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Descendants of Unknown Dyches

Generation No. 2

2. JAMES² DYCHES (UNKNOWN¹) was born ABT 1750, and died Bef. 1830 in Greenbrier County, Virginia. He married (1) ELIZABETH LOWERY. He married (2) ELIZABETH ROOMS 1771 in Greenbrier County, Virginia.

Notes for JAMES DYCHES:
The earliest Dykes' we have found with a direct connection to todays' Dykes in Kentucky, is the James Dyches family of Greenbrier County, Virginia. This county was later made a part of the state of West Virginia. James was born about 1750. We do not know where he was born, but we suspect his father or grandfather was the immigrant and he was born in America. We thought we would find a person that would fit the times, with the last names spelled Dyches instead of Dykes but we have not been successful. The name Dyches is used in all the court records we found on James in Greenbrier County.

Henry Dikes Could be James Dyches' father. He is listed in the book "Passengers and Immigration Lists Index" as coming to America in 1751. He was an English convict. A Henry Dikes was a tax payer in Loudon County,Virginia during the years 1782-1787. There also was a Henry Dikes that received a land warrant of 100 acres for service in the Virginia Navy during the Revolutionary War. The tax rolls of early Virginia list several other possible fathers of James. George Dyke is in Loudon County, Virginia, and William Dykes of Lousia County, are both listed in the seventeen eighties. There is no proof of any connection of these Dykes or the Henry Dykes and James, but it is in the time frame and general location.

James may have been married three times. The L. D. S. Church records a daughter, Nellie, born to JamesDyches and Elizabeth Lowery in 1764 in Greenbrier County, Virginia. This could be one of those teenage "shotgun" weddings that did not last. Based on the life style he lived as an adult, this kind of a marriage would not be surprising.

The L. D. S. church record also has him married to Elizabeth Rooms in the same county in 1771. Other than the child, Nellie, mentioned above, it is logical to assume that Elizabeth Rooms is the mother of his children. The Greenbrier County marriage records has a James Dike and Elizabeth Butcher marrying in 1810. If this is the same James Dyches, the marriage would be after the birth of all his children.

(Note) Jeannie has the wife of James Dykes as Elizabeth Downs.

Lewisburg, West Virginia (formally Virginia) is in Greenbrier County, on the south east border near the state line. The public records are interesting. James and his son, Richard, were always in trouble. On September 16, 1783, James was in court accused by William Frogg of stealing hogs. He was found guilty of the crime and ordered to the public whipping post. The sheriff was ordered to give him twenty lashes to his bare back. The execution of the order was to be done before sundown on that day and to be "well layed on". He was also fined Ten Pounds. In a strange twist of events, a fourth generation grandson, Dewey Oscar Dykes, was convicted of the same offense one hundred and forty two years later in 1925 in Russell County, Kentucky.

On March 16, 1785, he was back in the same court with the same Mr. Frogg and a William Comber. James had sold Mr. Frogg a mare and a cow. Mr. Comber (Coomer) came into court and proved they were his. The court ordered the property returned to Mr. Comber.

James not only had difficulty with other peoples' property, but he could not or would not pay his debts. He was in court June 18, 1782, being sued by the heirs of Matthew Arbuckle for a debt he owed Mr. Arbuckle before his death. He settled the action, by mutual agreement, on May 21, 1783. Over the next several years there were many such cases that involved James in Greenbrier County.

Found in Greenbrier County, West Virginia Library

Greenbrier County, West Virginia Deeds and Wills
On February 22 1809 James Dyche for natural love and affection to son Elijah Dyche, as James is moving gives Elijah livestock , bed, furniture, utensils, etc.

wit. Patterson Hopper and William Dyche.

In the same source as above James sold all his livestock and furnishings to William Coomer (Comber) on November 19 1785. ( This is the same person he was in court with several times. It may have been necessary to sell to settle their disputes over ownership of their livestock.)

From Jeannie Hughes:
Notes for JAMES DYKES:
James sold 50 acres of land to John Holzclaw on Jan. 15, 1803 in Greenbriar Co. Va. Deed book #2. Page 596 and 597, for five shillings. The property was part of a three hundred acre patent, granted to William Hugor.

A James Dyches is listed as the head of the family as tax payer in Greenbriar County, Virginia in l783, 1796, 1799, 1805 and 1815. Source:Book Greenbrier Co. Tax Records Vol 2.

A James Dyke (or Dike) born Oct. l8, l7l8, and died June l8, l792, married Mary Narigamore. Source: DAR Patroit Index. These people are possible parents of James Dyches.

The Greenbrier County, West Virginia Public Library has several books documenting the early history of the county. James is described in one of the books as a skilled wood craftsman. He worked for Thomas Henning who was known as "Old Tommie". They made, among other things, spinning wheels and ladder back chairs. The time frame was around 1812 to 1830. The chairs did not have a logo or trade mark, but were so well built they were easily recognized by the public. They can still be found in some museums and auctions in the Lewisburg, West Virginia area.

James and his son, Elijah, were worked in the Henning Shop. In those days the father taught the son the needed skills of their trade. If the father was a carpenter he taught at least one of his sons to be a carpenter. The ladies taught their daughters in the same manner.

Children of JAMES DYCHES and ELIZABETH ROOMS are:

3.	i.		JESSE³ DYCHES, b. ABT 1773, Northumberland County, Virginia; d. Bef. 1840, Claiborne County, Tennessee.
	ii.		MARY DYCHES, b. ABT 1775, Greenbriar County, Virginia; d. Bef. 1840, Greenbrier County, Virginia; m. DAVID JAMESON, January 11, 1795, Greenbrier County, Virginia.

Notes for MARY DYCHES:
Mary Dyches died at a relatively young age, sometime between 1830 and 1840.

Notes for DAVID JAMESON:
David Jamison (Jameson) married Mary Dyches on January 11, 1795, in Greenbrier County, Virginia. The Jamison family must have been friends with the Dyches' because James Jamison put up a bond to the court to assure that Richard Dyche, Mary's brother, would appear. Richard's reputation made this a risky gesture.

	iii.	THOMAS DYCHES, b. ABT 1776.
4.	iv.	WILLIAM DYCHES, b. ABT 1778, Greenbrier County, Virginia; d. ABT 1863, Pulaski County, Kentucky.
	v.	NANCY DYCHES, b. ABT 1783, Greenbrier County, Virginia; m. RALPH DUNN, April 30, 1813, Greenbrier County, Virginia.
	vi.	JOHN DYCHES, b. ABT 1786, Greenbrier County, Virginia; m. (1) CHRISTINA COMER, March 5, 1807, Greenbrier County, Virginia; m. (2) BARBARA MORGAN, June 16, 1816, Greenbrier County, Virginia; m. (3) EVE LEGG, August 29, 1816, Greenbrier County, Virginia.
	vii.	ELIJAH DYCHES, b. ABT 1788, Greenbrier County, Virginia; d. Aft. 1850; m. MARTHA (PATSEY) ?, ABT 1814, Greenbrier County, Virginia.

Notes for ELIJAH DYCHES:
A notation in the file says he may have married in Monroe County, Virginia but he was in Greenbrier County, West Virgina in 1812 . He was listed there as a buyer at a sale.

Elijah worked with his father James as a wood craftman in the Henning Shop in Lewisburg, West Virginia.His father worked there prior to Elijah and in those days the father taught the son the
needed skills of their trade. They made items such as ladder back chairs and spinning wheels.

viii.

RICHARD DYCHES, b. ABT 1790, Greenbrier County, Virginia; d. May 18, 1844, Greenbriar County, Virginia.

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