Uriah LEFTWICH Sr.
ABT 1748 – 1838

OCCUPATION: Captain of Militia
BIRTH: ABT 1748, Caroline Co, Va
DEATH: 1838

Father: Augustine LEFTWICH Sr.

Family 1 : Nancy KEITH

MARRIAGE: ABT 1770 [753]

Nicodemus LEFTWICH
+William LEFTWICH
Polly LEFTWICH
+Uriah LEFTWICH Jr.
Nancy LEFTWICH
+John LEFTWICH
+Valentine Keith LEFTWICH
Joel LEFTWICH

Uriah Leftwich, Senior, was a son of Augustine Leftwich, Senior, and his first wife — the mother of all his children — but whose name is unknown. Born circa 1748, Uriah married Nancy Keith circa 1769. Records of their births and marriage have not been located, but may have been in New Kent/Caroline Co., VA, from whence Augustine Leftwich, Senior, and apparently all of his family moved to Bedford Co., VA.

During the Revolutionary War, Uriah was first commissioned as an Ensign and then as Captain, June 1789 (Bedford Co., VA). He is also listed as furnishing corn, beef, and seven diets for the soldiers. (Bedford Co., VA OB6:351)

In a will, dated 7 July 1830, and witnessed by Wm. Leftwich, Wm. B. Leftwich, and Dicey Chewning, Uriah leaves his property to his “beloved wife Nancy” after “taking off that quantity which has been previously conveyed in a trust deed for the benefit of David Browns Exors., Brown, Clayor and C. and others…” After Nancy’s death, he states that all the land and other property is to go to “my son Nicodemus Leftwich…and his heirs…” No other children are mentioned. The will was proved 26 February 1838 by oath of William Leftwich, one of the subscribing witnesses. (WB9:385-386, Bedford Co., VA)

Descendants

The known children of Uriah Leftwich, Senior, and his wife Nancy Keith:

1. Nicodemus (b. circa 1771/75, d. Feb 1853) married (23/26 Feb 1807, Bedford Co., VA) Margaret “Peggy” Adams, a daughter of John and Sarah “Sally” (Snow) Adams. Nicodemus, a lieutenant and then a captain in the War of 1812, died in Feb. 1853, “age 82.” He died intestate, with his estate appraised 30 June 1853 (WB”P”:446, Bedford Co., VA). He had received a bounty land warrant for land just before his death, but his widow later received another warrant for 40 acres and also received a pension from his service. Margaret Leftwich is listed in the War of 1812 records as living at Davis Mills, Bedford Co. Margaret, born circa 1787, died 15 Nov 1871, leaving a will dated 21 April 1858 and proved 26 Dec 1871.

2. Uriah, Jr., (b. circa 1778), a colonel in the War of 1812, died in Norfolk, VA, during military service, at the age of 34. He was married to Nancy Williamson, a daughter of Henry Williamson, Franklin Co., VA. Nancy died 4 Nov 1855, age 72.

3. Mary Polly Leftwich was born in Bedford County, Virginia in 1773. She married Samuel Murphy on January 14, 1799, in Bedford County, Virginia. Based upon the birthplaces of their children, Samuel and Polly left Virginia after 1810, passed through Kentucky about 1814, and arrived in Indiana by 1820. It is believed they had twelve children, six girls and six boys.

Samuel Murphy died in 1823 in Brownstown, IN. Polly’s grave marker in Riverview Cemetery, Seymour, IN reads that she died in 1867.

[The preceding information was submitted by Orvill Faller, Jr., of Salt Lake City, UT. His wife, Judith Langdon Murphy, is a descendant of Mary “Polly” Leftwich.]

4. Nancy married James Ayres, 4 Jan 1803, Bedford Co., VA.

5. John married Polly Dickerson, a daughter of Suckey Board, on 25 Sept 1805, Bedford Co., VA. He died in the War of 1812, age 27.

6. Valentine K. (b. circa 1790) married Elizabeth Caffery on 9 Feb 1815. (Elizabeth was a cousin, a daughter of Charles and Rebecca Carter Caffery, Rebecca Carter Caffery being a daughter of Merry and Frances Leftwich Carter.)

7. William (d. ca. 1845) married Ruth Ayres in December of 1795. (Ruth was a sister of James Ayres who married Nancy, William’s sister. They were children of James and Hanna Ayres.)

Proof for this relationship is in the Index to Book 12, 1799-1803, Bedford Co., VA, in which it is stated that “William, son of Uriah, apptd. Surveyor of road.”

8. Joel married Sarah C. Adams, a daughter of John (G. R.)? Adams and his wife Sarah “Sally” (Snow) Adams on 24 Dec 1811, Bedford Co. They appear to have lived most of their lives in Franklin Co., VA. (While no documentary proof has been found that this “Joel” is a son of Uriah Leftwich, Senior, the relationship is assumed through elimination of other Joel Leftwiches in the time frame and by the fact that this Joel and Nicodemus, a known son of Uriah, Senior, married sisters.)

Sources:

Bedford Co., VA, Court Records; Franklin Co., VA, Court Records; Leftwich-Turner Families of Virginia and Their Connections, Walter Hopkins.