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Eve Counts
Eve Counts was the daughter of John Counts and his wife Mary Magdalene, and is named in her father's will as, "Eve Maticks my eldest daughter". She grew up on her father's farm along Hawksbill Creek, and when it came time for her to marry, she chose one of her neighbors, a man named Matthew Maddux. What was uncommon for the time is that she married outside her ethnic group of German speaking settlers. Eve Counts has only been found mentioned in a couple of documents, so we have to try to get a glimpse into her life through the records of her husband. Matthew's family had come from England and it is said before that, Wales. Matthew was the son of Thomas Maddux, Jr. and Margaret Schofield (1500 Maddox Marriages and Other Statistics by Joseph T. Maddox, p. 114) and was born around 1749 in Prince William Co., Virginia. In 1635, at the age of 22, Matthew's great great grandfather, Alexander Mattocks, left London aboard the ship Abraham and landed at Jamestown, which, by law, was the Virginia Colony's exclusive port of entry (A Grand Assembly Holden at James Citty, Act XX, The first of March 1631-2). Alexander settled in the Delmarva Penninsula around Nassawadox in Northampton Co., Virginia. On 28 Feb 1652 he exercised his headrights and received 300 acres of land for transporting six people from England into the Colony of Virginia (Northampton Co. Va. Court Order Book-4, pg. 160). On 10 Jun 1654 Alexander Mattocks and James Jones were granted 516 acres at the head of Nassawaddox Creek for the transportation of ten persons into the Colony. Jones sold his part of the 516 acres to Thomas Letherberry, resulting in the patent being renewed by the Virginia Colonial Land Office (Patent Book No. 4, p.432, on 20 Oct 1661).
Alexander Mattocks' will (Northampton, Va. Deeds & Wills Vol. IX 1657-1666, Film JB-153, Image 63) was written on 10 Jan 1659 and signed by an unusual mark. In it, his second wife, Elinor, was named guardian to their son Lazarus. After Alexander's death, Elinor married one of her neighbors, William Bozeman on 15 Feb 1661 ("Trailing Our Ancestors" by Lois McMichael, p.182). Four days earlier, she had signed a prenuptual agreement to protect her and her son Lazarus' interest in the inheritance of Alexander Maddux's personal property. William and Elinor Bozeman took his five children and her own small son Lazarus Maddux and joined a movement that migrated north to Somerset Co., Maryland where William Bozeman acquired 1200 acres of land. Unfortunately, Bozeman was not to live much longer and died soon aferwards. Elinor, now left with six young children, went on to marry a third time, to James Cain ("Side-Lights on Maryland History with Sketches of Early Maryland Families", by Hester Dorsey Richardson, p. 264-266).
Lazarus Maddux, Matthew Maddux's great grandfather, was born in 1656 in Northampton County, Virginia and grew up to become a prominant and prosperous citizen of Somerset, Maryland ("Nathaniel Maddux and Descendants, A Genealogy" by Maude Maddux Jones, p. 246). "A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature 1635-1789 by Edward C. Papenfuse", Vol. 426, p. 567, shows he lived in Manokin Hundred, Somerset Co., Maryland, and was a literate and educated man who owned a large amount of land. The Somerset County Rent Rolls (Somerset County Land Warrant Book 1670-1682, Jenckins Warrants Book, p.6, Historical Society of Pennsylvania Manuscript #1087, Philadelphia, PA.) show that, for the year 1685, he owed rents on the following properties: Caine's Choice - 200 acres; Mother's Care - 300 acres; Mattix's Hope - 100 acres; Mattix's Adventure - 150 acres; Contention - 100 acres; Mattix's Inclosure - 100 acres.
On 28 Nov 1692, Lazarus joined other Marylanders in signing an oath to the King and Queen of England promising to continue in the Profession and defence of the Protestant Religion (Maryland Assembly Proceedings Vol. 8, p. 139, 141, Md. State Archives). Lazarus was a tobacco planter who also had a public career in representing Somerset Co. in the House of Burgesses in the Maryland Assembly of 1692, (Vol. 13, 327 & 404, Md. State Archives,) and in 1693, (Vol.19, p.3, Md. State Archives). The will of Lazarus' mother, Elinor Cain, was recorded in Somerset Co., Md. on 13 Jul 1695 (Liber EB No.5, Folio 131-132). In it, she left "all my wearing apparel to Blandina Bosman", and "all my land...and all the remainder of my estate of goods and chattels I give and bequeth unto my son Lazarus Maddux".
