Legends of Jacob Bluebaugh
The story that Jacob Bluebaugh had gold was told and retold throughout
the neighborhood. Apparently he wouldn't give up the secret as
to where he had hidden it even to his second wife under her threats
of death. Where he had obtained so much gold that he had to hide
it? Probably Jacob brought considerable wealth with him when he
came to southwest Virginia as he acquired several acres of land.
Perhaps he had gold left after making his land purchases and buried
it somewhere on his farm. Or perhaps the money was from the sale
of some of his land.
Some say he buried his gold in his first wife's grave. (1) Others
say it was by a spring flowing east (2) but who could say which
spring? Likely, Jacob owned many springs emitting their waters
toward the sunrise. People even had ideas as to the size and nature
of the gold - some said it was a peck pot of gold coins. (3)
On his death bed, Jacob supposedly attempted to tell those around
him his secret, but he was too weak and feeble in his last few
minutes and couldn't make them understand where he had buried
his gold. Some thought he mentioned something about a poplar tree.
He tried to tell them but he slipped into death still holding
his secret. (4)
Many have searched for the treasure. Probably "Old Granny
Hettie" herself looked around for it when Jacob was away
visiting the neighbors or had slipped off to get some lead ore
to make some bullets. Hettie must have searched frantically after
Jacob died for then she had no fear he would come home and find
her digging. Holes were dug all around on the old Bluebaugh farm
by many different people. There is a tradition (5) that one woman
named Creech (from the nearby Johnson farm - formerly known as
the Bailey farm) searched and thought about the Bluebaugh gold
so much that she went crazy and her family would have to lock
her in a closet under or behind the stairs when she got uncontrollably
violent.
Even within this quarter-century, this writer (Jacob's great-great-great-great-grandson)
and some of his cousins searched for the legendary Bluebaugh treasure
using an electronic metal detector. Near one stream was buried
a pan lid, probably of relatively recent vintage. By a little
dry ditch (like a spring in wet weather or was in Jacob's time)
and by a tree (one too young to have been there when Jacob lived),
the electronic apparatus registered a signal of something metallic.
Excavation was immediately commenced but was somewhat hampered
when solid rock was reached. Had a rock slide come down the steep
bank sometime in the intervening decades and buried still farther
down Jacob's secreted pot of yellow metal? Not to be deterred,
a little help from explosives got them down a little ways more.
Probably too much has already been revealed. Was something found?
That's another secret!
Besides being remembered for his pot of gold, Jacob Bluebaugh
was well known for his art of molding bullets out of lead. Known
to him and to no other human being was his source of lead ore.
Years later, some Indian in Oklahoma is aid to have related how
he saw "Bluebaugh" get the lead ore. Even the story
of the Indian's telling this has gotten hazy with the passage
of time and generations but he may have stated that Jacob got
the ore at Pea Vine Knob on Wallen's Ridge. (6)
Some Lee County residents of today recall that people have said
in years past that Jacob himself was part American Indian (7)
and that the old cemetery located six-tenths of a mile straight
northeast of the town of Dryden and situated on the top of a knoll
is an Indian cemetery. However, it seems that most refer to it
as the old Bluebaugh cemetery.
The Bluebaugh cemetery is (or was in 1962, at least) guarded by
a lone old weathered lightning-splintered walnut tree. There are
several native rock headstones and footstones there but no inscriptions
can be found. Probably there never was anything more than hand-scrawled
writing on them if even that. Probably Jacob and his two wives
are buried there and likely his daughter, Mary (nee Bluebaugh)
Flanary, and perhaps some of his and Esther's children.
One can conclude from the existing records and the traditions
and legends still told in Lee County that Jacob Bluebaugh was
a most interesting and remarkable man even if he perhaps was domineered
by "Old Granny Hettie." At least he knew how to keep
secrets!
