To Print

Where did JOHN WARREN come from?

The following information is fairly well established:  (See Warren.)  
John Warren (c.1726-after 1805) married Martha
DuBose (c.1731-after 1807). He petitioned for, and received a land grant 7 Jan 1752 on Lynches Creek, Craven County, South Carolina. He received other land grants on Lynches Creek as late as October 1769.  His son John was baptized 29 May 1753 in Prince Frederick Parish Winyah, Craven County, South Carolina. He and his son John served in the Revolutionary War in Capt. Elias DuBose' Company of Volunteer Militia from St David's Parish, 1776. John and his son Joseph sold corn to the Revolutionary Militia in 1781. When the war went badly in South Carolina, he moved in October, 1781, to Brunswick County, Virginia. After the war, he moved to Liberty County, Georgia, where three of his children had moved about 1778. He and his wife were still alive for the Georgia Land Lottery of 1805, and Martha Warren, widow, had a draw in the Lottery of 1807.
. . 1. John I. Warren (1752-1821) m.1773 Elizabeth Perkins (1758-1811), moved to Liberty Co, GA,
. . . . about 1778; moved to Marion Co, Mississippi, in 1810
. . 2. Mary Warren (c.1754-1 Oct 1831) m.12 Apr 1774 Capt. John Norwood (c1750-c1829) lived in
. . . . Darlington District, South Carolina.
. . 3. Elias Warren (c1756-1825) m.22 Dec 1788 Susannah Burford married in Liberty Co, GA,
. . . . .moved to Marion Co, Mississippi, between 1817 and 1820.
. . 4. Martha Warren (1758-after 1827) m.1778 John Piggott (c1758-1827) Liberty Co, GA, then
. . . . Marion Co, Mississippi about 1810.
. . 5. Joseph Warren (c1760-between 1797 and 1805) married Penelope (Lott?) Radcliff
. . . . Died in Bryan Co, GA, one source says 1 Mar 1797,  Penelope had a widow’s draw in the
. . . . 1805 Land Lottery.  In March, 1806, in Liberty County, John Warren (Jr) was appointed 
. . . . guardian for Joseph’s minor children (under age 14) John, Sarah, Elias, and Solomon.

Ideas about where John Warren came from:
.
1. John Warren and his children were associated with Midway Church in Liberty County, Georgia. That church moved from Devon, Dorset, and Somerset, England, to Dorchester, Massachusetts, in 1630, to South Carolina in 1695, and to Liberty County, Georgia, in 1752.  Was John Warren associated with the Dorchester Society? 
»The Dorchester Community was west of Charleston on the Ashley River.  Our John was on Lynches Creek north and west of Charleston.  Records of the establishment of the church in South Carolina under Rev Joseph Lord make no mention of any Warren in the community.  Similarly, the establishment of the church in Georgia makes no mention of a Warren being involved in the first 25 years of its existence. See Jones' 1883 History of Georgia - Chapter on the Midway District
. . . Note, John Warren was not an "original member of Midway Congregational Church."  The church was founded in 1754, while John was in South Carolina.  The records of Midway Church lists "John Warren" as a subscriber to their constitution.  But that record is a list of everyone who ever subscribed to the constitution from 1754 to 1865.  No dates are given on the list.  The John Warren who signed the constitution served on the committee to form a school in 1798, presumably John Jr.  The first land grant in Liberty County to anyone by the name of John Warren was in 1788.

