Notes for: Francis Bodine
Francis Bodine came to Loudoun County, Virginia with his parents as a child in 1771 and remained there until 1796 when the part of the county in which he lived was added to Fairfax County. Having reached the age of 21 in 1789, he is first recorded separately on county tithe lists, but still in the household of his father.
From 1796 to 1811, the Fairfax County personal property tax lists report Francis Bodine living in Truro Parish and from 1812 to 1816 in Fairfax Parish. In 1811, the county tax list reports Francis Burdine in possession of 186 acres of land. This is the only instance that land ownership on his part was reported. The General Index to Deeds for the period 1797-1841 records a sale from Francis Bodine to George Monroe (Deeds, CC-2-250), but the actual deed book is lost. The Court Order Minute Books from 1798-1819 record only a Bill of Sale on September 16, 1800 from Francis Bodine to George Monroe and a suit filed by Israel Lacy, heard by the county court on July 20, 1803, directing Francis Bodine to pay.
Francis Bodine's children's birth dates are not available. The sequence of his sons is known, but little more. The children's names came from the will of Francis Bodine [a certificate of record in Sevierville, Tennessee, dated July 4, 1859, R. Lanning, clerk (ref: Ronny Bodine / Moultrie Family).] See more on this will below.
On December 22, 1792, the Virginia General Assembly passed an act that required the formation of county militia companies and enrollment of all able-bodied male citizens over the age of 18. In compliance, Francis Bodine was enrolled in 1793 in the company commanded by Captain Giles Turley, 1st Battalion, 57th Regiment, Virginia Militia, Loudoun County (Blincoe Don. Loudoun County, Virginia Militia Journals 1793-1829, Iberian Pub Co., Athens, GA 1993, page 28). Francis and Win(n)ifred both witnessed a deed in Loudoun County, Virginia on December 11, 1795 (Loudoun County Deeds W, pages 219-221).
Francis' first wife, Winifred, died about 1810 since their last child was born at about that date, probably in Fairfax County, Virginia. Winifred and Francis witnessed a deed in Loudoun County, Virginia on December 11, 1795. This is the only mention of her name. She died before the 1810 census possibly at the time Charlotte was born.
about 1830-1831 he next married Anna _____ (born abt.1794). She survived her husband to marry again, January 6, 1845 in Sevier County to William Smith (died 1866) and was still living 26 August 1870. She was the mother of three children: Jane, Wesley, Oliver.
Here is some more info on Francis' marriages from Ronny Bodine:
Francis Bodine was married first in Loudoun County, Virginia about 1790, to Winnifred ______, who, with her husband, witnessed a deed in Loudoun County on 11 December 1795 (Loudoun County Deeds, W: 219-221). She died before the taking of the 1810 census in Fairfax County, and in 1830/1, in Sevier County, he married his second wife, Anna ______. Anna was born about 1794, survived her husband and was remarried on 6 January 1845 in Sevier County, to William Smith. Smith died in 1866 and Anna is found still living 26 August 1870, alone, under the name Anny Bodine. (The 1850 and 1860 Sevier County censuses show Anna Smith to have been aged 56 and 66 years respectively, establishing a birthdate of about 1794. The 1830 Sevier County census does not show a woman of this age in the household of Francis Bodine. Their daughter, Jane, was aged 18 in 1850, thus born about 1832. Their marriage would have to have taken place after the census in 1830 and presumably before the birth of Jane in 1832. Anna Bodine remarriage was performed by Rev. Lemuel Bogart (1808-1888), an ordained Methodist minister and Justice of the Peace in the Third District of Sevier County and recorded in his account book. The names of the couple were recorded as Wm. Smith and Ann Burdine. William Smith was taxed in Sevier County in 1865, but in 1866 the tax was paid by the "heirs of Wm. Smith." On 16 August 1870, the census taker visited Anny Bodine at her home in District 3 and recorded that she owned personal property valued at $300 and real estate at $115.)
Francis Bodine lived in Fairfax County, Virginia. He didn't leave Virginia for Tennessee until 1816 or 1817. This is when he moved his large family to Sevier County, Tennessee where his father had settled nearly two decades earlier. His father James had left Loudoun/Fairfax County in 1791, and eventually arrived in Sevier County, Tennessee in 1805. As a result of the loss of all county records for this time period, nothing is known of his activities in Sevier County.
