Nancy Ryburn

b. 3 January 1795, d. 9 April 1874
FatherMathew Ryburn1,2 b. 26 Aug 1753, d. 6 Mar 1818
MotherJane Beattie1 b. abt 1760, d. 21 Aug 1814
Birth3 Jan 1795 Nancy Ryburn was born on 3 Jan 1795 in Virginia.3,4,5 
Marriage1 Jul 1813 She married James Buchanan on 1 Jul 1813 in Washington County, Virginia.6 
Land-Buy9 Oct 1815 Two years after their marriage, James purchased 230 acres in Washington County from Ephraim Johnston. The land had originally been part of a 400 acre survey purchased by Johnston from Isaac Baker. The land was located about 12 or 13 miles below Abingdon on what was in those days the main road leading to Blountville, Tennessee. Later deeds described it as being on the waters of Baker's Creek. At the time of the sale to Buchanan the parcel was described as an oblong bordering Ephraim Smith, Jacob Susong and Conrad Stevens. The parcel was not to include a mill and dam which fell on the northern section of the tract. James was to pay Johnston $10 per acre, or $2,300 for the land, of which $1,700 was to be paid within 4 months, and at which time Buchanan was to receive title. James was also to pay Johnston $75 of the amount in saddlery and leather. On taking possession of the land James discovered it did not contain as much meadow land as he had been led to believe and hence proceeded to purchase another 18 acres from Johnston.

Johnston later sold the residue of his land to Mr. Kingery, then moved his family to Knox County, Tennessee, where he died without having conveyed title to James. When Mr. Kingery purchased his part of Johnston's land the tract was resurveyed and it was discovered that his acreage was actually greater than expected. James then had his portion resurveyed and discovered that it consisted of 238 1/2 acres, rather than the 248 he had paid for.7 
Legatee22 Feb 1818 Nancy's father wrote his will in February 1818. He left Nancy a Negro boy named Major and two hundred dollars, being money due Mathew from James Buchanan, Nancy's husband. She also received a share in other property which was to be sold and divided among Nancy and two of her sisters.2 
Court RecordAug 1822 James filed a suit in August 1822 in the Wythe County Superior Court of Chancery (which handled cases from Washington County) to reclaim some of his purchase costs from the heirs of Ephraim Johnston. He also asked that he be granted clear title to the land. The case continued for many years after James's death and was not finalized until 1837 at which time it was decided in favor of James's heirs.7 
  This land was probably in the vicinity of Randolph Street in Bristol, Virginia, as that is where the Buchanan family cemetery is located.8,9 
GuardianJun 1832  James died in December 1829. Nancy and her brother Beattie Ryburn were appointed guardian of James and Nancy's surviving children as part of the ongoing suit.10,11 
Cens-185018 Sep 1850 When the 1850 census was recorded Nancy had been a widow for 20 years. She was enumerated in Washington County with her son Jackson, 33, and her daughters Minerva, 27, Sarah 24 or 26 and Evadna 22. Two younger male children were also living with her but their names were not clearly legible on the census record (Christian Houlston? and E. Hobbs?). Two married daughters, Mary Ellen Susong and Amanda Worley were neighbors. Nancy owned real estate valued at $2,347.12 
Cens-18606 Oct 1860 Ten years later the value of this property had risen to $7,340. Jackson and Sarah were still living at home. Nancy's daughter, Martha, widowed in 1854, had also returned home, along with her two daughters.13 
  It is also possible that Nancy and Martha were actually living in the home Martha's husband, Benjamin Zimmerman, built in 1854 before his death. This residence, the first house in what would later be Bristol, Virginia, stood in the 400 block of present State Street. 
Cens-187026 Jul 1870  By 1870, Sarah had married, and Martha had remarried, leaving Nancy and her son Jackson residing together in Goodson township.14 
Dower8 Jun 1859 Nancy's children executed 2 quit claim deeds in June 1859 involving the land inherited by them from their father's estate. They divided off 44 acres from a parcel totaling 138.5 and deeded it to their sister Mary and her husband Mahlong Susong. The deed also specified that Nancy was to have 6 acres on the southwest side as her dower share of this portion of the property. She was also entitled to take 1/6 of her fence wood and firewood from this same 6 acres.15 
Death9 Apr 1874  Nancy died in 9 Apr 1874 at age 79.16,5 
Will-Recd22 Jun 1874 Nancy wrote her will in January 1874. It was recorded in Washington County Court on June 22nd of the same year. In it she left her estate to her son Jackson with instructions that he was to pay certain bequests. These included a saddle and bridle to Sarah A. Hagy, two beds to Nancy Worley [daughter of Nancy's deceased daughter Amanda], a bureau to Martha Keys and $5.00 to each of Nancy's children or to their children.17 
Burial She was buried in the Old Buchanan Cemetery located behind 220 Randolph Street at Bristol, Virginia.16 

