Jacob Duckworth, Jr. - Birthdate error in historical DAR profile.

There is a lot of controversy over which Jacob Duckworth married Anne Wellborn, all of which needs to be taken with grains of salt until carefully researched and verified.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Duckworth-104#Research_Notes

This genealogist, Malcolm Everett Gardner, was related to the Duckworths and did exhaustive research into the various branches of the family:

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9PFX-9X7N?view=ful...

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GPFX-9CMD?view=ful...

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9PFX-9WZ6?view=ful...

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GPFX-9WC5?view=ful...

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GPFX-9SKR?view=ful...

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9PFX-19W?view=full...

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9PFX-B18?view=full...

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GPFX-9JKN?view=ful...

He has a lot on Jacob Duckworth, but with nearly 13,000 images I got lost even though it's somewhat indexed.

Jacob Duckworth

https://archive.org/details/a-duckworth-notebook-part-4-20210813-00...

I'm confused about some of the controversial, conflicting claims surrounding this particular DAR soldier, Captain Jacob Duckworth who married Ann, daughter of Aaron Welborn according to the DAR. Geni on the other hand, contrary to the DAR file, has split Ann Welborn's husband Jacob into two people, father and son; with Jacob, Sr. married to "Charity Unknown" (source?).

I was informed that Jacob who married Ann Welborn was likely the nephew of Jeremiah Duckworth (m. Christiana Ramsay/Ramsey); in any case I don't believe his father was "Jacob, Sr.", UNLESS his father happened to be the Jacob "Duck" whose wife was Sarah.

Only because that's all I've been able to find, so far. There are several 1780s state land grants to Jacob Duck in Nash Co., NC, totalling more than 600 acres.

And there's a deed from James Muse to Jacob Duckworth in Cumberland Co., NC (no wife mentioned, dated 1794).

The genealogist, Malcolm Everett Gardner, who is related to the Duckworths, apparently thought that "Duck" was a variation of their surname. He was old-school, without access to digital online records, but he worked very hard on the family history trying to get to the bottom of it.

The main problems from my perspective are his birthdate not matching DAR, the possibility that he had a first wife (Sarah? Muse?), and the mysterious Duck/Duckworth family origins. So I've been doing some research trying to get to the bottom of it with real facts.

Don't worry, it's hard for me to follow, too. I dove in head first and found all kinds of interesting sources. Still trying to piece it all together, if possible. Sometimes I just need to take a break and let it percolate.

Elizabeth Dacus married a younger generation Jacob Duckworth. I'm digging into the older roots of this family tree, trying to verify the DAR man's parentage and so forth. The younger generations are a lot easier to verify.

Captain Jacob Duckworth is named in the Revolutionary War pension application for Stephen Morris, as his commanding officer, serving Cumberland Co., NC. The application is dated 1836, and he says he was enlisted in 1781-82.

Prior to that, in the late 1770s to early 1780s "Captain Jacob Duckworth" worked as one of several Cumberland County tax assessors, with his own district. Joseph Duckworth was a resident in his district. There was a Joseph Sr. and a Joseph Jr. Duckworth at the time.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHK-67MP-6RR8?view=ful...

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4G-MW56-Q?view=f...

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89WV-148B?view=ful...

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99DC-XXGC?view=ful...

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-998M-Z9C4?view=ful...

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G98M-Z9ZH?view=ful...

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4G-MWPY-F?view=f...

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4G-MWGH-1?view=f...

Joseph Duckworth, Jr., 1769 land warrant for 195 acres in Cumberland County.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WV-YDWL?view=ful...

In 1777-78 Jacob Duckworth served on the grand jury for Cumberland County.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4G-MWGP-4?view=f...

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-998Y-L7R2?view=ful...

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L98Y-L756?view=ful...

There were actually several pension applications citing Captain Jacob Duckworth of Cumberland County, NC. Here's another one, for Stephen Collins of Kentucky:

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99GD-5HVQ?view=ful...

This shows that Jeremiah Duckworth (m. Christiana Ramsey), said to be the uncle of Capt. Jacob Duckworth, Revolutionary War veteran -- resided in Georgia in the late 1780s:

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHK-Q35Z-2FG?view=full...

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHK-935Z-26V?view=full...

