Fleming Web Generation One

1. JOHN¹ FLEMING, according to county histories,² was from England, served in the Revolutionary War, lived in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, and was buried in Redstone Old Fort (present–day Brownsville), Fayette County, Pennsylvania. However, Jordan (1913), page 250 [see References” for all author-date references], says: “… Of the Flemings [our Flemings] it is said their progenitors were from the north of Scotland.” One International Genealogical Index (IGI) item for Pennsylvania Flemings lists John Fleming born circa 1739 in Springhill Township, present–day Fayette County, Pennsylvania, but I am dubious of this although he apparently did live in Springhill Township before moving north to Tyrone Township, Fayette County. Our John Fleming was listed as a taxpayer in Springhill Township in 1787.³ John Fleming’s will was written 11 July 1795 (see later), and according to Boggie (1996) this is when he died. John Fleming married SARAH REED. One IGI item for Pennsylvania Flemings has John and Sarah (no surname) being married in 1777, but perhaps this is a guess based on the birth of their first–born child, Andrew.

Sarah (Reed) Fleming was born 19 January 1749; died 20 February 1812; buried in Miller Farm Cemetery,⁴ present–day Oil Creek Township, Venango County, Pennsylvania.⁵ According to the Western Press (see below), she died 1813, but her stone would indicate 1812. When we visited the cemetery in 1963, the inscription on her stone was legible and her age clearly appeared to be 63, not 68. Her youngest son, Ezekiel, was born in 1789, at which time Sarah would have been age about 46, if she was born in 1743. Also, according to the “Heald Manuscript” (see References for assessment of this reliable source) Sarah Fleming was “born in Ireland in 1749.” In 1810, she was enumerated as head of household in Allegheny Township, Venango County.⁶

The Western Press Abstracts, Mercer [Mercer County], Pennsylvania, 13 February 1813:⁷ “Died also recently in Venango County Mrs. McGinnis of Oil Creek and the widow Fleming. We understand that four persons were recently interred in one burial ground in the neighborhood of Oil Creek in one day.”

I have no information on Sarah (Reed) Fleming’s parents or siblings. Her maiden name is known from Jordan’s (1913) bibliography of Reverend Benjamin F. Delo, who married Phebe Ann Fleming (#70), daughter of Daniel and Phebe Ann (King) Fleming, Jr. According to Jordan (1913), page 250: “… Daniel Fleming, Sr., came from Allegheny county [sic] son of _____ Fleming whose wife was a Reed.⁸” Note that Sarah's son Daniel named his second child James Reed Fleming. A Tyrone Township land tract map in the early nineteenth century (date not known) shows a tract for John Reed located about one-half mile south of the John Fleming tract. Perhaps this John Reed was related to Sarah (Reed) Fleming.

This Tyrone Township land tract map also shows a tract of land with the following description: “John Walters, 106 3/4 acres. War. 2? June 1785, Surveyed 2 December 1785, Pat. March 21? 1825 to John Flemming. H–23–179.⁹” This John Flemming was not our John Fleming. He was John Fleming, "Joiner" (see below). The 1825 patent relates to an 1824/1825 deed conveying 106 3/4 acres in Tyrone Township (present–day Lower Tyrone Township), 24 January 1824, from John Fleming’s sons to a John Fleming, Joiner. Lower Tyrone Township is in northern Fayette County, bordering Westmoreland County. John’s tract was between Perryopolis and Dawson and was on the east side of the Youghiogheny River, which is a tributary of the Monongahela River.

A tract less than a mile east of the Fleming's 106 acre tract, almost bordering on John Fleming’s tract, was the tract of Barnabas McShane, the map legend reading: “Barnabas McShane. War. 25 September 1786, Sur. 7 December 1787. Pat. 22 December 1831 to George Mittenberger. H–30–513.” My Clifford ancestors owned land in Fayette County in the eighteenth century. In 1785, Robert Clifford and Charles Clifford were being taxed in Fayette County; and in 1786, Edward Clifford, Robert Clifford and George Clifford were on the tax list for Fayette County. As would be indicated by a 1793 land deed involving Cliffords and Barnabas McShane,¹⁰ some of the Clifford land was apparently close to John Fleming’s tract.(Clifford, H. F. 2003. Cliffords, from New Jersey to Pennsylvania and beyond)..