Lazarus Maddux prepared his Last Will & Testament on 18 Jan 1716, (Somerset Co. Wills EB-9, p.62) and died sometime between January 18 and March 19, 1716/17. At the time of his death he owned at least 1,600 acres of land (A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature 1635-1789 by Edward C. Papenfuse", Vol. 426, p. 567). In his will he specified that, "I do give and bequeath to my three sons Thomas, Lazarus and Danell all my land lying here being severall pattens containing nine hundred and -- acres Lying upon ye South side of Manokon Revar - I give to my son Thomas three hundred acres being part of ye aforesaid nine hundred acres lying on a Creek called Wolf Trap Creek....and one Nagar boy named Will....". The inventory of his personal estate was completed and returned to the Court on 12 Jun 1717 (Somerset Co., Md. Wills, EB-14, 1748-1749, p. 479-481). Among his considerable Goods and Chattels were eleven Negro servants listed by name: One Negro Man called Will; One Negro Man called Coffie; One Negro Woman called Sue; One Negro Boy called Joe; One Negro Girl called Maria; One Negro Boy called Abraham; One Negro Girl called Kate; One Negro Boy called Jacob; One Negro Boy called Will; One Negro Woman called Betty; One Negro Man called Mingoe.
Thomas Maddux, Sr., Matthew Maddux's grandfather, was also a planter in Somerset County, Maryland. He wrote his Last Will and Testament on 03 Mar 1735 and it was probated on 10 Apr 1736 (Somerset Co. Md. Wills 1709-1748, EB-9, p.192-193). He left Mary, his wife, the inland plantation adjoining John Outten and the greatest part of his personal estate. To his son Bell, all his lands and marshes, with the exception of a certain piece of Marsh and Hammocks known by the name of Linseys Grean. To his son Elexander he gave household furniture, livestock and "Liberty for to Act and do in my house in his Trading for Seven Years as he has in my life time". To son Thomas he gave one Cow and Calf and two Breeding Sows and two hogs for House keeping and "Liberty to Build a house on my land given before to my son Bell, and to hold it for fourteens years if in case he thinks fitt to live on it himself". To daughters Margaret and Sara he gave household items, livestock and slaves. And to Elexanader, Thomas, Margaret and Sarah, 100 acres of land known as Linseys Grean.
Thomas Maddux, Jr. was Matthew Maddux's father. He was born in Somerset County, Maryland in 1720, but by 1746 he was living in Hamilton Parish, Prince William Co., Virginia. An Indenture dated 22 Sep 1746 shows a transaction between Benjamin Adams and Elizabeth his wife, and Thomas Mattox, for the sale of 264 acres of land on the South West side of Neapsco (Neabsco) Run a little above where the main road crosses the same which leads from Orquaquon (Occoquan) Ferry to Prince William County Courthouse...to Colonel Taylor's land thence along Taylor's line to Neapsco (Neabsco) Run along several courses then meanders thereof to the beginning the said land now being in the actual possession & occupation of the said Thomas Mattox (Prince William Co. DB-I, p. 204-208).
[Note: Some sources state that Thomas Maddux and Thomas Maddux, Jr. were living in Somerset Co., Maryland when they swore an Oath of Allegiance and Fidelity to the State of Maryland and the Cause of Freedom in 1778 (Maryland State Archives, Oaths of Fidelity, Index, 1778, S-1420 Blue Book 5, No. 18). Some also claim that Thomas Maddux, Jr. was associated with the building of Washington Academy in Somerset Co., Maryland and is listed as a school Trustee at the time it was formally incorporated in 1779. Both of these claims appear to belong to other Thomas Madduxes, as the elder Thomas was deceased in 1735, and the younger Thomas was recorded living in Prince William Co., Virginia by 1746.]