Thomas Duckworth and Ann Buford were married in 1736, Middlesex Co., Virginia.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-B3RT-SQ9W?view=ful...

In 1771 Joseph Duckworth witnessed a deed to Jacob Duckworth from James Muse.

There is no indication in any of the contemporary records, that there was more than one Jacob Duckworth. Unlike Joseph, no "Sr." and/or "Jr." Jacob Duckworth is there to be found in the record.

Furthermore, "Captain" Jacob Duckworth of Cumberland County, was obviously an adult during the war. So he could not have been born in 1780. His wife (per DAR), Ann Welborn, daughter of Aaron, was said to have been born in 1771, so she must have been his SECOND wife.

And I'm not aware of any PROVEN children with the name "Jacob" by him, despite thorough research by professional genealogists far more proficient than myself.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L98M-X3KH?view=ful...

It looks like Joseph Duckworth sold the 195 acres he'd been granted in 1769 to John Harden in 1775. Notice that in the SAME document, Jacob's last name is abbreviated to read "Duck":

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99DC-ZCH6?view=ful...

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99DC-XF83?view=ful...

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9DC-ZSTD?view=ful...

In 1780 James Duk witnessed a deed.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89DC-XS18?view=ful...

Joseph Duck

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-898M-Z1P?view=full...

Post-1832, Tennessee pensioners James (b. 1756) and Jeremiah Campbell cited "Capt. Jacob DUCK" of Cumberland Co., NC:

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHK-P7MP-TFFS?view=ful...

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSGD-19BK-7?view=f...

James Martin and wife Rachel of Franklin Co., Georgia, cited Capt. Jacob DUCK of NC.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSGD-19BB-R?view=f...

Probably the John Duckworth found in early 1800s Anderson District SC censuses who eventually resettled in Burke Co., NC:

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99F9-BJYQ?view=ful...

In 1785 Nash Co., NC, we see Jacob Duck and wife Sarah on a deed between them and Thomas Woodard, Sr. This is still years before Capt. Jacob Duckworth appeared on the early 1800s censuses of Anderson District, SC.

In 1785, Ann Welborn would have only been about age 14, so again I see her as his much younger second wife. As I recall it is said they were married in 1794 when she would have been age 23. Jacob would have been 40 years old and fairly well-to-do (certainly not poor).

And I still maintain that he fudged his age by a few years in order to not appear to have 'robbed the cradle' (as they used to say in those days, about May/December marriages). It makes sense that if an older man wished to have more children he could choose a younger wife.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G96M-VX6G?view=ful...

Name County Issued Entered Acres Location File # Details/Images ...
Jacob Duck Nash 1784-11-01 1784 300 On the north side of Contentnea and on the waters of theMarsh Swamp 299 PtBk|Unxd
Jacob Duck Nash 1784-11-01 1784 21 On the waters of Contentnea 329 PtBk|Unxd
Jacob Duck Nash 1784-11-01 1781 350 On the Marsh Swamp 365 PtBk|Unxd

https://nclandgrants.com/grant/?mars=12.14.91.299&qid=1153698&rn=1
https://nclandgrants.com/grant/?mars=12.14.91.329&qid=1153698&rn=2
https://nclandgrants.com/grant/?mars=12.14.91.365&qid=1153698&rn=3

https://nclandgrants.com/query/

Found part of what I'd lost track of yesterday (helps that Family Search is searchable):

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GPFX-9DQL?view=ful...

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9PFX-97FP?view=ful...

It's possible that Jacob Duckworth lived or did business in Georgia during the later 1780s and 1790s after leaving Nash County, before finally settling into Anderson District, SC from about 1810 until his death in 1842. It's amazing how much some of them moved around, buying and selling (or gifting) land.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9PFX-939L?view=ful...

And Jeremiah Duckworth (as already mentioned) is said to have been the uncle of our Capt. Jacob Duckworth.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GPFX-97CN?view=ful...

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GPFX-97CF?view=ful...

I take it he could have been a private in the Georgia militia in later years of his life, after having been a Captain in North Carolina. There was occasional conflict between settlers and certain tribes on the frontier, which in the 1790s Georgia still was to some extent.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9PFX-939L?view=ful...