In 1790, John Flemming and “6 males and 1 female” were living in Tyrone Township, Pennsylvania.¹¹ According to the Fayette County Taxpayers, 1785–1799, there was a John Fleming in Springhill Township in 1787 and 1789 (also, a Nathan Fleming and Andrew Fleming in Springhill Township in 1789); and a John Fleming in Tyrone Township, Fayette County, in 1791, 1793, 1795 (also a Robert Fleming in Tyrone Township in 1791, 1795, 1796, 1799). There was a Sarah Fleming in Tyrone Township, Fayette County, in 1797 (as Sarah Flemen), 1798 and 1799. Note: the tax list for Springhill Township stopped at 1789.¹²

Boggie (1996), page 343, cites from a Grantors Index an important 1824 deed pertaining to our Flemings.¹³ This deed pertains to the 106 3/4 acres in Tyrone Township, which was owned by John Fleming. The deed was written 24 January 1824 and recorded 25 August 1825.

Before a short discussion of this important but mystifying document, here is the entire document:¹⁴

Know all men by these Presents that whereas John Fleming deceased by his last will and testament in writing bearing Date July eleventh one thousand [seven] hundred and ninety five[¹⁵] did give and bequeath unto us Andrew Fleming, Ann Fleming, Daniel Fleming, Samuel Fleming, Jane Fleming, Edward Fleming and Ezekiel Fleming of the County of Venango and State of Pennsylvania [see footnote after end of deed] for and in consideration of one hundred Dollars to us each and either? of us paid in hand the receipt whereof we do hereby acknowledge and bargained and sold and by these Presents doth Bargain and Sell unto John Fleming, Joiner, all our right title Interest and clams of in and to a certain tract of a piece of land situated and being in Tyrone township, County of Fayette, adjoining lines formerly with John Morecraft now of John G. ? Ziling on the west and others which land was granted by the Supreme Executive Council of said Commonwealth to John Walter by their warrant bearing date the second day of June one thousand seven hundred and eighty five in pursuance of which there was a survey made the second day of December aforesaid containing one hundred and six acres and three quarters and allowances with all and singular the rights members and appurtenances whatever unto the same belonging to have and to hold all our right interest and claims and demand of the said tract of land hereby granted, bargained and sold with the appurtenances unto the said John Fleming, his heirs and assigns forever subject nevertheless to the moneys and interest due or that may become due to the State of Pennsylvania and further we warrant and defend the said tract of land against our heirs, representatives or persons claiming the said tract unto the said John Fleming, Joiner, now being on the premises so bargained and sold virtue of which we have set our hands and seals this twenty–fourth day of January one thousand eight hundred and twenty–four—Recorded on the day of the date of the above written Indenture of and from the therein named Andrew in the present of Andrew Fleming and his wife Ann, Daniel Fleming, Samuel Fleming and his wife Jean, Edward Fleming, Ezkel Fleming the sum of five hundred dollars money of the United States the full amount of the consideration therein mentioned $500.
James Ross and Robert Watson [witnesses]

Venango County, [JP] Before me [,] subscriber [,] one of the Commonwealth Justices of the peace in and for the county of Venango aforesaid personally came Andrew Fleming, his wife Ann, Daniel Fleming, Samuel Fleming and his wife Jean, Edward Fleming and Ezekiel Fleming and acknowledged the foregoing Deed of Conveyance as their act and deed for the purpose therein impressed? and described the same might be recorded as such she the said Ann and Jean being of full age and _____ and apart from their said husbands by me examined voluntarily consenting thereto. In testimony whereof I have here unto set my hand and Seal dated the twenty–fourth day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and twenty–four. James Ross
Recorded and confirmed 25 August 1825.
Andrew Fleming–seal
Daniel Fleming–seal
Samuel Fleming–seal
Edward Fleming–seal
Ezekiel Fleming–seal