Related Links and Images:

Nancy's niece, Mary Jane B. (Davis) Moffett left a journal in which she included information on the Ryburn and Beattie families. See Mary Jane's Journal to view images. She also commented on Nancy's husband on pages 3 and 9
The 1850 Washington Co., Virginia census listed Nancy as the head of household number 1443. Follow the link to see who lived nearby.

Family

James Buchanan b. 7 Apr 1781, d. 1 Dec 1829
Children
ChartsDescendants of Mathew Ryburn and Jane Beattie
Last Edited4 Dec 2013

Citations

  1. [S10] "Journal of Mary Jane Beaty (Davis) Moffett", p. 8. Children of Mathew Ryburn and Jane his wife: Elen, Mary, Jane, Sarah, Beaty (oldest son), Ann, Nancy, and Mathew (youngest son).
  2. [S131] Mathew Ryburn will (22 Feb. 1818), Washington Co., Virginia, Will Book 4: 234-235. Lists sons Beatie and Mathew Ryburn, also daughters: Jane Ryburn, Ann Ryburn, Sarah Davis, Nancy Buchanan (mentions her husband as James Buchanan), Eleanor Nichol and Mary McNeille.
  3. [S2648] Mathew Ryburn Family Record, handwritten copy, original held in 2011 by Carolyn Ryburn, Glade Spring, Virginia. Entry reads: "Nancy Ryburn was born Jan 3th [sic] 1795."
  4. [S31] Hattie King Owen Files at Historical Soc. of Washington Co. VA, "Old Buchanan Cemetery Records", Holston Pastfinder, Volume 16, Number 62: p. 13. The stone is reported to read: Nancy Buchanan, wife of James Buchanan, b. 3 Jan 1795, d. 9 Apr 1871.
  5. [S1059] Lineage application of Nannie Zimmerman Carter, national no 77,392, Daughters of the American Revolution (John Buchanan), dated 2 Feb. 1910. Mrs. Carter, a granddaughter of Nancy Ryburn listed the following on her application: Nancy Jean Beaty Ryburn, b. Jan. 3, 1795, d. Apr. 9, 1874, marr Jul 1, 1913 to James Buchanan.
  6. [S4] D.E. Brown, Marriages of Washington Co., VA 1781-1853, p. 5. James Buchanan and Nancy Ryburn, 1 Jul 1813; minister James Harper.
  7. [S1342] Buchanan (later Buchanan's heirs) vs Johnston's heirs, Wythe Co., Virginia Superior Court of Chancery, no. 1837-16-SC.
  8. [S870] Carolyn Ryburn, "Buchanan Cemetery," e-mail to D. Powell, 16 Oct. 2005. Carolyn spoke with "Bud" Phillips, who is knowledgeable about Bristol history. He believes that the cemetery was bulldozed during a construction project in the area.
  9. [S31] Hattie King Owen Files at Historical Soc. of Washington Co. VA, "Old Buchanan Cemetery Records", Holston Pastfinder, Volume 16, Number 62: p. 13. Stone reported to read: James Buchanan, b. 7 Apr 1781, d. 1 Dec. 1829, ae 48y 8m.
  10. [S28] Gerald H. Clark, Guardian Bonds Washington Co., VA, p. 27. Nancy Buchanan named guardian of Jackson D., Amanda, Minerva, Mary E., Sarah Ann, Martha and Avadna James Buchanan, orphans of James Buchanan, deceased. Bond: $1,200. Sureties: Beatie Ryburn, William Davis, Robert B. Edmondson and Jacob Merchant.
  11. [S1342] Guardianship appointment of Beattie Ryburn and Nancy Buchanan in case of Buchanan (later Buchanan's heirs) vs Johnston's heirs, Wythe Co., Virginia Superior Court of Chancery, no. 1837-16-SC. Record is not dated.
