George Darne
George Darne was born in about 1772 to Henry and Penelope Minor Darne in Fairfax County, Virginia. Some have proposed that this George was the George who was the son of Thomas of Belinda Darne of Alexandria, Virginia; however, the dates of birth reveal that our George cannot be the son of Thomas and Belinda Darne. Their son, George was an orphan in 1814 but not in 1825 according to Thomas and Belinda's probate records1; therefore, the earliest birth date for him would be 1809, 37 years after we know our George was born because of data in probate records2. What probably led some to believe this George was Thomas and Belinda's son is the fact that our George came to Callaway County, Missouri, about the same time as five of their children in the 1830s.
We know about George's parents and family because George's father was Henry Darne who left a will dated December 5, 1805, and probated on July 21, 18061. In it he mentions his wife, Penelope (Minor), and his sons, George, Robert, and Nicholas (who was disinherited). Other probate documents record George's brothers and sisters (Jemima Adams, Elizabeth Sanders, Penelope Davis, Ann, Polly, and Sarah Darne). Penelope was left the entire estate valued at $5883 but the slaves were eventually divided among the nine children. The slave distribution was recorded in December 18092,3.
Penelope Darne made her will on November 20, 1809 and it was registered on October 17, 18144. She gave everything to her youngest three daughters (Nancy, Polly, and Sally Darne) and appointed her son, Robert, as executor. On December 20, 1814, it is recorded that the sale of items, including the "lease" on land was $3383.495that settled Henry's estate. In September 1815 it is recorded that, after the expenses, $2705.10 was left to Henry's executors, George and Robert6to be divided equally among Henry's nine children.
On July 3, 1798, George Darnes married Susanna Lane in Loudoun, Virginia7. The bondsman is listed as George Darn. Another source says that Sarah Lane gave approval for her daughter to marry8. Susanna was approximately 16 at the time.
Their children were:
John Darne
George A. Darne, went to Cal., was not heard from at least until 1850
Matilda Darne, born 1809 married James Gill
Daniel M. Darne, born about 1810 married first Artemesia Magruder and second Martha
Anna Darne, born 1812 married
-
Martin Donoho
-
Mr. Chase
-
Lewis Bolton
Henry L., born 1816
Armstead Harrison, born about 1819
Joseph D., born about 1821 married Sarah J. Herndon
Catherine (Cattie), born about 1824 married John D. Scott
A George Darne was a grand juror in Fairfax County from 1801-1829 with the final entry as August 19, 1830. George Darne also helped settle other peoples' estates from 1813-1829. In 1829, a George Darne was appointed as commissioner to appoint surveyors in Fairfax County. It is thought that George migrated to Missouri in 1831-32.
The 1810 US census for Fairfax County, Virginia, page 192 lists
George Darne -
2 males 0-10 (Daniel, 1 and John or George?)
1 male 16-25 (John or George?)
1 male 26-45 (George, 38)
2 females under 10 (Matilda, 1 and
1 female 26-45 (Susan - 28)
He also had 8 slaves.
The 1820 US census for Fairfax County, Virginia, Truro parish, lists George Darne on page 67. (also Crump and Donoho, names that appear in Callaway County).
2 males 0-10 (Daniel, 10?, Henry, 4)
2 males 16-18 (John? George A.?)
2 males 16-25
1 male 45+ (George, about 48)
2 females 0-10 (Anna,8 and ?)
1 female 10-15 (Matilda - 11)
1 female 26-45 (Susanna - 38)
On April 8, 1831, George and Susan Darne along with his brother and his wife, Robert and Verlinda Wren Darne, sold to Charles Kirby 176 acres along Pimmitts Run in Fairfax County, VA, for $10007. A witness was Daniel M. Darne (George's son). This land lies next to Thomas Darne's land and was purchased from William Payne on October 17, 18109.
The George Darne family came to Missouri in 1831 or 1832. The 1831 date is given in George's son, Henry's, obituary10 (1883) for Henry's arrival in Callaway County with his family. An article in the Fulton, Missouri, Telegraph and Gazette11 (Feb. 13, 1943) about the Gills (George's daughter) recounts that they "came from Fairfax County, Va., to Callaway County in 1832 as part of a covered wagon train, homesteading the farm (east of Readsville) from the government". James Darne, George's grandson through Daniel, lists his birth place as Virginia and his age as 19 (born in 1831?) in the 1850 census.
Original land entries12 for George buying government land are dated from September 1831-July 1835:
September 26, 1831, 160 acres NE, Section 32, Twp 47N, Range 7W
March 15, 1832 80 acres E1/2SW, Section 32, " "
December 1, 1832 40 acres SW1/4NW, Sect. 32, 47N, 7W
December 21, 1833 40 acres NW1/4NE, Sect. 5, 46N, Range 7W
July 27, 1835 80 acres W1/2NW, Sect. 33, 47N, 7W
This land surrounds Readsville. The 1876 plat map shows that George Darne's sons-in-law own this land at that time.