.
2.
John Warren's wife Martha DuBose was the daughter of Mary Whilden, whose father moved to South Carolina from Salem, Massachusetts, in 1696.  Did John come from some other community in Massachusetts?
.
» The "best fit" among the Massachusetts Warrens would be John Warren, born 22 Oct 1727, son of Samuel Warren (1683-1759) and Lydia Cutting of Watertown.  This is a wonderful line that goes back through John Warren of Nayland, Suffolk, to William, First Earl de Warenne (b.950)  However, John Warren (1727) of Watertown married 27 Jul 1749 Susanna Whitney, and still lived in Watertown at the birth of their fourth child Ruth in 1757.
.
3. John Warren moved to Brunswick County, Virginia, in 1781, away from the British occupation of South Carolina, registering his slaves Hashless, age 28, and Little Jack, age 15, and also Jack, age 35, slave of his son Elias Warren in October, 1781. John’s brothers-in-law Andrew, Joseph, Isaac, Elias, and Daniel DuBose also registered their slaves in Brunswick. Why did John move to Brunswick? Was he related to the Warren Family of that county? (The DuBoses had no known relatives or connections there.)
.
» Benjamin Warren (c1690-1778) married Rebekah Wilkins. He was born in Surry County, but lived later in Brunswick County.  He had six daughters and two sons: John Warren (1749-1779) married about 1768 Sarah Marriott, and Benjamin Warren (died 1792) who married Temperance Bass.
. . . Benjamin Warren was the son of Allen Warren, Sr (1663-1738/44) of Southwark Parish, Surry Co, Virginia, and his wife Elizabeth Clements.  Allen had one daughter and three sons:
1. Allen Warren Jr (1687-1732) married Anne Barham Hart, lived in Surry County.  He had four daughters and two sons, Robert (1715) and Allen (1717) 
2. Benjamin Warren (see above)
3. Robert Warren (1687) married Elizabeth.  His only known son was Richard (1713)
. . . Allen Warren, Sr was the son of Thomas Warren Jr (1660-1721) and Elizabeth, of Surry County.  His sons were (apparently - and not to be confused with Thomas Warren of Old Rappahanock):
1. Joseph Warren (1680-1775) of Southampton married Faith (sons: Michael, Henry and Joseph)
2. William Warren (1688-after 1751) married Jane Davis
3. John Warren (1690) married 1712 Sarah Deberry (whose son John died in Surry County in 1790)
4. Robert Warren (1682-1752) of Surry, whose only (surviving) son was Joseph
5. Thomas Warren (died 1759) married Lucy (whose son John lived in Surry County in 1790)
6. Samuel Warren (1686) (NOT the Quaker who married Hannah Inman. That Samuel was born in 1730.)
There are places here where an unknown John Warren might fit in Surry County, but not Brunswick.
.
3a. John Warren is reported to have died in Brunswick County 5 Mar 1782, and again in 1787. Yet he clearly appears on the 1805 Georgia Land Lottery in Liberty County as John Warren Sr, with two draws (for him and his wife). John Warren Jr also had two draws. John Warren III had one draw, indicating that he was unmarried. John "Jack" Warren (1776-1850) son of John Jr and Rebecca Perkins was in Liberty County at that time, age 29, and he never married.
.
» Charles Norwood in his book Capt. John Norwood and Mary Warren Norwood, A Family History on page 113, mentions estate records in Northampton County, North Carolina, which adjoins Brunswick County, Virginia.  He lists the 18 Jan 1781 sale of the estate of Jesse Warren, followed by the inventory of the same estate, made 28 July 1786.  I have not seen these records, but the order is reversed.  An estate is inventoried a few months before it is sold.  Several Warrens are among the buyers, but none of the names match descendants of our John, and notably no DuBose or Norwood names appear among the buyers.   Mr. Norwood never explains his reason for suggesting that Mary Warren Norwood's father was "John (or Jesse) Warren."   But several researchers now list him as "John Jesse Warren."
.
» The will of Jesse Warren of Northampton County, 1786, lists his wife Elizabeth, daughters Sarah and Elizabeth, and sons Samuel, Robert, William, Thomas, and Jesse.  He was the son of Robert Warren, who died in Halifax Co, VA, in 1795.  Robert's other son was Joshua.
.
3b. John Warren's death is sometimes shown as "5 MAR 1782 in Liberty Co., Georgia Archives shows Jesse John Warren."  
. » I have seen no explanation of what happened on this date - his will written? Probated? Where?  This same date is often used in the Brunswick County, Virginia, claim.  The "Georgia Archives" fill a large building south of Atlanta.  A more specific reference is needed, with evidence that "Jesse John Warren" is the same person that married Martha DuBose.  Remember that "our" John Warren was still alive for the 1805 Land Lottery.
.
4. Rev. Samuel Fenner Warren was active in South Carolina at this time.  He was a French Huguenot [actually his wife was], like the DuBoses.   Was he John Warren's father?
»  Samuel Fenner Warren (1728-1789) son of Richard Warren (1681-1748) and Priscilla Fenner, emigrated from Suffolk, England, to St James Santee, South Carolina, in 1758. He married Elizabeth Perdreau in 1759.  His sons were Benjamin and Samuel.
. . Samuel  had a brother John Warren (1730-1801) who also moved to South Carolina, settling in Colleton County.  He married in 1751 Ann Dalton, and had sons John D (1757) William (1759) Thomas (1761) and John (1768).  The "John Warren" land grants in Colleton County, west of Charleston, were for this John Warren, as distinguished from the John Warren of Lynches Creek, north of Charleston, subject of this search.
. . Samuel had a cousin John Warren (1721-1741) son of John Warren (1670-1736) and Joanna Grinstead, who stayed in England.
.
5. Was John Warren the son of Rev. James Warren (1711-1775) a Baptist minister who moved from Amherst Co, Virginia, to Cloud Creek in Edgefield Co, South Carolina, in 1770.  Another very nice line going back to the Warrens of Poynton, Cheshire, and from there to all the Royalty of Europe.  When this line claims connection to John Warren of Lynches Creek, it is always as "Jesse John Warren" was born 1726 and died "5 May 1782 in Liberty Co., Georgia"  (see 3b above) Many lists of his children also include a John Warren (1739-1826) of Edgefield Co, SC.
.
» There are several theories of how James Warren Sr descends from the Warrens of Poynton, Stockport, Cheshire:
. Sir Edwarde Warren (1563-1609) m.1597 Susanna Boothe
. . Thomas Warren (1604-1677) of Virginia, m.1635 Susan, widow of Robert Greenleafe
. . . John Warren (1640-1711) married Elizabeth, Charles City Co
. . . . James Warren, Sr (1690-1769) married Elizabeth Lewis, Amherst Co, VA