Here, Gardiner addresses the controversy around Jacob Duckworth, which is nice. HOWEVER, his assertion that age 16 is not old enough to buy land in 1771 is SIMPLY FALSE.

Take for example Col. John Sevier, who at age 16 quit school, married a girl as young as himself, founded a township (New Market, Virginia), gallivanted across country through a wild frontier with family in tow to North Carolina and into Tennessee, founded more communities, battled Indians, supported many children, made a deal to buy land from Spain?, and became a very successful politician.

Sevier's own father, Valentine, as a MINOR, ran away from home with his brother, jumped ship and stowed away to leave England aboard ship for probably at least a month or so, for America where he became a toll collector and innkeeper.

So don't think it couldn't happen in those days, for an energetic, ambitious young man of above average intelligence and good health.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9PFX-97GK?view=ful...

Beg pardon, I got the date wrong on this statement from my previous post:

"And there's a deed from James Muse to Jacob Duckworth in Cumberland Co., NC (no wife mentioned, dated 1794)"

That document, which was indenture (like a mortgage, I gather), was dated August 13th or 18th, 1771.

So the timeline I see has Jacob Duckworth like this:

March 1755, Born in Virginia (since there is a record of his birth, his parents should be known).

In 1769 Joseph Duckworth (Jr. or Sr.) was granted a substantial acreage in the same county; furthermore, Joseph resided in Capt. Jacob Duckworth's tax district a decade later.

August 1771, Jacob took a mortgage on 200 acres in Cumberland County, NC, from James Muse, one of the wealthiest men in the area.

1777-1780 +/- Served as captain in the LOCAL MILITIA ("Hillsborough District") AND acted as a Cumberland County tax assessor with his own assigned tax district.

1781-1784 applied for and received (all in 1784) three state land grants in NASH County, NC, totally well over 600 acres.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-996M-D9SN?view=ful...

1784-86 "Jacob Duck" is seen on deeds and legal documents with wife Sarah. He and Sarah sold 550 acres to Thomas Woodard in one deed and 125 acres to Woodard in another. So they didn't seem ready to settle down in the same place where they had acquired land grants. They sold them almost immediately, as soon as possible.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-896M-8TF7?view=ful...

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G96M-VX6G?view=ful...

1790s Jacob was present in Northern Georgia.

1790-1800 No signs of his presence anywhere in the SE USA, other than Georgia.

1810-1842 (when he died) he is found on censuses for Anderson District, South Carolina. His wife's father is found on earlier (1790, 1800, 1810) censuses for nearby Pendleton District. (Or vice-versa for the exact locations.)

Bear in mind the Welborn family were also present ca.1800 in Northern Georgia (Wilkes and Habersham, Franklin Counties). The Welborns (like the Isaacs, Lenoirs, Clevelands, and others) migrated down through SC to Georgia, from Revolutionary era North Carolina.

As I recall, some of the pensioners citing Capt. Jacob Duckworth as their commanding officer claimed to have fought at King's Mountain, as did many others of the time and place. That is NOT to say that Jacob Duckworth himself was present at King's Mountain.

However, John Duckworth (S6805), born 1759 in Virginia, the man found in Anderson or Pendleton Dist. SC on the same page with Jacob, who later resettled in Burke Co., NC, was at King's Mountain. He was likely related somehow as either a brother or cousin.

Bear in mind that available documentation for the battle of King's Mountain is incomplete despite all of the research done on it.

https://www.carolana.com/SC/Revolution/Known_Patriots_at_Kings_Moun...

https://revwarapps.org/s6805.pdf

Unless he died during or shortly after the war, this record suggests that the Georgia troops' Jacob Duckworth is likely Capt. Jacob Duckworth's cousin and certainly not the same person.

https://archive.org/details/georgiasrosterrev00knigrich/page/380/mo...

So a corrected timeline to reflect the fact:

So the timeline I visualize based on known facts + reason has Jacob Duckworth like this:

- March 1755, Born in Virginia (since there is a record of his birth, his parents should be known).

- In 1769 Joseph Duckworth (Jr. or Sr.) was granted a substantial acreage (about 150 acres iirc) in Cumberland County, North Carolina; furthermore, Joseph resided in Capt. Jacob Duckworth's tax district nearly a decade later.