The 1840 US census for Missouri for Callaway County (page 191) shows:
George Darnes
1 male 10-15 [George A.?]
2 males 15-20 [Armstead?22?, Joseph?]
1 male 20-30 [Henry - 24?]
1 male 60-70 [George, 68]
1 female 15-20 [Catherine?]
1 female 20-30 [Anna?]
1 female 50-60 [Susannah, 58]
4 male slaves and 3 female slaves
Four individuals are involved in agriculture - they probably continued to grow tobacco, a crop they had in Virginia. Neighbors include extended family members James Gill (George's son-in-law), Daniel M. Darnes (George's son), Margaret Broadwater, Allen and James Scott, David L. Whaley, and Simon Darnes, all children or in-laws of Thomas and Belinda Darne who came from Fairfax County, Virginia.
Margaret (Mrs. Charles) Broadwater, Mrs. Allen Scott (Polly), Mrs. David Whaley (Janette), and Simon Darne must have been relatives (most likely cousins although I have not yet found a definite connection between Henry and this Thomas Darne). They were children of a Thomas Darne who married Belinda Summers and lived in Fairfax County, Virginia on land near Henry Darne's.
The 1844 MO state census for Callaway County (no township listed, entry 1024) shows:
George Darne
2 males 10-17 [George A.?, Joseph?]
3 males 21-45 [Henry?, 28, Armstead, 26?]
1 male over 45 [George, 72]
1 female under 10 [Virginia, 10, Daniel's daughter]
1 female 21-45 [Martha Darne, Daniel's widow? Daniel died app. July 1844]
1 female over 45 [wife Susannah, 62]
4 male slaves
3 female slaves
It is possible that Daniel's family, perhaps including him could have been living with George. There are no separate listings for Daniel, Henry, or Armstead in this 1844 census. Daniel's will was probated on August 18, 1844, so he may have died before the census was taken.
The 1850 US census for Callaway County, Missouri, (no township listed, and entry 1574) shows:
George Darne, 78, Farmer, real estate value of $2300, born Va.
Susan Darne, 68, born Va.
Virginia Darne, 16, born Mo. [a daughter of Daniel's]
George Darne's will was dated November 26, 1850 and was probated December 4, 185013 in Callaway County, Missouri. The index to wills and probate indicates that George was advanced in years [he would have been 78], had 80 acres of land adjoining Joseph Duncan and Simon Darne's, and 40 acres adjoining David Whaley and Joseph Duncan's land which was to be given to his children. He also had other land to be sold at auction. He had these survivors:
children: Matilda Gill, Catherine Scott, Henry L., Joseph, and George A., and Armstead Darne;
grandchildren: Martha M. Donohoe, James H., Ann Elizabeth, Susannah Virginia, Rebecca M., Sarah Frances, and Mary Jane Darne, children of dec'd son David (Daniel??) Darne.
slaves: Kitty, Ellen, Tom, Abraham, Frank, Lucy, Alfred, Sarah
son-in-law: James Gill (to take care of Armstead who must have had some disability)
He specifically disinherits Anna Darne Bolton and gives her share to Martha M. Donohoe, Anna's daughter. A codicil states that his son, George A. Darne, is in California.
The Last Will and Testament of George Darne is reproduced in a link shown below.
Source Notes
1. Fairfax County, Virginia, Will Book I-1, pages 510-511, 525-528.
2. Fairfax County, Virginia, Will Book J-1, recorded January 15, 1810, pages 253-255,
3. Fairfax County, Virginia, Will Book J-1, recorded September 17, 1810, 330-331.
4. Fairfax County, Virginia, Will Book K-1, recorded October 17, 1814, page 230.
5. Fairfax County, Virginia, Will Book K-1, recorded October 16, 1815, pages 340-343.
6. International Genealogical Institute, film #1985315.
7. Vogt, John and Kethly, T. William: Loudoun County Marriages 1760-1850, Iberian Publishing Co., Athens, Ga., 1985, and Wertz, Mary Alice: Marriages of Loudoun County, Virginia 1757-1853, Genealogical Publishing Co., 1985Marriage
8. Hutchinson, Louisa Skinner: Northern Virginia Genealogy 5:1-4 (2000).
9. Fairfax County, Virginia, Deed Book recorded April, 1831, pages 9-13.
10. obit
11. Fulton, Missouri, Telegraph and Gazette11 (Feb. 13, 1943).
12. Original Land Entries Callaway County, Missouri, page 54.
13. Callaway County, Missouri Probate Records, Microfilm #88-4, recorded December 4, 1850.
