PATRIOT William Devin

Notes:

The following chain of evidence shows the relationship of William Devin, Jr. to his father, William Devin, Sr., both of Pittsylvania County Virginia:
i. William Devin, Sr.'s will dated 25.Nov.1800 recorded in Pittsylvania County VA Deed & Will Book 11 pages 243-244 on 19 Apr.1802 specifically names "William Devin Junr" as one of his children. "Deed book 9/498/499 This tract of land is "...the Land ajoining thereto and bounded as followeth, by William Devin Jr lines on the South,..." in William Devin, Sr.'s will."

William, Jr. fought against England in the Revolutionary War (Dessa Hofstetter; "The Devin Family"; page 2; ...William and Sarah Devin's four oldest sons were in the Revolutionary War...). Dessa's booklet also quotes, on page 5, a letter from Robert Ira Devin to Alfred Harrison Devin, saying "My grandfather William Devin, Jr. was born in Pittsylvania County, Va. and was a soldier three years in the War of the Revolution. Two of his brothers, John and Robert, were with him in the army..."

William Jr. participated in the battles of Monmouth, Brandywine, Germantown and others. While in the army, he had small-pox and almost lost his life. His face was left badly marked with pits.

He and his wife, Martha, may have moved to Kentucky in 1785, but returned to Virginia in 1789. William Jr. was a devout member of the Presbyterian Church. His wife described him to be medium size, compactly built about 5 feet 10 or 11 inch, blue eyes, light hair, and weighed about 160 pounds. He had a florid complexion. William Jr. died of cancer 28 April 1810.

1787 Pittsylvania County, Virgina for William Devin, Jr.
Personal Property Tax List: 0 white males 16-21
0 blacks over 16
0 blacks under 16
2 horses, mules, etc.
8 cattle

Note: Either the above list is not complete or the previous paragraph is wrong about the family being in Kentucky between 1785 and 1789.