After some time, Thomas Maddux, Jr. moved from Prince William Co. to Fauquier Co., Virginia. On a motion to the Court, a license was granted him to keep Ordinary (a tavern) at his house in that County for one year, he having executed and acknowledged bond as the Law directs (Fauquier Co. Minute Book 1773-1780, p.237, June Court 1778). At around age 60, Thomas Jr. was not a soldier in the Revolutionary War, but at least one of his sons, William Maddox, DAR Ancestor # A073044, was. Thomas, however, did provide material property to the government to supply items needed by the American Army in 1780 (Maddux, Thomas, Library of Virginia. Archives: Virginia. Auditor of Public Accounts 1776-1928). For providing this aid, the Daughters of the American Revolution have recognized Thomas Maddox of Fauquier Co., Virginia for Patriotic Service and issued him entrance into their organization under the Ancestor # A073040. [Note: the DAR lists the spouse of Thomas Maddux born 1720 as Margaret Tombly. This is incorrect. Her name should be Margaret Scholfield (Schoolfield) as listed in 1500 Maddox Marriages and Other Statistics by Joseph T. Maddox, p.114.]
Fauquier Co. records show that the Court allowed Thomas Maddux seven pounds ten shillings for the use of his house taken as a public Granary for the year 1781 (Fauquier Co. Minute Book 1781-1784, p.200, September Court 1783.) And on the motion of Thomas Maddux license was granted to him to keep Ordinary (a tavern) at his house near the Courthouse in this County for one year he having executed and acknowledged bond as the law directs (Fauquier Co. Minute Book 1781-1784, p.49 May Court 1782).
Thomas Maddux, Jr. wrote his will on 15 Oct 1782, (Fauquier Co. WB-1, p476-477) in which he bequeathed to his wife Margaret a Tract of Land lying in Prince William County containing two hundred and sixty four acres, to Act, will, sell or dispose of as she thinks proper, and mentions by name, his nine children. Margaret sold this land to John Winn of St. Mary's Co., Maryland, the deed being acknowledged and recorded in Court on 02 Aug 1784 (Prince William DB-U, p.516).
Matthew Maddux was born about 1749 in Prince William Co., Virginia to Thomas Maddux, Jr. and his wife Margaret Schofield. Matthew left his parents' home and was living in Frederick (later Dunmore and then Shenandoah) Co., Virginia by the early 1770s. On 20 Mar 1771 the Northern Neck Land Office issued grant P-19 to Matthew Maddux containing 401 acres of ungranted land joining William Furr's Horse Spring Track and the lands of Daniel Stover and of the late George Leith between the South River of Shannandoah and the Blue Ridge in Frederick Co.
On 27 Apr 1773 (Shenandoah Co. DB-A, p.295-296) Matthew Maddux of Dunmore County and Parish of Beckford sold to Abraham Strickler a certain tract of land containing two hundred acres being part of the four hundred and one acres Pattened by Matthew Maddux in grant P-19, dated the Twentieth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy one bounded beginning in William Furr's line thence running in a line that Thomas Hurst and John Counts made to William Furr's line to the Beginning. This document is very important for a couple of reasons. First, it confirms that Eve Counts and Matthew Maddux were married sometime before 27 Apr 1773, which gives us a rough estimate for the year of her birth at around 1753. Secondly, the location of the land Matthew patented has been identified some distance from John Counts' farm, and from the description of the boundary lines given, it tells us that Eve's father, John Counts, owned additional land which so far has not been located. Matthew and his family were living on the remaining unsold land when they were enumerated on a List of Persons Living in the District of Henry Nelson, Jr. in November 1775 ("Revolutionary War Records, Vol. 1, Virginia" by Gaius Marcus Brumbaugh, Henry Nelson, Jr.'s Census List, Dunmore County, November 1775, Bird-Samuels Papers, Dunmore County, Plate 7).
Matthew Maddux, husband of Eve Counts, did not participate in the Revolutionary War, however, another man with the same name did, causing confusion between the two. According to the Maddox Family website, the ancestor of the soldier Matthew Maddox was Samuel Maddox who came from Wales and arrived in the colonies in 1665. Samuel's birth in Wales contradicts another researcher's view, that "Despite the romantic legend about his (Samuel Maddox) having been "born in Wales" as the son of the "Lord of Scethrog", it looks much more likely that he was born in London and was the nephew of Alexander Maddox of Northampton County, VA.". As Alexander Maddux was our Matthew's great great grandfather, this would place the two Matthews in the same extended Maddux family as cousins of sorts.