After the word “Pennsylvania” and before the word “for” in the above deed, the clerk either left something out or for clarity should have indicated what John Fleming, deceased, “did give unto” his sons; that is a certain tract of land. As indicated next in the deed, “for and in consideration of” John Fleming, Joiner, bought this certain tract of land. In other words, there were two John Flemings, John Fleming, deceased, (father of Andrew and other sons) and John Fleming, Joiner. In short, I interpret this important deed to mean John Fleming land to five of his six sons and then the other John Fleming, that is John Fleming, Joiner, purchased this land from Andrew, Daniel, Samuel, Edward, and Ezekiel (and for legal purposes their spouses)

One could ask several pertinent questions about this deed.

1. Where is the July 1795 last will and testament of John Fleming? I know of no one successful in locating his will.

2. Is the year 1824 (or 1825) significant in the transaction of this deed? By this time, John’s wife, Sarah, would have been deceased for over 10 years. In 1824 Nancy (Hardy) Fleming was to bring divorce proceedings against Daniel, Edward’s wife was apparently deceased and Ezekiel probably was shortly to move from Venango County.

3. Why was not son James Fleming mentioned in the deed, and was he mentioned in John Fleming’s will?

4. Finally, and most intriguing, who was the John Fleming, Joiner,¹⁶ who bought the land conveyed by John’s sons? As shown elsewhere, the 1805 tax list for Venango County, one of the first Fleming records of Venango County, lists a John Fleming. In my 1985 manuscript (Clifford, 1985), I suggested this John was probably Ezekiel, because Ezekiel was not on the tax list. Was John the “Joiner” possibly another son? Probably not, but he was perhaps a relative; perhaps he was our John Fleming’s nephew.

Our John Fleming served as a commissary during the War of Independence.¹⁷ Boggie (1996), page 343, cites 5th Series, Pennsylvania Archives, Volume VIII, page 682, where a John Fleming served in Captain Thomas Robinson’s Detachment of the Frontier Rangers, according to the Military List From Northumberland County; and in 5th Series, Volume IV, page 270, where a John Fleming is listed as a Private.

**Children of John and Sarah (Reed) Fleming:**

+	2	i.	Andrew² Fleming, born 17 January 1778 in Fayette County, Pennsylvania; died 14 October 1832 in Venango County, Pennsylvania; buried in Miller Farm Cemetery; married Ann McClintock.
+	3	ii.	Daniel Fleming, born 31 October 1779; died 26 August 1846; buried in Harmony Township, Forest County Pennsylvania; married Nancy Hardy.
+	4	iii.	Samuel Fleming (the author’s direct line ancestor), born 10 May 1784, Fayette County, Pennsylvania; died 19 October 1859 in Oil Creek Township, Venango County, Pennsylvania; buried in Miller Farm Cemetery, Venango County, Pennsylvania; married Jane McClintock.
+	5	iv.	James Fleming, born circa 1780–1790; died probably in 1842 in Venango County, place of burial not known. James apparently did not marry.
+	6	v.	Edward Fleming, born between 1780 and 1790, apparently in Fayette County Pennsylvania; died 1847; married [—?—].
+	7	vi.	Ezekiel Fleming, born 1789 in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, probably died between 1850 and 1855 in Wayne County, Illinois, District Eleven; married [—?—].

Oil Creek Flemings

and related families

Generation One

Oil Creek Flemings

and related families

Generation One

The Western Press Abstracts, Mercer [Mercer County], Pennsylvania, 13 February 1813:7 “Died also recently in Venango County Mrs. McGinnis of Oil Creek and the widow Fleming. We understand that four persons were recently interred in one burial ground in the neighborhood of Oil Creek in one day.”