!ALT NAME:Callaway From Devin Deed, Devin, William: Deed to
Callaway (28 Feb.1805), Virginia. Pittsylvania County; County Clerk's Office., p.273 "Callaway " from Devin "This Indenture made this twenty eightth day of February" one thousand eight Hundred & five Between Will Devin of the County of Pittsylvania of the one part and Henry G Callaway of the County aforesaid of the other part. Witnesseth that the said William Devin for and inconsideration of the sum of Two hundred pounds lawfull money of Virginia to him in hand paid & satisfied by the said "Henry G. Callaway" the recet whereof him the said Will Devin" doth herby acknowledge hath bargain'd sold enfecofed and and confirm'd and by these presence doth absolutely give grant bargain sell enfocof & Confirm unto the said Henry G Callaway acertain Tract or parcel of Land lying and being in said County on both sides of Wet Sleve Creek containing Two Hundred acres "be the same more or less it being the Land where the said "Will Devin now lives deeded unto him by his Father Will Devin "Sen"r by Indenture bearing date the seventeenth Day of Feby, 1794 as appears of Record & Bounded as followeth to Wit -- "Beginning at said Devins & Bleakleys Corner in Chamberlyn's old line thence the said Line Crossing Wet Sleve Creek to New marked pointers thence New Lines nearly West to a Corner red oak thence New lines ^Nerely^ North to a red oak in the said Devin line Nere the Turkey Branch thence the said line to a red oak & new Corner in the head of a Bottom near Isaac's Wood Cutting thence down the Bottom or Drane as it meanders to the Deviding line Between the said Devin Senr & Bleakley thence
said Line to the Beginning and the rights of him the said Will Devin for himself & his heirs the above granted >land unto the said Henry G Callaway his heirs and assigns will forever Warrant and Defend from the Just Claim of any person or person Whatsoever In Witness whereof the said Will Devin hath hereunto set his hand and "affixed his seal the Day and year above Written William Devin {seal} Sign'd seal'd & Deliv'd in presence of "Hartiwell Allin" James Devin, Calland Sam Calland Senr names ^his mark^ X Baredan Richard Pearson. The Commonwealth of Virginia to Samuel Calland & Robert Devin, Gentleman Justices of Pittsylvania County William Devin and Martha his wife by their unreadable copy at end of page i. page 274. Bargain and sale bearing date the Day of 28 Day of February 1805 have sold and conveyed unto Henry G Callaway Two Hundred acres of Land lying and being in the County of Pittsylvania and whereas the said Martha cannot Conveniantly Travel to our Court of our said County of Pittsylvania to make acknowledgement of the said Conveyance therefore we do give unto [you] or any two [who] know of you power to Receive the
acknowledgment which the said Martha shall be willing to make before you of the Conveyance aforesaid, Contained in the said Indenture which is hereto annexed and we do herefore Command you that you do personnally go to the said Martha and Receive her acknowledgment of the same and examine her privately and apart from the said William Devin her Husband whether She doth the same freely and Voluntarily without his persuasion or threats and whether she is Willing that the same be Recorded in our County Court of Pittsylvania aforesaid and when you Received her acknowledgement and Examined her as aforesaid that you destinctly and openly Certify in thereof in our said Court under your seals [and] then show the said Indenture and this [Which] Witness Will Tunstall Clerk of our said Court the 23rd Day of March 1805 in the 27th year of the Commonwealth Will Tunstall Delivered to Abramr the 22nd ?Decr 1853 the present owner of this land.Pittsylvania County [sold] Pursuant to the Within Commission to us directed we have Personally Examined the within named Martha
seperately & apart from her Husband & the said Martha freely and Voluntarily relinquished her rights of Dower
to the Within mentioned Land declaring it was done by
her freely and not by the persuasion or threats of her Husband, Given under our Hands and seals the 23rd Day of March 1805 Rob. Devin {seal} Saml Calland {seal} At a Court held for Pittsylvania County the 17th Day of June 1805 This Indenture from William Divin to Henry G Callaway was presented in Court and proved by the oath of Three
faded and unreadable"] of
the subscribing Witnesses thereto to be the act and Deed of the [said] Willaim Devin Ordered that the same together with a [commission] hereto [answered] for [taking] the acknowledgment and [privacy] Examination of Martha Wife of the said Will Divan with a [and furth] of the [Executors] thereof be Recorded Will Tunstall Clk, page 27
The Devin Family (manuscript), The Devin Family
(manuscript), Hofstetter, Dessa, circa 1962, pages 2-4

William married Martha Mitchell 7 Sep 1780, Pittsylvania County, Virginia . Martha (daughter of James Mitchell and Jane Mrs. James Mitchell) was born 1762, Colonial Maryland; died Abt 1830. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Married:
Ancestors of Thomas Clayton Hughes, Ancestors of Thomas Clayton Hughes, Hughes, Thomas Clayton, Generation
No. 7/73

There is a large family of Mitchell's who lived in Pittsylvania Co. at this time. This researcher believes she may be identified as a daughter of James Mitchell, who is found doing business with these residents.

1. James Devin was born 15 May 1781, Pittsylvania County, Virginia; died 11 Aug 1854, Henry County, Virginia; was buried , Devin Family Cemetery, Henry County, Virginia.
2. Jane Devin was born 15 May 1781, Pittsylvania County, Virginia; died Yes, date unknown.
3. John Devin was born 1783, Pittsylvania County, Virginia; died Yes, date unknown.
4. Sarah Devin was born 1785; died Bef 16 Oct 1848, Pittsylvania County, Virginia U.S.A..
5. Mary Devin was born 1788, Pittsylvania County, Virginia; died Yes, date unknown.
6. Clayton Devin was born 11 Jul 1793, Pittsylvania County, Virginia U.S.A.; died 24 Nov 1868, Polk County, Missouri U.S.A.; was buried , Heydon Cemetery, Polk County, Missouri U.S.A..
7. Bethsheba Devin was born 1797, Pittsylvania County, Virginia U.S.A.; died Yes, date unknown.
8. Elizabeth Devin was born 1792, Pittsylvania County, Virginia U.S.A.; died Yes, date unknown.
9. William Robert Devin was born Aug 1800, Pittsylvania County, Virginia U.S.A.; died 1876, Polk County, Missouri U.S.A..

