The Story of James Ingram

The Story of James Ingram
by
Cathy Meder-Dempsey
(28 February 2003)

James Ingram was born between 1771 and 1780 if we can go by the ages listed on the census records from 1820 to 1860. Richard M. Ingram, a great-grandson of James Ingram, claims that James was born in England (date unknown) and came to America with four brothers about the end of the Revolutionary War (1775-1783). If this story is true and James is the immigrant, he would have been between 3 and 12 years of age when he came over with his brothers. This same great-grandson maintains that James Ingram and the Ginnises moved from Virginia and settled on New River near the mouth of the Greenbrier. He also says that James Ingram sold his claim to the Ginnises and ventured on down in the forest to what is now known as Ingram Branch in present-day Fayette County, West Virginia. No records have been found to substantiate this statement nor has information on the Ginnis family been found.–

The earliest record of James Ingram is a purchase of 120 acres of land on February, 28 1809 for $1.00 from John Conner and wife Mary Conner "on Meadow River and Sewel on ridge opposite Buffalow Lick" found in the records of Greenbrier County. At this time in 1809, Greenbrier was part of Virginia and included parts of present day Nicholas, Pocahontas, Alleghany, and Fayette counties.–

Greenbrier was formed in 1778, and in 1789 more than half was given to Kanawha. In 1791, Bath County took a small bit, and in 1799, Monroe County was taken entirely from Greenbrier. Nicholas County took a corner in 1818, and in 1821 and 1822 parts went to Pocahontas County and Alleghany County. In 1831, Fayette County was last to be formed from Greenbrier County.–

The next record seen is a marriage record for James and Margaret Kincaid, daughter of John Kincaid and Elizabeth Gillispie, who were married on October 24, 1809 by Rev. Osburn in Greenbrier County, Virginia.–

There is no census record for 1810 as James lived in Greenbrier County at that time. From "Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses, 1790-1920" by Wm. Thorndale and Wm Dollarhide, the 1810 censuses for Cabell, Greenbrier, Hardy and Tazewell counties were "lost"--no details as to how. –

Their first son, James Jr., was born about 1811 most likely on the land in Greenbrier County that James bought from the Conners.–

James and his wife Margaret sold this land to Newbury Stockton for $1.00 on February 25, 1812. The land is described as the same 120 acres "conveyed to Ingram by John Conner and is on point of ridge that leads to Buffaloe Lick".–

James settled on New River at Cane Branch as early as 1811. It is said that he probably settled on Loup Creek about the same time as James Kincaid (1792-1852), brother of Margaret, or soon after. The place he selected was at the mouth of a branch three miles farther up Loup Creek than Kincaid's cabin. Cane Branch came to be called Ingram Branch. He patented land there and at the mouth of the Gauley River. The Ingrams were permanent settlers and the name has survived both as a place name and a family name.–

James was listed in the 1820 census of Greenbrier County with the following persons in his household: 3 males under 10 yo (James Jr., Joshua, Robert), 1 male over 45 yo (James), 1 female under 10 yo (unknown daughter), 1 female over 45 yo (Margaret, age should be ca. 26), 1 person engaged in agriculture, 6 persons in household. The sons being James Jr., born about 1811; Joshua, born about 1813; and Robert, born about 1819. The daughter most likely died before 1830 and may fit in the 6 year gap between Joshua and Robert's birth.–

Nearly two centuries ago, in the early 1800's, a pioneer cabin stood in a little valley drained by a branch that flows down from Cotton Hill to New River at the Narrow Falls, opposite and slightly above the mouth of Cane Branch. The little stream was known as Ingram Branch, from the name of the family that lived in the cabin. Two surveys made there in 1829 refer to Ingram's house, to his road leading down to the river, and to Ingram Branch, the tiny tributary of New River. Though the first name of the settler is not given, it may be suspected that this was James Ingram who married Margaret (Peggy) Kincaid. Ingram apparently took no steps to secure formal title to his improvement, however, and in 1829 two residents of Kanawha Falls set up rival claims to Ingram's improvement and to some hundreds of acres surrounding it, by reason of entries and surveys made for them in that year. The map accompanying these surveys shows the location of the Ingram house to be on the branch approximately one hundred thirty poles above its mouth. This was doubtlessly the first cabin in that little nook of the hills. Ingram was not a permanent settler, however. He was succeeded there by Andrew and Mary Blake. Whether our James Ingram is the settler whose name was given to this other Ingram Branch opposite Cane Branch on New River has not been definitely established.–