However, state records do show that on December 22, 1824 Francis Bodine was issued a 50 acre Tennessee Land Grant Entry (#11950) on the waters of Flat Creek in Sevier County (Land Entry No. 258, Book 12:395). A land grant of fifty acres (#11950), dated August 20, 1825 (Book 12, p. 295, Land Entry entry #258). This was located in the library of the Smokey Mountain National Park. There is a copy in the files:
On the waters of Flat Creek. Beginning at a pine. corner to L. Manning. Thence with Manning's line. North thirty west. One hundred and fourteen poles to a hickory, south seventy six east. Sixteen poles to a post oak corner to Bodine, thence with his line South forty east. Sixty five poles to a pine. Thence north eighty two east. Sixty six poles to a post oak. On William Maple's line. Thence With the same south. Eight east. Fifty six poles to a stake on I. Clark's line west. Ten poles to a black oak. Thence south thirty four West. seventy two poles to a stake. Thence north fifty six west. Seventy eight poles to a hickory and black oak. In Manning's line. Thence with the same. North sixty east. Forty five poles to the Beginning.
This land came into the possession of his widow upon his death.
Here are three records that probably apply to Francis:
1810 BODINE FRANCIS Fairfax County VA 186 21101-31100-00 Federal Population
Schedule VA 1810 Federal Census Index VAS1a337671
1810 BODINE FRANCIS Fairfax County VA 186 21101-31100-00 Federal Population
Schedule VA 1810 Federal Census Index VAS1a337676
1830 BODINE FRANCIS Sevier County TN 109 No Township Listed Federal
Population Schedule TN 1830 Federal Census Index TN558172609
He married Anna in Sevier County in 1830. Anna was born about 1794. She survived her husband and was remarried on January 6, 1845 in Sevier County to William Smith. Smith died in 1866 and Anna is found still living August 26, 1870, alone, under the name Anny Bodine.
Francis' will was filed in the Case of Calvin Clinton vs. William Smith and others, October 25, 1859. Francis' will of September 12, 1835 was proven June 8, 1836 in Sevier County, Tennessee. It was recorded June 8, 1836 by I. A. Miller, clerk, county court of S. C. The will was copied by Joe A. Sharp, July 26, 1951 (probably 1851 was meant here) from papers in the Sevier County Chancery Court office. The Sevier County Courthouse files burned in 1856 except for the Deed Book, which a clerk had in his possession. The Original Will is no longer on file in Sevier County.
It appears that he and his son, James, died within a month or two of one another. Did James get to go to the reading of his father's will? (James was still in Marshall County, Alabama about this time since he gave permission for his daughter, Susannah, to marry.) In it, he named his wife, Anna, and children: James Bodine, Lydia Maples, Nancy Langly (to whom he devised one dollar), Bowling Bodine, Charlotte Patterson, Viney Maples, John Bodine, Hannah Toby and Jane Bodine. There is a copy of his will in the possession of Thomas B. Bodine of Boaz, Alabama.
THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF FRANCIS BODINE, 1835
In the name of God, Amen.
I Frances Bodine of the County of Sevier and State of Tennessee being weak in body, but of sound mind, blessed be God, knowing that it is appointed once for men to die, do this twelfth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and thirty-five, make this my last Will and testament, and for which I do ordain and appoint my beloved wife Anna Bodine and Andrew Canatzer Executors. And first I Recommend my soul to Gold that gave it and my body to be decently buried, and for my worldly goods which God has blessed me with: I do give and bequeath devise, as follows-
First I do give unto my beloved wife Anna Bodine all my original tract of land, house, goods & chattels to have and to hold during her widowhood or natural life, except one Bay mare, after another Season she is to be sold, and the money to go to the Estate. The said land after the decease of the said Anna Bodine is to fall to the two sons Frances & Wesly, and to be equally divided between the above named Boys Frances and Wesly Bodine.
I give and bequeath unto my beloved son James Bodine an Entry of fifty acres of land joining the old original tract. I do give and bequeath unto my beloved Daughter Lydia Maples one Dollar. I give to my beloved Daughter Nancy Langly one Dollar. I give to my beloved son Bowling Bodine two Dollars. I give to my beloved Daughter Charlotte Patterson one dollar. I give to my beloved Daughter Viney Maples one dollar. I give unto my beloved son John Bodine one dollar. I give unto my beloved Daughter Hannah Toby one dollar. I give and bequeath to my beloved Daughter Jane Bodine, one Bed and furniture and one heifer.
As witness hereunto I set my hand and seal date above written.
his Frances X. Bodine mark
In presence of Henry Houk, Daniel Layman
I certify the foregoing to be a true copy of the original Will of Frances Bodine Dec'd as Recorded in my Office this 8th June 1836-
I.A. Miller, Clerk of the County Court of S.C.
The original will was lost in the destruction of the Sevier County courthouse in 1856, but a copy was refiled in the "Case of Calvin Clinton vs. Wm. Smith & others," 25 October 1859 (Sevier Co Chancery Court).
He probably died at his home on Flat Creek and may have been buried in the old cemetery there. All the graves are marked with rock headstones.
I've read something somewhere that seemed to indicate that the racing Bodines may have come from this line; although, I doubt that now.