NOTES:
(1) Interview with Mrs. Charles Blair, 1961
(2) Interview in 1961 by D. L. Osborn with Mrs. Clyde H. Bishop
(See Sada Gilbert), Dryden, Virginia
(3) Interview June 3, 1961 by D. L. Osborn with Ballard Parsons
(born 1880, son of John Morgan Parsons), Dryden, Virginia
(4) Interview with Ballard Parsons, June 3, 1961
(5) Interview with Mrs. Charles Blair, 1961
(6) Interview with Ballard Parsons, June 3, 1961
(7) Interview with Mrs. Charles Blair, 1961.
Additional Bluebaugh Information
It is possible that the Jacob Bluebaugh having a land survey (150
acres on both sides of North Fork of Holston River) in Washington
County, Virginia in February, 1786 (1) was the Jacob we know of
later in lee County. However, unless the Lee County Jacob was
born several years before 1776 (and we know his second wife was
born circa 1786), he likely wasn't the Washington County Jacob
who likely would have been at least 20 years old when he was having
land surveyed in 1786. But they may have been one and the same
person.
There is a possibility that Jacob Bluebaugh of Washington County
in 1786 was the father or an uncle of Jacob of Lee County. One
might further speculate that some earlier records in Frederick
County, Maryland, pertain to this Jacob of Washington County,
Virginia, but of course it would be pure speculation.
Frederick County, Maryland deed records show that on October 23,
1753, Conrad Hagmire conveyed some land by deed to Jacob Bromback
(Deed book E, page 293). We might supposed this Jacob was aged
20 years or more when he obtained this land which would place
his birth before 1734. On March 22, 1773, Jacob Blueback or Bluebaugh
was petitioning for title to some land in Frederick County called
"Weedings Choice" which he was "seized in fee of"
(Deed Book P, page 680). Was this the same Jacob who was in Washington
County, Virginia in 1786? Two deed records in Frederick County,
Maryland are for a Rudey, Rudy, or Rudolph Bruback (possibly a
corrupted spelling of Bluebaugh). On October 5, 1759, Edward Diggs
and Ralph Taney conveyed land to Rudey and on March 20, 1765,
Rudy or Rudolph conveyed land to Andrew Hull (Deed Book 5, page
836 and Deed Book J, page 1076, respectively). The 1790 Maryland
census shows some of the family still there. Benjamin Blueback
was a family head in Frederick County with himself aged 16 years
and up (born prior to 1775), a free white male under 16 (born
1775- 1790), 2 free white females, and 1 slave.
Now let's look at some of the relatively few existing records
concerning Jacob Bluebaugh and his family. Spellings of the family
name varied somewhat but were usually recognizable. He was Jacob
Blewbough, white and above 16 years of age and owner of 9 horses,
in the 1795 Lee County Personal Property and Land book now in
the Virginia State Library in Richmond. A similar book for 1796
showed him as Jacob Blewbaugh. Other spellings in these tax books
through 1829 include, Blubaugh, Blubock, Bluebeaugh, Bluebough,
Bleubough, and Blubauh. These books show Jacob owned 100 acres
during the years 1802 through 1805; 385 acres and 100 acres (total
of 485) from 1806 through 1823; 385, 100 and 75 acres in 1824;
385, 100, and 35 acres from 1825 through 1827; and 222 acres in
1828 and 1829. His 385 and 100 acres are described as being on
the south side of Poor Valley Ridge and the 222 acres were on
the waters of Powell River. A tract of 120 acres owned by James
Benham and Peter Little in 1814 is described as on the "Waters
blueboughs spring."
The 100 acres mentioned above is apparently the same as that found
in the "Surveyors Records, Lee County, 1794-1814", at
the Lee County Courthouse. On page 301 we find a sketch drawn
of a 100-acre irregularly- shaped piece of land and the following
words:
Surveyed October 25th, 1798 for Jacob Bluebough one Hundred acres
of land by Virtue of an Entry made November 20th 1783, by Thomas
Campbell by him Transferred to James Fugate and by him to sd.
