Brooke County, (West) Virginia
Thomas’ appearance on the Brooke County tax lists put him in the home county of his future wife in the years just before family lore says that they married (about 1804).
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| 1799 Brooke County, (West) Virginia Personal Property Tax List Thomas Kirk made his first appearance in the home county of his soon-to-be bride |
But where was Thomas before his 1799 appearance in Brooke County?
In the ensuing months, my research turned up a handful of DNA matches that indicated Thomas Kirk might have a sister, Mary Kirk. The investigation moved to Berkeley County, (West) Virginia when I learned that Mary married Anthony Geiger there in 1797.
A grandson of the Geigers gave me names to focus on when he wrote that Mary’s parents were Joseph and Sarah Kirk of Berkeley County.
In November 2018, research found Sarah Kirk widowed by the late 1780's but continuing to live on the 100-acre Berkeley County farm that Joseph leased in 1773. She was a good citizen and paid her taxes, leaving me a paper trail.
Berkeley County tax lists enumerated the number of white men over age 16 in the taxpayer’s household (because they were subject to a poll tax). From 1792-1795, there were no white men 16+ in Sarah’s household.
In 1796, that changed.
In that year, a male above the age of 16 appeared. Depending on the exact date of birth, this male would have been born in about 1779. Pretty darn close to Thomas Kirk’s purported 1778 birth year.
The unnamed male over 16 appeared with Sarah Kirk in the personal property tax lists for 1797, 1798, and 1799. They were both missing in 1800 and onward.
How convenient that a man, who was the approximate age of Thomas Kirk, appeared in Sarah Kirk’s household – the purported mother of Mary (Kirk) Geiger, who DNA suggests may have been Thomas’ sister. Perhaps Sarah was also his mother.
Did Thomas move in 1799 – appearing on both the Berkeley and Brooke counties tax lists? The paper trail supports that theory.
But would a young unwed Thomas move alone?
Fast on the heels of my research into John Beard, who played a reoccurring supporting role in the lives of my Kirk family (see The Linchpin Who Links an 18th Century Family Together), I found evidence that further substantiates the theory that Thomas was in Berkeley County prior to moving to Brooke County in 1799.
He had familiar company!
I just found an 1803 deed between “…John Beard late of Berkeley County and state of Virginia and Margaret his wife…” and George Harris. The Beards sold Harris 200 acres in Berkeley County for “…nine hundred pounds current money of Virginia…” The deed states that John inherited the land from his father Andrew Beard of Frederick County, Virginia.
For descendants of John and Margaret Beard, this document is a treasure because it confirms the identity of John’s father.
For descendants of the Kirks, it’s important because of the curious notation that John was “late of Berkeley” – an indication that he had moved elsewhere. Where were the Beards now living?
The land deed concluded with a note from the clerk of [drum roll, please...] Brooke County, (West) Virginia.
The Beards were living in Brooke County, where they finalized the sale of their Berkeley County property.
There is now proof that the Beards were in the same place at the same time as the Thomas Kirk I speculated was my fifth great-grandfather!
It seems more plausible that Thomas would travel from Berkeley to Brooke if he was accompanied by family rather than alone. How fitting that it was the Beard family – whom records have shown were an ever-present support to the Kirks.
It’s also curious that the Beards sold their land in November 1803. Did the Beards want the cash in hand because they planned to move across the Ohio River into the newly formed state of Ohio (where they also settled in Licking County and eventually sold Thomas his farm)?
While the research continues, I have sifted from the sparse 18th century paper trail complementary evidence that reinforces my growing confidence that Thomas Kirk was born in Berkeley County, (West) Virginia in 1778 to Joseph and Sarah Kirk, moved to Brooke County in 1799 where he married, and then crossed the river to settle in Licking County, Ohio.
Berkeley County, (West) Virginia
In the ensuing months, my research turned up a handful of DNA matches that indicated Thomas Kirk might have a sister, Mary Kirk. The investigation moved to Berkeley County, (West) Virginia when I learned that Mary married Anthony Geiger there in 1797.