- August 1771, Jacob took a mortgage on 200 acres in Cumberland County, NC, from James Muse, one of the wealthiest men in the area.

- 1777-1780 +/- Served as captain in the LOCAL MILITIA ("Hillsborough District") AND acted as a Cumberland County tax assessor with his own assigned tax district.

- 1781-1784 applied for and received (all in 1784) three state land grants in NASH County, NC, totalling well over 600 acres.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-996M-D9SN?view=ful...

1784-86 "Jacob Duck" is seen on deeds and legal documents with wife Sarah. He and Sarah sold 550 acres to Thomas Woodard in one deed and 125 acres to Woodard in another. So they didn't seem ready to settle down in the same place where they had acquired land grants. They sold them almost immediately, as soon as possible.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-896M-8TF7?view=ful...

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G96M-VX6G?view=ful...

1786-1810 No known documented evidence of his presence anywhere in the southeastern USA.

My guess would be that during those 14 years he farmed, possibly in South Carolina where he later turned up on the 1810 census along with John Duckworth RS (later died in Burke Co. NC). At some point Sarah died and he remarried in 1794 (iirc), to Aaron Welborn's daughter, Ann, probably as her first husband.

1810-1842 (when he died) he is found on censuses for Anderson District, South Carolina. His wife's father is found on earlier (1790, 1800, 1810) censuses for nearby Pendleton District.

__________________

So the thing to focus on now would be land, probate, and marriage records in Pendleton or Anderson District, South Carolina.

Jacob Duckworth of Georgia, likely closely related to Jeremiah, soldiers of the Revolutionary war, died in Hancock Co, GA, sometime between 1815-1818. Isaac Birdsong and Elizabeth Duckworth were co-administrators of his estate. His personal property was sold and much of it was purchased by several members of the Duckworth family including Mrs. Elizabeth Duckworth and Jeremiah Duckworth.

Jacob died intestate in 1842, Anderson, SC. Legatees listed in the court documents, all of whom received their portions while Jacob was still living, include daughters Hester Rodgers and Ruth Martin (Abram), son Thomas Duckworth (received land in Florida), daughter the wife of Chesley Martin, sons William and Benjamin.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-13PN-K53D?view=ful...

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-13PN-K5SV?view=ful...

Jacob's widow Ann received one third of his estate. In 1846 both Jacob's and Ann's estates were settled together as one, with seven legatees listed receiving equal shares and a total of nine children named in court documents: sons Welborn, William, Benjamin, JACOB, JR., and Thomas; and daughters Mrs. J. M. (or J.W.) Rogers, Mrs. Benjamin Rogers, Mrs. Chesley Martin, and Mrs. Abram Martin.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-13PN-K5SQ?view=ful...

All four sons including Jacob, Jr., were included in records to be found on page 97 (as per the Index), however as luck would have it, "p.97 is missing" from the book.

https://www.carolana.com/NC/Revolution/patriots_nc_capt_jacob_duckw...

To further elaborate on the research done yesterday: The Jacob Duckworth of Georgia associated with Jeremiah and some other Duckworths in the area, who was a DIFFERENT Revolutionary soldier (for Georgia), died around 1818 (intestate?) leaving a substantial amount of personal property including tools, etc.

So there were two entirely separate "Jacob Duckworths" (neither of them identified as "Jr.") who were BOTH soldiers in the Revolution, one a Captain and one a Private, in completely different regions of the country, one in NC and the other in Georgia.

So possibly cousins or maybe nephew/uncle. They couldn't have been brothers. I doubt they were father/son, although it is possible since a lot of young men were recruited or volunteered to relocate to Georgia because they were needed to battle against the English who had a strong presence there.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L93L-RNMM?view=ful...

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C95Y-29X8-1?view=f...

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3H3-599C-L?view=f...

According to the records, Ann Welborn and Jacob Duckworth of Anderson, SC, did have a son they called "Jacob, Jr.". However, it appears that this Jacob Jr. was likely deceased before his father's death in 1842. Ann and Jacob Sr. had nine children, seven of whom were legatees to their estates.

Thank you, w taylor . I'm still looking for particular corroborating records, but you have been very helpful in helping me to understand where the Geni tree (and DAR website) has glaring errors.

