The Bivens Family Tree:Information about Nathaniel Sr. Bivens
Nathaniel Sr. Bivens (b. 1740, d. 09 May 1816)
Belived to be first house built by Nathaniel Bivens |
Nathaniel Sr. Bivens was born 1740, and died 09 May 1816 in Meadow Branch, Anson Co. North Carolina.
Notes for Nathaniel Sr. Bivens:
Nathaniel Bivens and wife Peggy Tyler migrated to NC. Family legend states that they came from the Franklin Co Pa area or at least were there for a time on their way to NC. Given names in this family include Elijah/Eligah, Abel, Israel, Moses, Nathaniel, John, Sarah, Mary, Eli, Abraham, Unity, and other biblical names. Following the Revolutionary War there appeared in the Meadow Branch
section of Anson county, North Carolina, three prominent characters:
Nathaniel Bivens, the ancestor of the Bivens' of that section of Union
County, which was at the time, still Anson County; Thomas Griffin, who
served in the Revolutionary War in Virginia, and whose wife, Mary Muillis
of Virginia moved into the same section about the time another very
prominent man who was a Baptist minister, i.e., Rev. Joseph Williams,
Jr. Rev. Williams himself served in the Revolutionary War in the 1st
North Carolina Regiment. Rev. Williams was the ancestor of all the
Williams' in this section of Union County (then Anson).
The Bivens', Griffin's, and the Williams' all lived in the same
neighborhood and intermarried until a great majority of those folks in
the eastern part of Union County are related. Bivens is Welsh English in
origin with the name originally Benans. The Bivens' of this family line
originated in London, UK.
Infor from Kitty Hoffman:
There is a reference for Nathaniel BIVENS, Sr in the book, "The McLarty
Familey of Kintyre, Scotland and Mecklenburg Co., NC and Their
Descendants", complied by Adelaide McLarty, date unknown. The book
reported that about 1740 the Scots began moving in the the Waxhaws from
PA, MD, and VA.. There were 6-7 families there in 1751 followed by
settlers chiefly from Augusta Co., VA. By 1850 there were 8000 white
settlers there. Nathaniel BIVENS Jr. served on the first jury of the newly
organized UNION CO., North Carolina in 1843.
Notes on the BIVENS family said Nathaniel BIVENS, Sr. was of German
descent (probably from the area of Germany where the protestants took
refuge). He left PA and settled on Richardson Creek in Anson Co. with his
wife Peggy TAYLOR and their 10 children. 8 were thought to have gone to
GA. His will was dated 9 May 1816 and probated in the April Court 1818.
Children: Abel, Wm, Sarah, John, Unity, Moses, Elijah, Lydia, Stephen,
and Nathaniel, Jr. Lydia md. Wm. Billy Williams. Nathaniel Jr. md.
Margaret James and had:
John, Henry, Culpepper, Robert, Joseph A., Jefferson, Edna, rebecca,
Sally, Nancy, Drucilla, James, Hosea, and Eliza who md. Eber A Jerome s/o
of Katie McLarty d/o Alexander Mclarty.
According to my information Nathaniel Bivens Sr. who came to North Carolina from Pennsylvania about 1773 and married Margaret (Peggy) Tyler who came from London , England and married Nathaniel Sr. while she was in her teens. They had 10 children, Nathaniel Jr., Abel, William,Sarah,John, Unity, Moses,English, Lyda, and Stephen.
Nathaniel Bivens Jr. was born 11/18/1787 and married Margaret James born 10/04/1795. Nathaniel Jr. died 1845 and Margaret James Bivens died 1859. They along with Nathaniel Sr. and Peggy Tyler Bivens are buried in a cemetery on the Bivens farm across Richardsons creek from the home Nathaniel Bivens Jr. served as postmaster at Richardsons Creek from 1/08/1838 until 12/24/1845. The Bivens seemed like a very profilic bunch. Most all of Nathaniel Sr. offspring left the Mecklenburg-Anson area except Nathaniel Jr.
Side Notes:
Ann Brashear, born January 04, 1691/92 in Prince George, MD.She married (1) William Bivens February 10, 1725/26 were the mother and father of Nathaniel Bivens. She married (2) Richard Jones November 26, 1734 in Prince George, MD.
Bevan, Biven, Bivens, etc. are all derived from the early "ab Ieuan" i.e. "son of Ieuan". Ieuan is pronounced something like "Y-eye-an" and was itself derived from "Johannes", borrowed in the Roman period (i.e. before about 400 AD). Ieuan tended to become the forename Evan and in time became the surname Evans or Bevan (from ap Evan, or son of Evan).
Morgan & Morgan in "Welsh Surnames" (U. of Wales Press, 1985) offer a nice example of the transition stage in your own spelling. "David ap David ap Iven" was recorded in 1533.
It is interesting to note that a spelling like Bivens or Bevans will tend to indicate a family of Welsh origin whose surname only became finally fixed after settlement in England or, more typically, in America. Bevan (and the variations) were originally "ap Evan" and already had the meaning of "son of Evan". The final "s" in the Bevans / Bivens spellings would therefore have been illogical within Wales.
My records have that Nathaniel Bivens, Sr.'s will was probated in Anson Co, NC in the April Court 1818. His wife was Margaret (Peggy) Taylor. Sons, John and Nathaniel were excutors. Witnesses were John Bennett, Sr., John Bennett, Jr., and Wm. Bennett. Children listed: Abel, Wm., Sarah, John, Unity, Moses, Elijah, Lydia, Stephen, and Nathaniel. Lydia md. Wm. Williams and Nathaniel, Jr. md. Margaret James.
More About Nathaniel Sr. Bivens:
Burial: Family farm on Richardson Creek Union Co. North Carolina.
More About Nathaniel Sr. Bivens and <Unnamed>:
Marriage: 1759
Children of Nathaniel Sr. Bivens are:
- +John Bivens, b. 11 May 1760, Anson Co. North Caroilna, d. 11 Mar 1818, Mecklenburg Co, North Carolina.
- Sara Bivens, b. 1764, Anson Co,North Carolina, d. Oct 1826, Lancaster, South Carolina.
- +Elijah Rev. Bivens, b. 25 Aug 1770, Anson Co, North Carolina, d. 1860.
- +Abel Bivens, b. 1772, Anson Co, North Carolina.
- +Stephen S. Bivens, b. 1774, Mecklenburg, North Carolina, d. 1859, Columbia Co. Ark..
- Lydia Bivens, b. 1776, Mecklenburg Co. North Carolina, d. 1855, Bakers North Carolina..
- Moses Bivens, b. 1778, Mecklenburg, North Carolina.
- Unity Bivens, b. 1780, Anson Co, North Carolina, d. 09 Dec 1832.
- +Nathaniel Jr. Bivens, b. 18 Nov 1787, Anson Co, North Carolina, d. 14 Nov 1845.