Fleming

Jeannette,

8/2/2006

Here is an important citation about Robert A. Fleming. To summarize, here is how I think he is related to me:

1. Anna Fleming b. 1787 GA married Thomas Willis b. 1786 NC in Jones, GA 1811. The same year property owners taxed were Robert A. Fleming living next to William Willis. A John Fleming and two Thomas Willis' paid only a poll tax. Robert A. Fleming was later determined to be born 1785 in NC.

2. Anna and Thomas Willis had a son, Thomas J. Willis, b. 1814 who was a lifelong companion of James A. Fleming b. 1818 in Twiggs, GA.

3. Anna, Thomas, Thomas J. and James A. Fleming were found living near my Flemings (John b. 1799 GA, Robert b. 1800 GA and Hiram b. 1808 GA) in Clarke, MS in 1850. In fact, James A. named his first son "Hiram" while living next to Hiram Fleming.

4. The 3 Fleming men of Clarke, MS (who were born in GA) gave MD as the place of birth of both parents.

So, I have a direct link back to Robert A. Fleming and John Fleming who lived in both Columbia and Jones counties. Robert A. Fleming remained in GA and died in 1863 in Harris county. John disappears about the time that my 3 Fleming men appear in MS/AL in 1820. In 1840 John b. 1799 showed an elderly man in his household who would have been born circa 1760-70. Sizing things up it appears that John Fleming and Robert A. Fleming of Jones and Columbia counties were probably bothers. John is probably my patriarch from MD. Their family probably moved after John was born to NC where Robert A. was born. They may have met the Willis' in NC. I figure that Anna was either the daughter of John or younger sister to John and Robert A. Robert A. stayed behind in GA while John and his sons went to MS/AL. They were later joined by Anna and James A. James A. Fleming gave GA as the birth place for his father. I suspect that he was a son of yet another brother in the family who may have died. He appeared close to Hiram only, but he was only 10 years younger than Hiram. Robert A.'s descendants do not show a James A. as one of his kids. Parenthetically, Georgia Fleming, a very good researcher has guessed wrongly that her ancestor (the same Robert A. Fleming) was probably a descendant of the Samuel Fleming b. circa 1720 line. She admits she has no proof for this. Also the Samuel Fleming group does not show this Robert A. Fleming as one of theirs either. As she shows all the citations we have except those in Jones co., I think she naturally overlooked the connections we found.

John

28 Nov. 1808 – Robert A. Fleming of Columbia County, GA bought Land Lot 1 in the 10th District of Jones County from Joseph Davis, also of Columbia County, who drew the land in the 1807 Land Lottery. Witnessed by David Stanford and David Langston, J.P.[1]

[1] Deed between Joseph Davis and Robert A. Fleming, both of Columbia County, GA. Jones County Superior Court, Gray, Georgia. Deed Book E (1813 – 1814), page 125. Robert A. Fleming entered Jones County on 28 Nov. 1808 as a former resident of Columbia County by purchasing a land lot from Joseph Davis, also of Columbia County, who drew the land in the 1807 Land Lottery. The deed was witnessed by David Stanford and David Langston, J.P.[1] David Langston purchased land on Sweetwater Creek from John Fleming on 31 March 1809 (Tract 3 above) and Joseph Davis was listed as an adjacent land owner. This directly links Robert Alexander Fleming of Jones County back to the Sweetwater Creek area.

[1] Deed between Joseph Davis and Robert A. Fleming, both of Columbia County, GA. Jones County Superior Court, Gray, Georgia. Deed Book E (1813 – 1814), page 125.

This is a tough one! Previous research. More in progress.

Jeannette,

I got the receipt today with your mention that you are still looking. I thought I would give you a thumbnail sketch of my Fleming search in GA:

1. Robert Fleming b. 1800 GA (my direct ancestor) shows up in Greene, MS in the 1820 census. Remaining family possibly back in GA (or AL).

2. Robert and his brother, John b. 1799 GA, show up in Wilcox, AL in 1830 census. Their younger brother, Hiram, is found in Jackson county MS. All 3 married Gunn sisters from Jackson co. MS. John and Hiram married in the 1823-25 period suggesting they may not have removed from GA until after 1820.

3. Robert and John Fleming found in Clarke, MS in 1840. Elderly man in John's home. Elderly man born in 1760-70 period. Can't find younger brother, Hiram.

4. All 3 brothers found in Clarke, MS 1850. Also probable sister or aunt, Anna Fleming b. 1787 GA married to Thomas Willis found there as well. Furthermore, a James A. Fleming b. 1818 Twiggs GA found there too. They were living close and named children after each other suggesting family.

5. We know that Anna Fleming married Thomas Willis in Jones co. in 1811. The same year a Robert A. Fleming is taxed on land next to a Mr. Willis (Joel or William). A John Fleming living next to Robert A. is charged a poll tax.

6. This Robert A. Fleming is from Columbia, GA and apparently bought land from John Fleming who owned 1000 acres. The other Fleming found in Columbia, GA is a James Fleming. Here is a citation: 21 April 1804 – John Fleming of Columbia Co. purchased a total of 1000 acres of land from Robert & Mary Rozier which was originally granted to Mathew Burnsides.[1] 1805 – John Fleming he paid tax on 500 acres of land on Sweetwater Creek in Columbia County.[2] (James Fleming paid tax on the other 500 acres.)

7. This Robert A. Fleming from Columbia, then Jones and later Warren and Harris co. is the Robert A. Fleming b. 1785 NC who is an ancestor of Georgia Fleming. She thinks he is a descendant of the Samuel Fleming group that immigrated to Savanah, but she has no proof of that and Samuel Fleming's group's researchers do not claim him though they claim a couple of other Robert A. Flemings.

8. The John and James Fleming disappear from GA after 1820. We feel that one or the other is the father of my John, Robert and Hiram. Other interesting points:

9. Robert A. Flemings descendants move to Coffee and Dale counties in AL as did the descendants of John Fleming b. 1776 SC. Georgia Fleming claims they are unrelated even though both lines moved to that area.

10. I am in a Y chromosome DNA study of 77 Flemings around the world. I am a direct match to 2 Flemings, one is a descendant of John Fleming b. 1776. He, in turn, is a descendant of John Fleming b. 1685. The other match is a descedant of JF b. 1685 through another son.

11. This suggests to me that I am related to both Robert A. Fleming b. 1785 and John Fleming b. 1776 and they were related to each other.

Anyway, my lost patriarch appears to be the John or James Fleming who lived in Columbia co, then Jones with Robert A. Fleming. All Flemings left Jones by 1813. We are still trying to find the elusive John or James from 1813 to 1823 or so. We figure he lived with his sons when he came to MS/AL.

Regards, John Fleming

PS. I have tried to engage the Robert A. Fleming researchers like Lora Fleming and Georgia Fleming, but they won't respond. If I am wrong I want to know it. But the evidence is strong. I have researched alot through my Macon researcher, Amanda Cook.