SAMUEL PAINTER (~1803-1884)
...dirt farmer of Virginia, Ohio and Indiana
INTRODUCTION: German Painters of the Shenandoah
A Migration to Ohio
This previously posted section is shut down because it contained unproved theories.'
It is still possible that some early immigrants to Preble/Montgomery/Warren Counties Ohio came from Shenandoah and Rockingham VA in the 1800s.
The following report focuses on perhaps the most storied Painter immigrant to Virgina.
He was George Painter who immigrated from Germany to Pennsylvania in the 1720s. He was murdered in 1758 at a place called "Stoney Creek".
SAMUEL PAINTER
The poor dirt farmer
The poor dirt farmer of Preble County, Ohio, is optimistically presented here in hopes of finding some descendant who will recognize him. The only reason to suspect that he is related to the Shenandoah Painters, is the fact that he is surrounded by them.
That dirt farmer, Samuel Painter, left no records to link him to the Shenandoah Painters--except that he was born about 1803 in Virginia and lived amongst them when he reached Ohio. (Samuel may have been born in a Virginia county that later became part of West Virginia. The death certificate of his son Jeremiah lists his parent's birthplace as West Virginia.)
Samuel's ancestry is a puzzle. The following is presented for discussion purposes only. Comments and insights are welcome.
These are the known facts: (sources shown in footnote links)
I. SAMUEL PAINTER (and his wife Katy Frank of Pennsylvania) resided in Twin Township Preble County, Ohio from mid 1830's to the mid 1850's
They married in March of 1834.
Katy had already married once before she met Samuel. While living in Montgomery County, Ohio with her parents, she married Joseph G. Gibbons of neighboring Clarke County.
The marriage took place on 21 Sept 1827 with her father David Frank as witness. Katy and Joseph had one child, a daughter Susan, born about 1829. Joseph apparently died
(or disappeared) but no record
of his death or burial has been found. (See NOTE below in bold italic.)
In 1834 Katy married Samuel Painter. They first obtained a marriage license recorded 25 Feb 1834 in Preble County: Samuel Painter and Catharine Gibbons.
Another license was issued in March in Indiana; the actual marriage ceremony was held on 18 March 1834 in the Circuit Court in neighboring Wayne County, IN:
Samuel Painter to Katherine Givens. (Notice the two different spellings of Katy's married name.)
The details of the actual marriage are complete including witness and Justice of Peace.
The question is "Why two licenses?" In the first license Katy uses the surname, "Gibbons," but in the second she uses the name "Givens."
Katy apparently chose to give her daughter, Susan, the surname "Givens." (Susan is shown as "Susan Givens" in Samuel Painter's household in
the 1850 census for Preble Co., OH.)
Remember: Katy was illiterate. The spelling of names was often left to the discretion of clerks.
It is possible Katy also had daughter, Louisa, with her first husband, Mr. Gibbons. Louisa's death certificate shows her father as 'George Gibbons.'
Whoever filled out the death certificate in 1916 believed her father was George Gibbons. Perhaps George was the same person as Joseph G. Gibbons--if he went by a middle name, "George."
However all census records show Louisa as a child of Samuel Painter born about 1836. But since Katy had first married Joseph G. Gibbons, it is conceivable Louisa was George's daughter.
As to Samuel and Katy's ancestry:
Katy was born about 1807 in Pennsylvania; Samuel about 1803-1805 in Virginia. Evidence suggests Katy's parents settled first in Clarke County, Ohio
and then migrated into the region encompassed by Randolph Township, in Montgomery County and Twin Township in Preble and Darke Counties, Ohio.
