northampton County, Virginia, as “Jno Wescott, 25.”
John married Elizabeth Clarke, daughter of George Clarke II and Elizabeth (maiden name unknown), before June 28, 1690, in Northampton County, Virginia.
The Elizabeths in this lineage can be confusing. In an email, M.K. Miles suggested that “George Clarke II’s first wife, Elizabeth, likely died after their children were born, and he then married a second wife named Elizabeth, who was young enough to be the mother of John Wescott’s children.”
John and Elizabeth frequently appeared in court records. One notable mention is a court order from June 28, 1690, in Northampton County, Virginia. On that date, “upon the petition of Wm. Sterlinge against John Wescott as marrying Elizabeth, the widow of George Clarke deceased, the court ordered Wescott to provide an account of Clarke’s estate at the next court session.” Sterlinge was Elizabeth’s first husband.
John was mentioned again in a court order on February 2, 1691, in Northampton County, Virginia. The record states that “John Wescott, having married Elizabeth Clarke, administrator of George Clarke’s estate, petitioned for a valuation of certain cattle on Hogg Island belonging to the deceased’s estate and for a division of the livestock between himself and Clarke’s children.”
John also witnessed a will before October 28, 1698, in Northampton County, Virginia. On this date, he, along with William Kendall and Robert Browne, witnessed the will of William Sterlinge, whose wife was named Elizabeth.
Another intriguing court case involved Elizabeth and Ellenor Carter, a freewoman, and revolved around 17th-century cloth. The dispute ultimately resulted in John Wescott paying a fine to Ellenor’s husband, Thomas Carter.
17th-Century Cloth and Its Importance
Dowlas was one of the most common linens of the period. Another widely used imported fabric was “ozenbrig,” a tough, coarse linen woven in Osnabruck, Westphalia. This fabric was used for making breeches, entire suits, sheets, table covers, and carpetbags.
In 1706, records indicate land transactions involving John Wescott. George Clarke sold several parcels on Hog Island, Northampton County, Virginia: 100 acres to William Harmanson, 200 acres to John Westcote, 100 acres to Edward Joynes, and 200 acres to Jonathan Bell.
On March 12, 1728, John was named in the settlement of his son’s estate. The court ordered John Wescott, as heir-at-law, to appear and explain why Simon Elliott should not be granted administration of the estate of Littleton Wescott, John’s deceased son.
John Wescott’s Will
John made his will on June 16, 1728, in Northampton County, Virginia. In it, he bequeathed:
100 acres on the south side of his land to his son John for life, then to his grandson John Wescott.
The remaining 100 acres, including his house and plantation, to his grandson Littleton Jarman.
The remainder of his estate (except for his mill) to be divided among his three children: John Wescott, Elclanah Barker, and Francis Ellit.
His mill to be shared between the two plantations.
Executors: His son John and son-in-law Simon Elliot.
Witnesses: Matthew Floyd, John Satchell, and John Esdell.
John Wescott passed away before July 9, 1728, when his will was proved in court.
Children of John and Elizabeth Wescott
John and Elizabeth had five children:
John Wescott II (c. 1692–before November 13, 1733) – Our ancestor
Elclanah Wescott (c. 1698–unknown)
Frances Wescott (c. 1700–unknown)
Littleton Wescott (c. 1702–before March 12, 1728)
A daughter (name unknown, c. 1704–before June 16, 1728)
Wescott Family Origins
Wescott Family Origins
Many believe that all Westcott, Wescoat, and Wescott families descend from Stukely Wescott. However, it is unclear whether our direct ancestor was Stukely, his brother, or his nephew. The exact lineage remains uncertain.
The name “Wes” is thought to derive from “Wessex,” while “Cot” may refer to a cottage or protected home.
The story of John Wescott and his descendants highlights the challenges of early American colonial life. Through court records, land transactions, and family connections, we gain a glimpse into the resilience and legacy of our ancestors. Though many details remain uncertain, the Wescott family played a vital role in shaping the communities of the Eastern Shore. As we continue our research, we honor their journey and preserve their history for future generations.
William R.M. Houston M.D. & Jean M. Mihalyka, Colonial Residents of Virginia’s Eastern Shore (Whose Ages Were Proved Before Court Officials of Accomack and Northampton Counties), p. 114. Albert Mack Sterling, The Sterling Genealogy, Volume One, p. 230 (William Sterling of Hungar’s Parish, Northampton County, Virginia). Frank V. Walcyzk, Northampton Co, VA, Bk 13, Orders & Wills, 1689-1698, Vol 1 (1689-1694), p. 154 (origin page number) (a division of the estate of George Clarke). James Handley Marshall, Northampton Co, VA, Abstracts of Wills & Administrations, 1632-1802, p. 161 (will of William Sterling, wife Elizabeth). Ralph T. Whitelaw, Virginia’s Eastern Shore (A History of Northampton and Accomack Counties), p. 369 (tract N62). James Handley Marshall, Northampton Co, VA, Abstracts of Wills & Administrations, 1632-1802, p. 264 (will of John Westcott).
Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 1890
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