|
|
|
The Carder Family in Early Virginia |
|
The earliest known member of the Virginia Carder family was John Carder, whose name appeared on a list of tithables for 1670 in Lancaster County. The name James Carder appears on a deed dated 1674, in which a Mr. Richard Whitehead was granted 2000 acres of land by patent in Old Rappahanock and New Kent counties, on the west side of Portebago Path. This James Carder was listed as a passenger who was transferred from overseas with Richard Whitehead. In 1673 Lancaster County was divided, splitting off the part south of the Rappahanock River, which became Middlesex County. It seems likely that the Carders lived in this southern part of Lancaster County which became Middlesex County, as the following records of christenings appear in the Parish Register of Christ Church in Middlesex County: Judith Cardis the daughter of Uriah Cardis was borne 28th September and Baptized the 29th of October 1699. John the Sone of Uriah Cardis was born the 3rd day of January 1702-3. Anne ye daughter of Uriah and Sarah Carder his wife was born ye May 5th and baptized ye 17th Anno Domi 1705. Sara Carder ye daughter of Uriah Carder and Sarah Carder his wife was baptized ye same day, October 27 Anno Domi 1707. The name Uriah Cardis is possibly the same person as Uriah Carder. This Uriah Carder may have been a son of the first John or James Carder, but no proof of such a relationship has been found. In subsequent generations the name John turns up in a number of Carder records from 1730 onward in Spotsylvania, Orange, and Culpeper Counties. However, the extant records of Carders are not sufficiently complete to put together a genealogical record of descendants from the earliest Carders recorded in Virginia in the 1670s. Further, no connection has been found between the New England family of Richard Carder and the Virginia Carder families. However, by 1734 a John Carder, possibly a grandson of the first John or James, had moved into the area near the fork of the Rappahanock and Rapidan Rivers, and he purchased 100 acres of land for the price of 2,000 pounds of tobacco from Augustine Smith at this location, some 24 miles east of the town of Culpeper. John Carder evidently had been living in this area for a few years prior to 1734, as it is recorded that he was engaged in 1731 to keep the church clean at the Fork. John Carder, Jr. witnessed the will of Roger Oxford in Culpeper County in 1759. In 1763, John and Uriah Carder were paid for tobacco by the estate of Susannah Cole. In the same year, John Carder, constable, was taxed 461 pounds of tobacco. John Carder is recorded as having 100 acres in 1764. In 1773 John Carder sold this same tract of 100 acres to Lawrence Slaughter for 25 pounds. John Carder died a few years later, as evidenced by a contract signed by his widow, Frances Carder, in 1783. His estate was inventoried and appraised in 1785. George Carder was paid for beef, rye, and flour in 1780 in Culpeper County. Uriah Carder was paid for flour in 1781. Both George and Uriah Carder were paid for beef, rye, flour, etc. in 1783. George Carder was paid in 1788 for making five pairs of shoes in 1771. Frances Carder, widow of John Carder, put her son John Carder to work for another John Carder as an four year apprentice millwright in 1783. There are other scattered records from the pre-1800 era relating to the Carder family. These records are summarized at the end of this section. However, it is very difficult to determine the relationships of the early Carders. Only in a few selected records is any type of relationship actually stated. Also, I do not know of any surviving family records from the early Culpeper County Carder families. It does appear that they were all closely related, based on the tax lists and other records. Some approximate dates of birth and possible relationships can be derived by studying the various records. However, these are only guesses and should not be taken as fact. |
|