Bluebough on a Treasury land warrant W8703 lying in Lee County
on the waters of Powells River and bounded as followeth. Beginning
a Chestnut and pine a corner to sd. Blueboughs land and the land
of John Bennums S 85 W 140 po. To tree white Oaks on a spurr of
the Poor Valley Ridge N 50 E 344 po. to pointers on sd. Ridge
N 76 E 100 po. To a stake S 53 E 30 po. to an sd. Blueboughs line
and with the same S 76 W 148 po. to a black Oak and S 30 W 202
poles to the Beginning -
Hiram Craig of Benjamin Sharp, S. L. C.
Several other deeds in the Lee County records at Jonesville show
Jacob conveying and receiving land. These records along with tax
records indicate a slight possibility he may have owned at least
782 acres before he conveyed 297 acres to John Zion in 1812. This
agrees with the statement of Mrs. Charles Blair of Lee County
in 1961 that the Bluebough farm probably originally contained
as much as 700 or 800 acres. She said it covered an area from
the Powell River including what is presently known as the Jack
Flanary (Silas Jackson Flanary, son of David Crockett Flanary)
farm (same as where Silas Flanary - born 1812, died 1898 - lived),
the Crit and Elbert Flanary farm (previously known as the Trav
Flanary farm), the Hobbs farm, the Johnson (formerly Bailey) farm,
the Gilbert farm, and the Parsons (John Morgan Parsons, father
of Paris Ballard Parsons) farm.
The land holdings of Jacob Bluebaugh can be at least partially
reconstructed from these deed records:
(1) Possible acres owned before 1812 deed (however, 1806 through
1823 tax lists show 485 acres). Total known holdings: 782 acres.
(2) September 22, 1812 - Jacob Blubaugh of Lee County to John
Zion - 297 acres on S. side of the poor Valley Ridge on the waters
of Coxes Spring; after that he owned 485 acres. (3) Holdings according
to 1814 tax record - 485 acres. (4) July 28, 1823 - Robert Craig
of Washington County, Virginia to Jacob Blubough of Lee County,
Virginia - 75 acres, part of a survey made on a treasury warrant
No. 9068 for 222 acres - Total known holdings 560 acres. (5) October
4, 1823 - Jacob Blubough to John T. Flint - 40 acres lying northwardly
to the place where the said Jacob now lives 520 acres. (6) October
4, 1823 - Jacob Blubough gave a Deed of Trust for 223 acres to
Daniel Razor and John Olinger. Jacob apparently retrained possession
but if we deduct these 223 acres, there are left unaccounted for
297 acres.
In this the remaining 297 acre piece of land conveyed to John
Zion in 1812? If so, the tax records of 1814 still showed Jacob
owning a total acreage which would have included the 297 acres
disposed of in 1812. Perhaps this is a clue that John Zion was
of some relation to Jacob and it really didn't matter who paid
the taxes. Perhaps John was Jacob's first wife's brother or father
which would make Mary (nee Bluebaugh) Flanary's mother a Zion
which could account for Mary's naming her youngest son Zion, usually
not a given name.
Let us look further at the 1823 Deed of Trust from Jacob Bluebaugh
to Daniel Razor and John Olinger. The record states this 223 acres
cornered on John Zion's land. Listed are the names of Jacob's
wife, Esther M. Blubaugh, and Jacob and Esther's three under-age
daughters: Esther Ann, Catharine, and Margaret. This instrument
made Razor and Olinger trustees of the land - letting Jacob's
wife have the use of the land and personal property until her
death or remarriage (should she survive Jacob). At such time,
the land was to be divided among the three daughters or the survivors
if one or more should die before reaching the age of 18 or marriage.
Perhaps one who is adept at studying deed records would interpret
these instruments differently, but it appears that, for some reason,
Jacob asked Daniel Razor and John Olinger to convey the 223 acres
back to him for that was done on February 15, 1830. Perhaps Jacob
was ill and decided to make arrangements for the disposition of
his estate. One might wonder if his wife Esther influenced him
- either directly to make things more favorable to her or indirectly
with her dominant personality to the extent he decided to make
them less favourable to her. Census records infer another daughter
was born between 1820 and 1825 - perhaps after the 1823 Deed of
Trust.