Untangling the two Matthews requires tracing both men's whereabouts in Virginia. Research regarding Eve Counts' husband is complete, but pinpointing and verifying the Maddox soldier's location has been very difficult due to confusion from statements drawn from his Revolutionary War Pension Application (Rejected Revolutionary War Pension Claims, Box 36 M, Maddox, Matthew - Soldier - Shenandoah Co., Va., Affidavit of Matthew Maddox in Wood Co., WV, 20 Jul 1820) and the challenges created by often changing or inaccurate county boundaries.
There is an abundance of information available on the Maddox soldier and his family, but unfortunately some is conflicting and leaves gaps, or is unsourced. Paul Hawkings on the Maddox Family website states, "Matthew Maddox was born at Green Springs, Chaptico, in St. Mary's County, Maryland in 1752. He married Rachel Bonnifield. At the time of the Revolutionary War, they moved to the state of Virginia and settled in Fauquier County (Fauquier Co. Map, 1860s, Hotchkiss Collection, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.) on a branch of the Rappahannock River called Sandehook". Charles J. Maxwell, on p. 10 in his book, "Descendants of Gregory Bonnifield (1726-1794)" published in 1949, states, "During the Revolutionary War [Matthew Maddox] went to Virginia and (apparently) lived near Sandy Hook". On p. 13 of the same book, he states, "After the Revolutionary War Matthew had a tobacco plantation on Rock Creek, Montgomery County, Md., but he later moved near Clarksburg, W. Va., and still later to Wood County". The website Early Colonial Settlers of Sourthern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck Counties maintained by Mike Marshall states, "Next, the story of their son Matthew Maddox, who at the age of 17 or 18 married his new wife Rachel (Bonnifield) a twin from Frederick Maryland. With the help of his inheritance from his uncle back in Maryland, [he] and his slaves moved west over the Blue Ridge Mountains of the Shenandoah and into Indian Territory. It was then Dunmore County, named for Lord Dunmore. He bought 401 acres in 1769 from Jeremy Odell on--a place called Jeremy's Run. It is now [in] a National Park. A part of that land that still bears the name of Matthews Arm. This is where they lived until he was drafted into the army of General Greene of Virginia in 1780.".
Google maps shows Sandy Hook on the Rappahannock River in Fauquier Co. a little south of Front Royal, Va. at a town called Huntly, but finding the next location from the description above is not as easy. A deed for 401 acres purchased by the soldier Matthew Maddox from Jeremy Odell in 1769 so far has not been found. Although such a deed may exist, it seems unlikely that, if he was born in 1752, he would have purchased land in 1769 at age seventeen. However, there is a place that does bear the name of Matthew's Arm. While the upper portion lies within Warren Co., the lower end at Jeremy's Run is within Page Co., and is said to have been where he lived when he was drafted into the Army in 1780. This location meets the criteria of being just barely within the boundaries of both the Shenandoah National Park and Page County (formerly Dunmore County). A posting on Genealogy.com titled Shire Family Tree: Information About Matthew Maddox, says that, after being wounded in the war (1781), Matthew was taken to his parents' home in Culpeper Co., and that his sons Rozzel, born in 1781 and Matthew, Jr., born in 1783, were born in Culpeper County. It is proven that Matthew was in that county when he inherited one Negroe man called William and the Balance of his mother's estate when her will was probated in 1787 (Culpeper Co. Va. WB-C, p.229-230).
[Note: A map contrasting some of the locations of the two Matthew Madduxes while in Virginia can be found at Google Maps, with the yellow pins representing Matthew the soldier, and the purple pins representing Matthew the husband of Eve Counts.]
Perhaps one reason that our Matthew Maddux did not enlist to fight in the Revolutionary War may have been religious. While the Colony of Virginia was officially Anglican, there were significant numbers of Lutherans, Quakers, Presbyterians, Dunkers, Mennonites and Baptists among the settlers of the Shenandoah Valley. Around the time of the Revolutionary War there was a campaign to "disestablish" the Anglican Church, and to grant all citizens an equal right to their own religious beliefs. The Baptist movement, especially in Virginia, had a special appeal to some who were unhappy with the established church, and must have had an effect on Matthew Maddux as well, as he joined many of his friends and neighbors in signing his name to a petition for religious equality (Early Virginia Religious Petitions, 16 Oct 1776, Miscellaneous, "Ten-thousand name" petition by Dissenters from whole state, for ending established church, and for institution of religious equality, Image 23. The Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.).