A grandson of the Geigers gave me names to focus on when he wrote that Mary’s parents were Joseph and Sarah Kirk of Berkeley County.
In November 2018, research found Sarah Kirk widowed by the late 1780's but continuing to live on the 100-acre Berkeley County farm that Joseph leased in 1773. She was a good citizen and paid her taxes, leaving me a paper trail.
Berkeley County tax lists enumerated the number of white men over age 16 in the taxpayer’s household (because they were subject to a poll tax). From 1792-1795, there were no white men 16+ in Sarah’s household.
 |
| 1795 Berkeley County, (West) Virginia Personal Property Tax List Sarah Kirke was enumerated with no white men above the age of 16 |
In 1796, that changed.
In that year, a male above the age of 16 appeared. Depending on the exact date of birth, this male would have been born in about 1779. Pretty darn close to Thomas Kirk’s purported 1778 birth year.
 |
| 1796 Berkeley County, (West) Virginia Personal Property Tax List Sarah Kirke was enumerated with 1 one man above the age of 16 |
The unnamed male over 16 appeared with Sarah Kirk in the personal property tax lists for 1797, 1798, and 1799. They were both missing in 1800 and onward.
How convenient that a man, who was the approximate age of Thomas Kirk, appeared in Sarah Kirk’s household – the purported mother of Mary (Kirk) Geiger, who DNA suggests may have been Thomas’ sister. Perhaps Sarah was also his mother.
Did Thomas move in 1799 – appearing on both the Berkeley and Brooke counties tax lists? The paper trail supports that theory.
But would a young unwed Thomas move alone?
John Beard Appears Again
Fast on the heels of my research into John Beard, who played a reoccurring supporting role in the lives of my Kirk family (see The Linchpin Who Links an 18th Century Family Together), I found evidence that further substantiates the theory that Thomas was in Berkeley County prior to moving to Brooke County in 1799.
He had familiar company!
I just found an 1803 deed between “…John Beard late of Berkeley County and state of Virginia and Margaret his wife…” and George Harris. The Beards sold Harris 200 acres in Berkeley County for “…nine hundred pounds current money of Virginia…” The deed states that John inherited the land from his father Andrew Beard of Frederick County, Virginia.
 |
| 1803 Berkeley County, (West) Virginia land indenture - John and Margaret Beard sold 200 acres to George Harris |
For descendants of John and Margaret Beard, this document is a treasure because it confirms the identity of John’s father.
For descendants of the Kirks, it’s important because of the curious notation that John was “late of Berkeley” – an indication that he had moved elsewhere. Where were the Beards now living?
The land deed concluded with a note from the clerk of [drum roll, please...] Brooke County, (West) Virginia.
The Beards were living in Brooke County, where they finalized the sale of their Berkeley County property.
 |
| 1803 Berkeley County, (West) Virginia land indenture - John and Margaret Beard sold 200 acres to George Harris, finalizing the sale from Brooke County, (West) Virginia |
There is now proof that the Beards were in the same place at the same time as the Thomas Kirk I speculated was my fifth great-grandfather!
It seems more plausible that Thomas would travel from Berkeley to Brooke if he was accompanied by family rather than alone. How fitting that it was the Beard family – whom records have shown were an ever-present support to the Kirks.
It’s also curious that the Beards sold their land in November 1803. Did the Beards want the cash in hand because they planned to move across the Ohio River into the newly formed state of Ohio (where they also settled in Licking County and eventually sold Thomas his farm)?
While the research continues, I have sifted from the sparse 18th century paper trail complementary evidence that reinforces my growing confidence that Thomas Kirk was born in Berkeley County, (West) Virginia in 1778 to Joseph and Sarah Kirk, moved to Brooke County in 1799 where he married, and then crossed the river to settle in Licking County, Ohio.
