I recently found a listing of a "LEIFT GILES ALINGTON" in the Land Patents of colonial VA (1626). I've seen the name GILES Arlington as the father of Ann Arlington - wife of Thomas the emigrant. Is anyone familiar with this Lieutenant GILES Alington and his service in the VA colonial military. Wonder if he's any relation to our Thomas? Maybe his father-in-law? Or a brother-in-law?

I have Swem's "Virginia Historical Index" on order and hopefully that will answer alot of our collective questions about our colonial VA ancestors. According to Ancestry's Red Book, the Swem index is THE place to start with any VA research and it is particularly strong on colonial history.

Barry Jernigan
Murfreesboro, TN

Hello Barry,

I am a 'descendant' of Thomas Jernegan of Martha's Vineyard, a son who moved north from Virginia, instead of south to NC. I have researched the Martha's vineyard lines and some of their descendants. I'd like to stay in touch to learn what becomes of your research on the immigrant Jernegan.

Jeffrey Latham Jernegan

Nice to make your acquaintance. Are you familiar with the information that Thomas initially settled in Maryland before re-locating to Virginia? I found that on the Net and can pass that link on to you if you don't have it. Also in reference to Virginia sources there are two which I've found on the Net. There are 8 altogether which are indexed in the Virginia Historical Index. The two I've found are Hening's Statutes at Large (only Vol's 1-4 are completed so far) and the William and Mary College Quarterly, First Series. Unfortunately, per the VHI, Jernigan info is only found in the Second Series of William and Mary which I've not found online so far.

Currently, I'm trying to piece together as much info as possible concerning other Nansemond County, VA families which are indexed in the VHI - kind of like a big puzzle - trying to see which families share the same coded entries in the VHI or which share pages which are close enough to probably be in the same article within the same reference.

I wanted to order Grimes' Abstract of North Carolina Wills book from the Genealogical Publishing Company next, but it is currently temporarily unavailable. But I figure that book will probably give me a lot of other possible connections to check. So far, it seems that the Jernigan family didn't make many connections with other Nansemond county families except possibly the Moore family. That they made more connections when they re-located to Bertie County, North Carolina. But, I'll have to see what I can glean from the VHI and the references indexed within it. I don't know how many other Jernigan researchers have access to the VHI and have exhausted the sources referenced within it. I've not seen it mentioned in reference to Jernigan research in anything that I've seen online so far.

I'll keep in touch and post whatever else I find here.

Barry Jernigan
Murfreesboro, TN

Hello Barry. My Mother was a Jernigan. I have traced my jernigan ancestors back to Samuel Jernigan Sr. b.11/19/1771 in N.C. Do you know that line? And the father of Samuel? Would like to hear from you. Libby my email - ERSCELTIC@AOL.com.

Sure do. That's my line as well. See my post on this page for 21 January 2005. That's Samuel C. Jernigan. He's my ancestor too. The post also tells you where I got that info and you could check it out yourself and get tons of other goodies there on the Jernigan family :)

Nice to make your acquaintance. I will continue to post whatever I find on the Jernigans. I just ordered the List of Testators for North Carolina, 1665-1900 (a book) and will post the Jernigan wills info from the book here when I receive it.

Berry,
I have a James Jarnagin born abt. 1823 in N.C. He married a Elizabeth Burchell on 8 Aug 1846 in Jefferson Co. TN. Do you happen to know who this James' parents could be?

I don't recognize those names. However, the surname spelling indicates that I might suggest checking out the line of Thomas Jarnagin (1746-1802). There is a book called "Thomas Jarnagin 1746-1802" by Lee L. Powers. I don't know if your local library may have a copy or you might ask about it online.

The front page of the book says:

"Captain Thomas Jarnagin, 1746-1802,
The story of one of Tennessee's early pioneers and his wife, Mary Witt Jernigan, 1753-1829 By Lee Leeper Powers"

The Franklin County Library in Winchester, TN has one copy that I know of. A very kind person there sent me Xeroxes of pages from some books there when I sent a letter of inquiry about Jernigans in Franklin County, TN.

Barry, My Jernigan ancestors down to my Mother were from Franklin Co. TN. I know my gggranfather was Isaac Jernigan, my ggggrandfather was Clement Jernigan and my gggggradfatheerr was Samuel (1771-1837). Has anyone found for sure who Samuel's parents were? Some saw Jesse, some say David, some say William.
Would love to know for sure. Simce you have dome extensive research, I tought you might have some documentation. Libby

Barry,
I've checked the book and came up with nothing. Every body I've spoke with from Grainger Co. TN. knows nothing of my James's family. No one can link him to Thomas Jarnagin. I think that James came from N.C. and changed the way he spelled his last name. I think that it was actually Jernigan while in N.C...is there anyway to find out if there was actually a James Jernigan born abt. 1823 in N.C. and moved to Grainger Co. TN. some time before the 1850 census and married a lady named Elizabeth Burchell? If so, HOW do i do that?
Thanks Rebecca

Do you know his death information and is there any death record available which might give his parents' information? Or if you can find what county in NC he came from - you could check the earlier censuses for that county. What about his wife? What info do you have for her? Do you have her parents' names? Any of them have a will where she was listed and other relatives listed? Did your James have any siblings you could check on? I always say, "If the front door is locked - see if the back door is open or if you can find a window ajar that you can jimmy open." ;-) In other words - if you can't find the person directly - look for others around that person and see if there might be some clues there for you that will lead you to that person. Was he buried in Tennessee? His wife buried with him? Perhaps someone local could find the tombstones and make a photo for you. The Tennessee State Library and Archives in Nashville might be of further assistance or a local library in Tennessee. Some churches are sometimes helpful if you write to them or religious organizations sometimes archive records.