COLLATERAL NAMES
Some family names associated with these Painters:
BANTA-PAINTER
George and John Painter of Rockingham County, Virginia and Warren, Preble and Darke Counties, Ohio, had property transactions and marriages with the Banta family of Mercer County, KY. Sons of John Painter of Monroe Township, Preble County, married Banta sisters, Rachel and Magdalena. In 1813 Albert Banta acquired a U.S. Patent to SE 1/4 Sec 1 T5, R3. and sold it to John Franks who also owned land in Secs 27 and 30. Banta's land fell within Twin Township, Preble County, where subjects Samuel Painter and wife, Katy Frank, settled. These records suggest a possible connection between Samuel and the Banta-Painter family of Monroe Township.
Furthermore, John Frank of Preble County may be related to David Frank of Montgomery County--and perhaps, to Katy Frank, Samuel Painter's wife. David Frank is believed to have had a brother named John as suggested in the early baptism records of Salem Evangelical Church, Killinger, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. (See Frank) This also supports the theory discussed at E. Dauphin above.
GIVENS-PAINTER
The 1850 U.S. Census for Preble County shows Katy Painter's daughter by Joseph G. Gibbons as a 21-year-old woman named Susan Givens in Samuel Painter's household. The possible relationship between "Painters" and "Givens" is reflected in other households. In the household of a different Samuel Painter, son of John Painter of Monroe Township, there appears a male child named "Givens Painter" aged three. This suggests some relationship between Samuel Painter of Twin Township and Samuel and John Painter of Monroe Township. An Edward Givens is shown in Twin Township, Darke County, Ohio in the 1850 census (p. 417). Furtermore the surnames "Painter/Bender" and "Givens" are shown frequently in similar locations described in histories of southwest Virginia. 17 18
MARY PAINTER
The U.S. Census of 1850 shows an additional Painter family in Twin Township: that of Mary Painter, presumably a widow, aged 65, with a family of adults and young children. Her household also includes a younger Mary Painter, aged 25, possibly a widow. Research into the elder widow has failed to reveal the name of her deceased spouse. Date of birth of children in the household suggest she bore children through 1836. Perhaps her spouse died after 1835. She named a son, "Franklin," which is also the middle name that subject Samuel Painter gave to his son David. Among the widow Mary's sons in the 1850 census was a "Phillip," a name common to Painter descendants from Shenandoah County, one of which was a survivor of the Stoney Creek Massacre.
On the other hand, Mary Painter's spouse might have been the Jacob Painter, deceased, of Botetourt, subject of the 1840 lawsuit. Jacob had married a Mary Etzler in Botetourt County, Virginiain 1807. He died in Preble County in 1832. (It is worth noting, the John Painter of Botetourt County and Washington County, Indiana, married a woman named Catharine Etzler.)
Mary's spouse might, however, have been a George Painter whose estate was proved in Shenandoah County, Virginia May 13, 1833. The 1809 and 1825 estates of Jonas and Mary Rinehart proved in Shenandoah County both refer to daughter, Mary, wife of George Painter.
The probate of David Painter of Monroe Township suggests he died without children or heir in 1835. The 1830 U.S. census states David Painter resided in Gaspar Township.
The names of Samuel and Katy's children suggest one of their fathers or brothers might have been named "Henry," "John," "Jeremiah" or "David.".
Samuel's family and descendants are documented on a separate web page. (Please see Samuel Painter Descendants.)
FOOTNOTE: Back
A family of English Painters also migrated to Ohio in the same general region where the German Painters settled. John Painter, Quaker, of
Frederick County who settled on Ceasar's Creek in Warren County OH was English and should not be confused with the subject families.)
SOURCES:
Published Secondary Sources
John Wayland, The German Elementin the Shenandoah Valley (Charlottesville, VA: 1907) Return
John Wayland, History of Shenandoah County, Virginia (Strasburg, VA: Shenandoah Publishing House, 1927) p. 65-68, 626. Return to: George/John -Four Ancestors
John Wayland, History of Rockingham County, Virginia ( )Return
T.K. Cartmell, Shenandoah County in the Revolutionary War,( )Return
T.K. Cartmell, Shenandoah Valley Pioneers and Their Descendants,(Winchester, VA: Eddy Press, 1909) p. 74.