On 31 Aug 1779 Matthew Maddux of Shanando County and Colony sold the remaining 200 acres to Absolum Hurst bounded on George Leath's line thence to William Furr's line, thence with a line made by said Matthew Maddux and John Sulcer, recorded in Shannandoah's August Court 1780 (Shenandoah Co. DB-C, p.397-398).
On 29-30 Aug 1780 (Shenandoah Co. DB-C, p.394-396) John Allen sold to Mathew Maddux a certain tract of land on the waters of Dry Run on the south side of the South Fork of Shanando to Barneba Eagan's corner containing one hundred and fifty acres being part of a Tract of Land granted to Jeremiah Odell from the Proprietors office (Northern Neck Grant K-248 to Jeremiah Odell, 400 acres in Frederick Co. on Dry Run, 16 Mar 1761) and sold by him to the aforesaid John Allen. As seen on Map 12 in the book, "Pioneers of Old Frederick County" by Cecil O'Dell, this tract is very close to where Jeremy's Run dumps out into the Shenandoah River, and as a previous owner of this land had been Jeremiah Odell, it does bring up the question whether the soldier Matthew Maddox's land could have been mixed up with this tract of land that our Matthew owned.
The next day two notations regarding the above transactions were entered into the court records of Shenandoah County. The first item was the Lease and Release of the Indenture between John Allen and Mathew Mattox proved by the witness and Ordered to be Recorded, and the second was a Deed of Feoffment from Mathew Mattox to Absalum Hurst that was Acknowledged and Ordered to be Recorded (Shenandoah Co. Minute Book 1774-1780, p. 154, 31 Aug 1780).
The Court House in Woodstock contains records showing that Matthew Maddux was living and paying taxes in Shenandoah County for the following years:
1782 Mathew Madox Personal Property Tax, p.17.
1783 Mathew Maddox Personal Property Tax, p.20.
1784 Mathew Maddox Personal Property Tax, p.20.
1785 Mathew Mattouck Personal Property Tax, p.20.
1786 Mathew Mattox Personal Property Tax, p.22.
1787 Matthew Maddux Personal Property Tax, p.22.
1788 Matthew Maddox Personal Property Tax, p.23.
1789 Matthew Maddux Personal Property Tax-A, p.11.
Seventeen hundred and eighty nine was the last year that Matthew Maddux appeared on a Shenandoah County tax list. He and Eve were soon to leave and join many of their neighbors migrating along a fork of the Great Wagon Road that led into the Tennessee Valley. On 24 Jun 1789, in preparation for their move, Matthew and Eve sold the same one hundred and fifty acres on Dry Run back to John Allen that they had purchased from him in 1780 (Shenandoah Co. DB-G, p. 303-307). The Indenture of Lease and Release was proved in Court the next day, and a Dedimus was awarded to take the privy Acknowledgment of the said Eve as the law directs (Shenandoah Co. DB-G, p.307-308). "Whereas the said Eve cannot Conveniently travel to our said County Court of Shenandoah to make acknowledgment of the said Conveyance" therefore we do give to Edwin Young and Lachlin Mackintosh the power to receive the acknowledgment which the said Eve shall be willing to make...we therefore Command you that you do personally go to the said Eve & receive her acknowledgment and examine her privately and apart from the said Mathew her husband whether she freely and without his persuasions or threats and is willing the same shall be recorded in our Court." The fact that Eve was not available to come to Court indicates that she may have already left for Tennessee by then, with Matthew soon to follow.
Upon arrival to their new home, Matthew entered into an Indenture of bargain and sale dated 01 Feb 1790 between William Jobb of the State of North Carolina and County of Greene of the one part and Mathew Mattocks late of the County of Shanandoah and State of Virginia of the other part for Ground lying in Greene Co. on the west side of French Broad River beginning on the Bank of said River on John White's line...then back to the Beginning. It being part of a grant Granted to said William Jobb Bearing Date the eleventh Day of July one thousand seven hundred and eighty eight Containing by Calculation Two Hundred and Forty six acres and three quarters and sixteen poles (Greene Co., Tn. DB-4, p.99-101).