  12. [S367] Nancy Buchanan household, 1850 U.S. Census, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., 67th district, p. 166b, dwelling 1443, family 1443, viewed online at Ancestry.com, June 2003, image 198 of 289. Recorded data includes: Nancy Buchanan 54, owns real estate valued at $2,347; Jackson 33; Minerva 27; Sarah 24; Evadna 22; Christian Houlston [?], 14 [?]; El__ K or H ____ [?], 11; all b. VA.
  13. [S234] Nancy Buchanan household, 1860 U.S. cens, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Western District, p. 704 (added script), dwelling 2492, family 2430, viewed online at Ancestry.com, June 2003, image 340 of 361. Reported data includes: Nancy Buchanan, 65, owns real estate valued at $7,340, personal property of $800; Jackson, 44; Sarah 36; Martha Zimmerman 33, owns real estate valued at $4,000 and personal property of $2,000; Mary Zimmerman 11, owns real estate valued at $1,500 and personal property of $2,000; cont. on p. 705: Nancy Zimmerman, 9, owns personal property valued at $2,000; all b. VA.
  14. [S635] Nancy Buchanan household, 1870 U.S. cens, Washington Co., Virginia, pop. sched., Goodson township, p. 123b (stamped), dwelling 634, family 655, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jul 2003, image 246 of 426. Data includes: Nancy Buckhannon, 76, keeping house, owns real estate valued at $3,000; Jackson D., 75, no occupation; both b. VA [Jackson's age is incorrect].
  15. [S1337] Washington Co., Virginia, Deed Book 25: 169. Two quit claim deeds, both dated 8 June 1859 and recorded 26 Nov. 1860, isolated 44 acres to Mahlong and Mary E. (Buchanan) Susong. The remaining 194.5 acres was deeded to Jackson Buchanan, Evadna (Buchanan) and Edward Stoffle, Martha Zimmerman, Sarah A. Buchanan, and Amanda (Buchanan) and George Worley.
  16. [S31] Hattie King Owen Files at Historical Soc. of Washington Co. VA, "Old Buchanan Cemetery Records", Holston Pastfinder, Volume 16, Number 62: p. 13. The stone is reported to read: Nancy Buchanan, wife of James Buchanan, b. 3 Jan 1795, d. 9 Apr 1871. It is probable the year of death on this stone should have been read as 1874 since her will was written in January 1873 and recorded in June 1874.
  17. [S705] Nancy Buchanan will (1874), Washington Co., Virginia Will Book 18: 319. The will was dated 26 Jan. 1874 and recorded 22 June 1874.
  18. [S10] "Journal of Mary Jane Beaty (Davis) Moffett", p. 9. James and Nancy Ryburn Buchanan's children were: Jackson, Jane (Jane died when small), Amanda, Menerva, Elen, Sarah Ann, Martha, Evadna.
  19. [S2268] Research of Tom Colley, Hanceville, Alabama; Mr. Colley cites the Washington County Death Register for the year 1856 originally held by the Virginia Bureau of Vital Statistics and viewed as Library of Virginia microfilm reel #30; entry states: Minerva Buchanan, d. 27 Jul 1856, age 35y 10m, dropsy, d/o James & Nancy Buchanan, reported by mother, Nancy Buchanan.