F.B. Kegley, Virginia Frontier (Roanoke: Southwest Virginia Historical Society, 1938) pp. 490-491. Return
Samuel Kercheval, A History of the Valley of Virginia, Strasburg, VA: 1833, 3rd Ed. (Woodstock, VA: W.N. Grabill, 1902) pp. 77-79 Return
________ Chalkly, Augusta County VA Court Records 1745-1800 Return
Robert Douthet Stoner, Seedbed of the Republic--Early Botetourt County, Virginia (Roanoke County Historical Society, 1962) pp. 35-36, 38, 128. Return
Virginia Historical Marriage Register, Shenandoah County Marriage Bonds 1772-1850, John Vogt and T. William Keithly (Athens GA: 1984).
History of Washington County, Indiana, 1884, rpt. (Paoli, IN: Stout's Print Shop, 1965) pp. 871-871. Reference states that Dr. Christian L. Paynter born in Washington county, IN 19 Feb 1824 was fifth child born to John and Catharine (Etzler) Paynter, the former b. Maryland, 1785, the latter in Virginia in 1793. They immigrated to Indiana in 1822 and settled on a farm three miles south of Salem where C.L. was raised. John Paynter, a lieutenant in the War 1812 died July 1868. His widow died in 1879. They were members of the Lutheran Church. Christian served in Co. D, 2nd IN Reg in Mexican War at Buena Vista. Return
UNPUBLISHED MANUSCRIPTS AND CORRESPONDENCE
Dr William A. and June Hudnut Rader, "The Descendants of Adam and Anna Maria Rader and Johann Adam and Katherine Rader," Sarasota, FL, 1987.
Wilda Ormunde, Orland, CA, Family Group Sheet and correspondence, 1990-1992. Mrs. Ormunde's research is based on Virginia and Ohio records shown herein. Return
Dick and Kathy Edmonson, Famly Group Record, Las Vegas NV, corespondence 23 Jan 1993. Return
PRIMARY DOCUMENTS BY COUNTY
Augusta County, VA-- these records are grouped [speculatively] by individual: Return
John of Stoney Creek aka John Sr. [1707]-[?]
John Painter Grant 400 ac Stoney Cr. "where he lives" 2-2-1749 DB G:357 (Gertrude E. Gray, Northern Neck Land Grants 1742-1775, Vol. II (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1988)
John, husband of Catherine (died fairly young leaving orphans [1730's?] - 1773
Will of John Bender: "To dear father and mother [still living?]; to wife Catherine, sister Margaret, to three sisters... Teste: John Bean, Adam Rader, Conrad Holle. Proved: 16 Nov 1773 by Jacob Mayer to be true translation [German]. Adm. Catherine Painter...John Bean, Christian Painter. [See vestry book 1773 below).
Estate of John Painter dec'd 18 Aug 1773; bound orphans Barbara to John Painter, Mathias to Christian Painter, Parish Vestry Book 16 Nov 1773
Orphans Margaret, Barbara, Mary and William bound to Christian Painter, Aug 1774, Parish Vestry Book
Alexander Painter of Timberville [1710]-[?] possibly brother of John of Stoney Creek above
Alexander Painter Deed from Adam/Barbary Rader 5 lb for adjacent land 8-2-1761 DB 9:437
Alexander Painter Bond Adm of Catherine Painter, 5-15-1764 WB3:33;7
Alexander and Margaret Painter to Christly Painter 100 lb tract pat to Alexr on north Shen.Riv, Thomas Moore survey crossing Fort Run, corner of land purchased from Adam Rader; 279 ac 5-14-1771 Dist Ct DB 6:213
Alexander and Margaret Painter to John Painter, corner of Mathias Rader land 341 ac, 5-14-177_ DB 6:218
Adam Painter son of Alexander Painter.