In 1830 James, between 50 and 60 years old, is in Kanawha County with his wife Margaret, between 40 and 50 years old, 5 sons, James Jr., Joshua, Robert, John, and Matthew, and 1 daughter, Cynthia. Their youngest child Ruth was born after the census about 1832 in Fayette County. This does not mean that the family moved. The area where they resided in Kanawha County became part of Fayette County in the formation of the county in 1831. Petitioners requested the formation of Fayette County as many of them were remotely situated from their respective courthouses in Logan, Nicholas, Kanawha and Greenbrier counties. On Monday, the 21st day of November 1831, in pursuance to an act of the General Assembly of Virginia passed the 28th day of February 1831, Fayette County was created out of parts of the counties of Kanawha, Greenbrier, Nicholas, and Logan. The site selected for the seat of justice for the county was "on the lands of Aaron Stockton at the Falls about one hundred poles above his dwelling house, and beginning at a stake on the northwest side of the turnpike road opposite a red oak on the bank of the river and running up said road and binding thereon, thirteen poles, thence extending from the road at right angles from each corner, a distance sufficient, to include the quantity of land required by Law for the erection of the Public Building". The relationship between this Aaron Stockton and Newbury Stockton who bought land from James Ingram in 1812 is not known to the writer.–

Between 1831 and 1835, the oldest son, James Jr., died in early manhood without marrying. He is buried in the Kincaid Cemetery located in Kincaid, Fayette County, West Virginia.–

"James Ingrahm" and his second son "Joshua Ingraham" voted for Kanawha Falls in an election held April 1835 in Fayette County to determine the location of the new Court House and County Seat for Fayette County. Three locations were considered: Clement Vaughan's place, located on James River and Kanawha Turnpike just east of New Haven; Abraham Vandal's place, later called Vandalia and Fayetteville; and at Kanawha Falls. No one place secured the necessary majority of votes to secure for it the location of the county seat. Another election was held in May of 1837, at which the county seat was permanently located at Vandalia (Fayetteville).–

In 1839 James Ingram's name appeared on the Fayette County jury list. In 1840 he was between 60 and 70 years old and living with his wife Margaret, between 50 and 60 years old, and their children Robert, John, Matthew, Cynthia, and Ruth. The eldest living son, Joshua, as yet unmarried, was living in his own household in the same county.–

About 1841 James and Margaret's son Robert married Huldah Johnson, daughter of William Johnson Jr. and Nancy Ann Sims. Robert patented with his brother Matthew the 120-acre tract which included James' improvement in 1843.–

About 1845 Joshua married Mary R., her maiden name being unknown, not to be confused with Mahala C., his second wife. John moved to the Poca River in Kanawha County before the 1850 census. –

In 1850 James, 70, is seen as a laborer unable to read or write and in the household of John Tincher. It is unknown whether he is just visiting the family or if he was living with them at the time. John Tincher, a widower with three young children, also had his widowed mother living with him. At the same time, Margaret Ingram, 56, is seen with her children Ruth, 18, Matthew, 25, and Cynthia, 23 living next door to her son Robert. Robert, by this time is the father of three sons.–

In 1851 the Ingram family saw three of their children marrying and setting up housekeeping on their own. On January 9 Ruth was married to John Darlington, youngest son of Benjamin Darlington and Mary Johnson, and lived at various places on Loup Creek. On February 13 John married Lucy Jane Skaggs, daughter of Joseph Preston Skaggs and Mary Lewis in Fayette County. On March 23 John "Johnny" Tincher, son of William Tincher of Loup Creek, married James and Margaret's daughter Cynthia.–

In 1852 Matthew followed his brother John to Sissonville on the Poca River in Kanawha County. Robert bought Matthew's interests in the 120-acre grant and became the sole owner. Matthew was the last of James' children to marry on August 20, 1854 in Meigs County, Ohio, to Sarah Francis Martin, daughter of Dio Clesian Martin and Catherine Kidd. Matthew and Sarah were both from Kanawha County and lived there after their marriage. It is interesting to note here that Matthew's brother-in-law William Martin was married to Nancy Johnson, a sister of Huldah Johnson, the wife of Matthew's brother Robert.–

In 1860 we again see that James and Margaret were not living in the same household. James is listed as 86 years old and a laborer living alone in between James & Eleanor Berry and John & Lovina Goddard in the Rocky Hill P.O. district. Margaret may have been living at the home of her nephew James Gillespie Kincaid, Jr. in Kincaid as this is where she died about 1865. She is buried in the Kincaid Cemetery in Kincaid.–

In the summer of 1865, most likely after the death of his wife, James went to live with his son Matthew. James may have held his youngest grandchild Absolam Ingram, son of Matthew, born September 30, 1865, in his arms before the child died on October 3, 1865. James died in the fall of 1865 at the home of his son Matthew in Sissonville in Kanawha County. He is estimated to have been about 90 years old and supposed to have been buried near the Methodist Church in Sissonville but this has not been proven. James Ingram was survived by his sons Joshua, Robert, John, and Matthew; his daughters Cynthia Tincher and Ruth Darlington, and at least 30 grandchildren and possibly a great-grandchild through his son Joshua's eldest daughter Mary.–