. Sir Edwarde Warren (1563-1609) m.1597 Susanna Boothe
. . Thomas Warren (1604-1677) of Virginia, m.1635 Susan, widow of Robert Greenleafe
. . . John Radcliffe Warren (1635-1691) married Elizabeth Christian
. . . . James Warren, Sr (1690-after 3 Jul 1769) married Elizabeth Whittle, Amherst Co, VA

. Sir Edwarde Warren (1563-1609) m.1597 Susanna Boothe
. . Thomas Warren (1604-1677) of Virginia, m.1635 Susan, widow of Robert Greenleafe
. . . John Warren (1637-1691) married 1659 Rachel Sargent, Surry Co, VA
. . . . William Warren (1660-1726) married Elizabeth Ham, Spotsylvania Co, VA
. . . . . James Warren, Sr (1690-3 Jul 1769) married Elizabeth Whittle, Amherst Co, VA

. Sir Edwarde Warren (1563-1609) m.1597 Susanna Boothe
. . Thomas Warren (1604-1677) of Virginia, m.1635 Susan, widow of Robert Greenleafe
. . . John R Warren (1640-1687) m.1661 Rachael Williams
. . . . William Warren (1669-1726) m.1690 Ann Newton
. . . . . James Warren, Sr (1690-1769) married Elizabeth Lewis, Amherst Co, VA

. Sir Edwarde Warren (1563-1609) m.1597 Susanna Boothe
. . Thomas Warren (1604-1677) of Virginia, m.1635 Susan, widow of Robert Greenleafe 
. . . John R Warren (1635-1691) married Rachel Sergent Williams
. . . . John Warren (1665-1706) married Mary West, Old Rappahannock Co, VA
. . . . . James Warren, Sr (1690-1769) married Elizabeth Lewis, Amherst Co, VA

. Sir Edwarde Warren (1563-1609) m.1597 Susanna Boothe
. . Edward Warren (1598-1676) married Grace Creed, Surry co, VA
. . . William Warren (1620-1702) wife unknown
. . . . James Warren, Sr (1690-1769) married Elizabeth, Amherst Co, VA

. Sir Edwarde Warren (1563-1609) m.1581 Ann Davenport
. . . William Warren (1586-1644)  and (2) Ann Becker (1584-aft 1644), Yorktown
. . . . John Radcliff Warren (1635-1691) and Elizabeth Christian (c1635-aft.1694)
. . . . . James Warren (1690-1769) m.1713 Elizabeth Lewis (1690-1751)

. Sir Edwarde Warren (1563-1609) m.1581 Ann Davenport
. . John Warren (1583-1621) m.1594 Ann Ognal (1575-1652) (n.b. he was young to be married then.)
. . . Edwardus de Warren (1605-1687) m.1624 Margaret Arderne
. . . . John Warren (1630-1706) judge m.1657 Ann Cooper
. . . . . Hugh Warren (1668-1732) married Anne Hesketh, Stockport, Cheshire
. . . . . . James Warren (1690-1769) m.1713 Elizabeth Lewis (1690-1751)