Adam and Elizabeth Painter to Jacob Mayer on line of Alexander Painter, 8-1772, Cir. Ct. DB 17:430
Adam and Anna Reider/ Alexander and Margaret Painter to Presby. Ch and Luther Church DirCt. DB 19:2;27
Shenandoah County VA-- these records are grouped [speculatively] by individual: Return
John of "Swan's Pond" son of John Painter, Sr.[?] - 1806.
John Painter and wife Philebina sold to Jacob Ensweller "Swan Pond"; 470 ac (original grant, Northern Neck of VA by proprietor's office 3-19-1763; next to Ulrich Pritzer [aka Woolrich Peters] Deed # 77 in presence of Jacob Painter. 1784 DB E:81
John Painter will mentions wife Philebina Catherine and sons John (blacksmith), Phillip, George, Matthias, daus Elizabeth (wife of Phillip Good, Catharina, wife of Jacob Ruby, Mary, wife of Michael Lindemutter, Christiina wife of George Lindemutter. Executor is Phillip Painter, son of Matthias, witness is George Paindar, 1806, WB G 62, 165
John Painter, Jr. from Jacob and Barbara Hisey, John and Catherine Lenewebe, 1799 DB M: 90
Mathias Painter eldest son of John of Stoney Creek aka John, Sr. He m1. [?]; m2. Christena Wiseman [?] - 1802.
Mathias Painter (eldest son of John Painter dec'd, and Christina, his wife) convey to Phillip Painter, son of Mathias, 400 ac on Mill Creek originally granted to John Painter by Lord Fairfax Propietor 2-2- 1749 (Signed in German); 6-27-1802 DB N:121
Mathias Painter to son John, Painter's Branch of Mill Creek, 6-27-1802 DB N:123
Mathias Painter to sons George and Adam, 27 June 1802 DB N: 120, 124
Mathias Painter will, wife Christina get mill; son John gets 276 ac plantation. Mentions daus. Catherine, wife of Jacob Emskwiller, Mary, wife of Isaac Benet and Christina (blind). Son George gets 200 ac and Stone House, son Phiolip get 156 ac and son Adam gets 140 ac. Minor sons: Matthias gets 185 ac on the "Big Road"; Peter and David get the tracts and mills on Mill Creek (from John's sister) 1802 WB F: 26-27.
Mathias Painter to Jacob Roaff 190 ac on Smith's Creek, 1786 DB E:45
Mathias Painter son of Adam Painter, grandson of John, Sr.; m. Mary Peters daughter of John and Catrina Peters 1791. Removed to Wythe Co.[1767] - [1842].
Mathias Painter son of John Painter, grandson of John, Sr.; m. Mary____ 1792 and removed to Pulaski Co.[1767] - [1842].
The above two may be the same person.
Mathias Painter from Daniel Matheny 140 ac ea side No. Shenandoah Riv. (original grant to Woolrich Peters by Thomas Lord Fairfax for proprietors of Northern Neck, VA 10-17-1774 conveyed to Matheny (land then in "Dunmore County-- PA VA border) 1789 DB G:383
Mathias and Mary Magdalene Painter from John Frye 10-1790 DB H:17
Mathias Painter in payment to Philip Mayer for household goods, gave one Spanish silver dollar , 11-10-1790, DB H:43
Mathias Painter (blacksmith) and wife Mary sold south side No. Shenandoah Riv., 445 ac (original proprietors grant to Joseph Rambo, 1750)
Mathias Painter probate, son of John Painter, dec'd (guardian) now of age recieves blacksmith's tools., 1807, WB [Q270,294?]
Conrad Painter
Conrad Painter conveys entire estate to Joshua Painter, son, 2-22-1792, DB H:345
Conrad and Magdalena Painter sell Hawksbill Cr. property at foot of Blue Ridge, part of 100-ac tract of Peter Crumm originall from Samuel and Ann Short of Frederick Co. 11-6-1760 (formerly conveyed to Peter Painter). Signed Conrad Benter. 1799 DB M:95
Marriages: (from Virginia Historical Marriage Register, Shenandoah County Marriage Bonds& , 1772-1850, ed./comp. by John Vogt, T. Wm. Keithly (Athens GA: 1984).