Notes:

William Devin, Senior is considered to be the Progenitor of the protestant Devin family in the United States of America. William Devin, Senior of Virginia was born in Dublin, Ireland and came to America in 1745 or 1746. In 1750, he married Sarah Smith and settled in what is now Pittsylvania County, Virginia. --The Devin Family, page 1.

William Davin along with son James Davin is listed in the
1767 list of Tithables for Pittsylvania County, Virginia
Colony. As did many landowners of the era and region, William Devin Senior owned slaves. His will states that he owned at least one male slave, named Alleck, which he bequeathed to his daughter Sarah Devin.

William Sr. served as Sergeant of Infantry, Virginia Continental Line. He "received a certificate for balance of full pay, according to act passed November session 1781". [more likely this was his son William Jr.] Children listed in will: James Devin, Mary Biggar, William Devin, Jr.
Robert Devin, Joseph Devin, heirs of Margaret Reynolds,
decd.
References:

(1) War Records No.4 Page 166
(2) Virginia. Will was signed 25 Nov 1800.
(3) 1787 Pittsylvania Co VA for William Devin, Sr.

1787 Pittsylvania Co VA for William Devin, Sr.
Personal Property Tax List: 2 white males 16-21
1 black over 16
0 blacks under 16
8 horses, mules, etc.
12 cattle

William married Sarah Smith 1750. Sarah (daughter of Peter of Yeocomico Smith and Mary Bailey) was born 20 Mar 1727, Pennsylvania Colony; died Bef 22 Nov 1800, Pittsylvania County, Virginia. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Smith surname assumed based on serveral grandchildren named
'Sarah Smith _____'. No documents have been found to
support her last name except for a manuscript by Dessa
Hoffstetter. However, its source is suspect.

Not named in will of her husband which was dated 25
November 1800.
Dessa's booklet mentions a letter to Alfred Harrison Devin
written by Rev. Robert Ira Devin son of James, son of
William Jr, son of William Sr. The letter is said to make
the following statements: "Records of the Parish of Camden:
'Sarah Devin born March 20, 1728.'"

!NAME:Ancestors of Thomas Clayton Hughes, Ancestors of
Thomas Clayton Hughes, Hughes, Thomas Clayton, Generation
No. 8 # 146

Notes:

Married:
Possibly married in Virginia Colony or Pennsylvania
Colony.(speculation)

After Sarah and William were married, they settled in the area now known as Pittsylvania County, Virginia. William and Sarah were members of the Presbyterian Church and accumulated some wealth. They had eleven children; some dying in childhood. Their four oldest sons fought in and survived the Revolutionary War. (Hofstetter, Dessa; The Devin Family; page 1)

The Devin property in Pittsylvania County, Virginia is shown by deeds and records to be near the Bannister River in the southwest corner of Pittsylvania County, northwest of Danville and east of Martinville, Virginia. In February 17, 1794, William Sr. deeded property to William Jr. as recorded in Pittsylvania County, Virginia Courthouse records. William Sr. bequeathed his house to his daughter, Sarah Devin.

Peter married Mary Bailey. Mary (daughter of Stephen Bailey and Mary Ann Jeffries/Jeffreys) was born Abt 1668, Westmoreland Co., Virginia Colony; died 1745, Virginia Colony. [Group Sheet]

Stephen married Mary Ann Jeffries/Jeffreys. Mary was born 1632, Newington, Surrey, England; died 1697, Westmoreland, Virginia Colony. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Name:
d/o William Jeffries and Mary Hodge Coggeshall