In all of them, James Warren, Sr. was born in 1690. Let us assume that as correct. His son, James Warren, Jr. is therefore estimated to have been born after 1710.  A James Warren, (whether Jr or Sr is unclear),  received a land patent in Goochland County, VA, in 1738.  This land fell into Albemarle County when it was formed in 1744.  But if this was James Jr, then the latest he could have been born was 1717, since he had to be 21 years old to patent land.  The first land patent that specifies James Jr was in Albemarle County in 1747, which means that he could have been born as late as 1726.  One or both of them also had land patents on Buffalo River, in the part of Albemarle County that became Amherst County in 1761.  But there is no such place as "Albemarle, Amherst County, Va."
See the progress of Virginia county formation at http://www.familyhistory101.com/maps/va_cf.html

. ».James Warren, Jr, was a Baptist minister who moved to Edgefield County, South Carolina about 1768, and died there in 1775.  His wife was Sarah, Elizabeth, and/or Winney.  Different sources give varying numbers of children from among the following:

. 1. Jesse John Warren (1726-1782)  muster roll of Greenville Co SC, 1756
. 2. William Warren (1738-1809) m. Eleanor, received a land grant in Edgefield in 1785
. 3. John Warren (1739-1826) m. Elizabeth [note repeat of the name]
. 4. Elijah Warren (1740-aft 1805) m. Susanna 
. 5. James Warren (1743-aft 1790) m. Elizabeth Harmon, moved to Hall Co, GA
. 6. Winifred Warren (1744-aft 1796) m.1764 James Burrows Whittle (1745-1781)
. 7. Thomas Warren (1745-1821) m. Elizabeth Eidson
. 8. Samuel Warren (1754-aft 1840) 
. 9. Joseph Warren (1760-1849) m.1822  widow Tenner

10. Elijah Warren (1760-c1810) m. Sarah Manson 
11. Joshua Warren (1765-7 May 1840) married Elizabeth

. . Just who "Jesse John Warren" might have been, I do not know (see section 3b above) but that name appears to have been a later addition to the list of other children.  Note that he is 12 years older than the next child, and was born when James Jr was 16 years old, by the earliest calculation of James' birth.  While that may have been biologically possible, it simply was not done during that time period.  And not by a Baptist minister.  John Warren of Lynches Creek could possibly have been born as late as 1730, but that would still have been early for James Jr  to be having children.
. . My guess is that someone found that James Jr moved to South Carolina, and thought he would be a likely father of the John Warren who lived in South Carolina.  James Jr lived in (what is now) Edgefield County, in far northwest of the state, on the Savannah River.  John lived on Lynches Creek in the northeast.  There was no easy way to get from one to the other.  Note also that John was married on the Pee Dee River about 1751, 16 years before James Jr moved to Edgefield.  So John would have moved from Virginia to Craven County, SC, not from Edgefield.  He could just as easily have been from any other Warren family in Virginia or North Carolina.
. . The citation that Jesse John was in the militia in Greenville during the French and Indian Wars also refutes the connection to John, who had a land grant on Lynches Creek 7 Jan 1752, had a child baptized 29 May 1753, other children at regular intervals, and signed a petition 5 May 1758  to have a road built from there to Charleston. See Warren

6. Did John Warren (Warrin, Worin, Waring, etc.) arrive on his own in Charleston, about 1748, from England or from the West Indies?
.
» Whether the Port of Charleston ever kept records of the passengers arriving by ship during the Colonial Period, I do not know.  But no such records currently exist.  John Warren's first encounter, of record, with the Colonial Government was his 7 Jan 1752 petition to the South Carolina Council, which their Journal records simply as: 
. . . . . . . . . . John Warren petitions for 100 acres on Lynches Creek. 
. . . . . . . . . . at Charleston, 7 Jan 1752 - Granted . . . [S C Council Journal 1751-1752, page 524, #18]
I have not located any other record of his presence in Charleston before that date.

7. I am open to any other suggestions, of reasonable logic and historical consistency, and with the hope of finding some documentation thereof.
E-mail me

BACK to the Warren Family

BACK to My Ancestor Chart

BACK to Surname List

BACK to My Home Page