John and Catherine Painter of Washington Co. IN quitclaim inheritance to Botetourt Co. VA land to David Brush and wife Catharine Painter Brush. MEntions David dec'd w'o issue in Ohio. 1844 DB 27:140
Jacob Painter, Sr. John Painter adm for Jacob Painter Dec'd in Ohio, 1834 WB E:392
John Painter Sr. son of Conrad Painter mentions sons Conrod, Joseph, Levi and heirs, James, William, Peter and heirs, Joshua, Barney, Elizabeth White,Susan Jones, Cahterine Robessa, George, Morgan (b. 1799). "Son John now living with me...to compensate him for care in my old age"..gave him Shenandoah County property given byi father, Conrad adjoining lad of John Crumm and Balser Lowe. 1837 WB E: 758
Marriages:
Jacob Painer to Mary Etzler 6-25-1807
Joshua Painter to Mary Slaughter 11-26-1806
John Painter to Sarah Bean 7-16-1806
Conrad Painter to Barbary Moulds 12-17-1797
Warren County. OH Return
Marriages
George Painter and Magdddalena Banta 6-1-1808
Sophia Painter [widow of George?] and David Robertson 4-16-1811
John Painter and Rachel Banta 6-30-1811
History of Warren County Ohio Illustrated (Chicago: W.H. Beers & Co)
p. 141: David Painter, Wayne Twp 1801
George Painter will rec. 2-6-1810: wife Sophia, sons John, George; daus. Sophia Price, Margaret Haney, Mary Thatcher
Preble County. OH Return
Deed, George Painter 1824 from Abner & Ester Hibbs -ea side Twin Cr 48 ac nw1/4 R2-T9-S1 1824 Bk 10
Deed,George and [Magdalena Banta] Laney Painter to Parker Phillips (2-9-1) 1826
Deed,John and Rachel Painter from William VanHOrn 80 ac (w1/2 and nw 1/4 se 1/4 Sec 12 R 2 T 9 Bk 36 1847
Deed,Saml and John Paiter Jr from Wm and Kath Van Horn land boujded by land of Samuel, John, John Painter Jr. 2-9-12 1855 Bk 43
Deed,Rachel Painter from Samuel Painter s 1/2 nw 1/4 se1/4 Attest W.C. Banta 2-9-12 1857 Bk 46
Deed,Painter Heirs lawsuit by Botetourt Co. Painters: Christian Painter, Cristian Leufman and David Brugh hiers of David Painter Dec'd suing Adam Sqihart, the adm. of David Painter's estate. David d. Preble County, apparently a widower in Gaspar Twp, Preble C. abt. 1835; 9-15-1840
Marriages:
Catherine Painter to William VanHorn 1-16-1831
Samuel Painter to Sarah Marxh 3-9-1837
John Painter to Martha Jane Hayes 6-22-1837
Montgomery County OH Return
Marriage Book A p. 30 (Mathias Painter and Christina Wyrick, 1811.) (Mathias Painter Will proved 7 May 1818 mentions wife and three children: Barbary, Anna and David, Will Book A, p. 160).
Ohio County Marriages 1774-1993/Montgomery 1824-1857 published online at Ancestry.com(Joseph G. Gibbons and Catherine Frank).
Ohio County Marriages 1774-1993/Preble 1824-1857 published online at Ancestry.com(Samuel Painter and Catherine Gibbons; witness Hess).
Indiana County Marriages, p. 316 published at Ancestry from LDS microfilm (Samuel Painter to Katherine Givens 18 Mar 1834, Circuit Court, Wayne Co., IN. Lic. and Marr., attest by Hannah, ceremony by Wm. M. Dunham, JP (recorded 7 April 1834, Wayne County, IN, Marriages p. 316).
Obituary, Louisa Painter (1816-1903)Pike County Democrat, 13 Nov 1903, p. 1. Return