One can reasonably assume that Jacob lived only a short time -
not more than a few months - after the 1823 Deed of Trust was
revoked by the February 15, 1830 document for we find not Jacob,
but Esther Blubaugh as early as November 19, 1832 for land "adjoining
land of the heirs or devisees of Jacob Blubough."
What more do the Lee County census records reveal about the Bluebaugh
family? IN 1820, Jacob Bluebaugh was head of the family and aged
45 up (born before 1776) and his wife was aged 26 and under 45
(born 1775-1794). The 3 children were 1 male 10 and under 16 (born
1804-1810) and 2 females under 10 (born 1810- 1820). Where was
the third daughter? Apparently she was overlooked or was living
with someone else at census time for she does appear in the 1830
census. The 1830 census with Esther Bluebaugh as the family head
shows her aged 40 and under 50 (born 1780-1790) and 5 children
living in the household. These 5 were 1 male 20 and under 30 (born
1800-1810), 1 female 15 and under 20 (born 1810-1815), 2 females
10 and under 15 (born 1815-1820), and 1 female 5 and under 10
(born 1820-1825). Incidentally, what happened to the male born
between 1800 and 1810, who apparently was Jacob's son? Probably
he died as a young man or he emigrated to another part of the
country as no later records of Bluebaugh men have been located
in Lee County, Virginia records.
To stay in somewhat chronological order, let us look at the Lee
County marriage records for 3 daughters of Jacob and Esther:
Hester Ann Boubaugh and Thomas Collingsworth on July 17, 1832.
Catharine Boubough and Washington Hobbs on October 3, 1833.
Margaret Blubaugh and Shelby Hobbs on October 21, 18.35
Little research on the husbands of these 3 Bluebaugh girls has
been done for this writing. However, Thomas and Esther A. Collinsworth
were living 2 houses from Esther M. Blabough according to the
1860 census. Also, Shelby Hobbs was living only 1 house from Esther
M. Blabough, but with a wife Lucinda (2). It would seem that this
Shelby Hobbs was the one who married Margaret Bluebaugh and that
Margaret had died and Shelby had remarried. This probability is
strengthened by the recollections (3) in 1967 of Ballard Parsons
(born 1880) of family traditions (he is not certain of their authenticity)
that Shelby Hobbs' first wife got drowned in the river and that
he married, secondly, Lucinda whose maiden name was probably France
or Zion. Shelby and Lucinda had several children. Shelby had a
third wife, Sue Rivers.
According to the census taken on August 22, 1860, Esther M. Blabough
was 74 years old (born circa 1786) with the occupation of "House
Keeper" and birthplace of Augusta County, Virginia. Her assets
shown are $50 personal estate and no real estate. Her neighbor
Shelby Hobbs had $10,000 real estate and $1,500 personal estate.
These figures would indicate that all of Jacob Bluebaugh's land
had been disposed of and that his widow still had only the personal
property.
The only other person in the Blabough household in 1860 was John
Colton, age 24, a "Farm Laborer" born in Lee County,
Virginia. Probably Esther, Jacob's second wife, died prior to
1870 as she was not noticed in the Lee County, Virginia census
for that year.
NOTES:
(1) "Annals of Southwest Virginia, 1769-1800), by Lewis Preston
Summers, Abingdon, VA, 1929, page 1786.
(2) Federal Census 1860 for Lee County, Virginia shows the Collinsworths
on pages 243 and 244 (House No. 1569, Family No. 1608) and the
Blabough and Hobbs households on page 244 (House No. 1571, Family
No. 1610 and House No. 1572, Family No. 1611, respectively).
(3) As told by Ballard Parsons to his daughter, Mrs. Axley Greene
(nee Zora Parsons) and written by her in a letter to D. L. Osborn,
November 25, 1967, Mr. Parsons (now deceased) resided near Dryden,
Virginia.