There are two very interesting paragraphs in the Foreward of a page titled "Cocke County, Tennessee - McSween Scrap Book" that give us a peek into the conditions that Matthew and Eve Maddux faced upon arrival to their new home.
"A little after the day of organization (of the church), owing to the hostile incursions of the Indians, the members of the church as well as others of the Valleys of Big Pigeon and French Broad River were compelled to shut themselves up in the various forts that had been erected in Cocke County, and the church was for a time disbanded.
"The inhabitants or rather women and children remained housed in these forts from Jan. 1788 to Sept. 1788 and then until 1789 and for a period of nearly 10 years, there were constant raids and depredations, horses stolen and men, women and children massacred by Indians." (Index to the Minutes of the Big Pigeon Baptist Church 1787-1874, Cocke County, Tennessee, Samuel Sorrell Chapter, N.S.D.A.R., 1968.)
Right away Matthew Maddox joined the Big Pigeon Baptist Church which was located near the point where English Creek flows into the Pigeon River, on the east side of the town of Newport, about two miles west of the Cherokee National Forest (The Heritage of Daniel Haston/Big Pigeon Baptist Church by Wayne Haston). Matthew's name is found on several pages in the transcribed records of the Minutes Book 1787-1874 of the Big Pigeon Primitive Baptist Church in Cocke Co., Tn. as seen below:
1790 Matthew Maddox and others were apointed as Acommity to consider the support of the Ministry (p.4).
1796 02 Jan Sam'l Huff and Mathew Maddox were appointed to site Joseph Graham, Joseph More and Daniel Haston. This entry also shows fellowship with the Big Spring Church in Shenandoah, which is the Baptist Church that was located close to Matthew's 1771 grant (p.15).
1797 04 Mar the Brethren Joshua Kelley and Mathew Maddox is appointed to Site Joel More to attend the next Meeting (p.18).
1797 01 Apr Breathren Kelley and Maddox appointed to Site Joel Moore to attend the next Meeting (p.19).
1797 04 Nov Agread that Bro. Joshua Kelley, Sam'l Phares, Matthew Maddox, Wm. Lillard, Peter Fine and Abram McKay bee apointed to attend at the Mill pond Meeting house the 3rd Saturday in this instant in order to see into the Constitution of that Branch of the Church (p.20).
1798 05 May The Matter being moved to the Church respecting Jemimah White haveing a base born Child and Bro Matthew Maddox is appointed to know of hir whither she has joined any Other Church since she left heare and if not to Labour with hir respecting hir Conduct and Make report Next meeting (p.21).
1798 02 Jun Bro Maddox report[ed] to the Church that he talked to Jemima White respecting her Conduct - but she gave him little or no satesfaction - the Church takeing the Matter under Consideration doth hereby Exclude hir from Sociaty for the sin of having a base born Child (p.21).
John Maddox and his wife and Rachel Maddox are also mentioned in the Big Pigeon Baptist Church Minutes Book. Matthew Maddux's brother Schofield relocated to Greene Co., Tn., and in his will Scholefield Maddux names only two sons, Alexander and Thomas (Greene Co., Tn. WB-1, 1828-1873, p. 47-48. 30 Jul 1811), so it is believed that the John mentioned in the church minutes was Matthew and Eve Maddux's son. Schofield's will does, however, mention a daughter named Rachel, who may be the Rachel mentioned in the minutes.
It is interesting to note that other names found within the pages of the Big Pigeon Baptist Church Minutes, such as Abraham Mckay, Benjamin Odell and William Whitson, are the same neighbors and friends of Matthew and Eve Maddux who signed the 10,000 Name Religious Petition in Shenandoah County in 1776.
It is unknown how many children Matthew and Eve Maddux had, but the following are the names of those found so far:
Known Children of Matthew Maddux and Eve Counts
MATTHEW MADDUX, JR.
GEORGE NATHANIEL MADDUX
JOHN MADDUX
ADAM MADDUX
JOSEPH MADDUX
SCHOFIELD MADDUX
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