I'm coming around to the fact that Jacob Duckworth, Sr. (m. Charity, and possibly Sarah as a second wife) is probably the man who as a Revolutionary war veteran received generous land grants in Nash Co., NC. Since he apparently died just a few years afterward, his heirs must have sold the land and migrated to South Carolina where his son Jacob Duckworth, Jr. who would have been very young, only about seven years old +/-, grew up and eventually married Aaron Welborn's daughter, Ann.

Jacob Duckworth III Jacob Duckworth was born 1817 in SC, married Elizabeth Dacus, but then died before his father and mother, so although mentioned in the probate papers was omitted from the list of seven children who were Jacob and Ann (Welborn) Duckworth's heirs.

So what ought to be done is to remove the DAR icon from Jacob Duckworth, Jr.?through=6000000017758240061 and move it to his father's profile: Capt. Jacob Duckworth I

And I don't know how difficult it would be, but someone at DAR needs to make some serious corrections in Jacob, Sr.'s file on their website. The family group there appears to be correct for the most part, however they inserted Jacob Jr.'s vital info where it should actually have been his father's Jacob, Sr.

That can't happen though until we figure out why the DAR has Birth: 3-21-1755 FREDERICK CO VIRGINIA for the soldier or patriot. I get that the death info is actually from his son, Jacob, Jr. (m. Ann Welborn).

And why Geni has Jacob, Sr.'s birth info as: circa 1735 Burlington County, NJ, United States, which is actually more in line with him being a Captain in the militia during the war years. His death info on Geni seems logical as well.

But yes, there is a big discrepancy between DAR and Geni for (along with the obvious mistake of attributing the wrong generation of "Jacob" as a militia captain) the birth info of Jacob Sr. who is most likely the REAL "Capt. Jacob Duckworth".

Was he born ca. 1735 in Burllington, NJ, OR was he born 3-21-1755 FREDERICK CO VIRGINIA?

My attempt to find parish birth records for Frederick Co., VA were futile, as I learned (perhaps mistakenly) that those records were destroyed a long time ago. So did that info come from a family bible? I also looked for Duckworth family bibles and I believe I found one, but it was for a younger generation. Or am I just looking in the wrong places? I have yet to check out Burlington, NJ. Many New Jersey records are fairly well preserved.

I also made a feeble attempt to find Captain Jacob's Nash County or Cumberland County probate records, which might shed some light on things. Often though, it takes me several attempts to finally find anything useful. Sometimes I get so exhausted from hitting my head against brick walls I have to take a break from genealogy and take care of personal business for awhile, lol.

Again, thank you for weighing in. I really appreciate your contributions to fact-checking and correcting the family tree. Had you not brought it to my attention and shared your vast knowledge, I would never have noticed anything wrong there. Here's hoping we can make the necessary corrections and add the relevant documentation to support those corrections.

"[The DAR] inserted Jacob Jr.'s vital [AND FAMILY] info where it should actually have been his father's Jacob, Sr.

Just as a reminder, Duckworth researchers need to take care not to confuse the Duckworth's of Cumberland Co., North Carolina with the Duckworths (or Ducks?) of Cumberland Co., Pennsylvania. The family bible I found was for the latter family, and was included in a Revolutionary War widow's pension application.

"Jacob Duck of Nash Co NC died in 1795 in Johnston Co NC,names wife Sarah in his Will"

Sorry, I just noticed this.

However, I did prove that "Duck" is used interchangeably with Duckworth in some of the court records.

Also the state land grants in Nash County were undoubtedly for Revolutionary War service. So THAT "Jacob Duck" must have war records, too, probably in NC.

Excellent. So I guess the Duckworth tree is correct on Geni (aside from the DAR confusion which resulted in the Patriot icon being placed on Jacob, Jr. instead of where it rightfully belongs, on Jacob, Sr.)?

(It's understandable why it wouldn't be easily fixed on Geni, which relies so much on the DAR's website as a source. And I see that you already made note of the discrepancy on Jacob, Jr.'s profile.)

Good work researching the Duckworths, w taylor , and thank you so much for pointing out the DAR source problem and explaining it to me and others in a way that makes sense.

Evidently the genealogist Malcolm Everett Gardner ran into the exact same confusion within the DAR information, which accounts for why he never got very far in his own research for that particular branch.