George Twyman

George Twyman's father died when he was three, leaving his mother with four young children. The oldest, William, was about 7, Catherine 5 and George's youngest sister Mary only 1 year old. As George stated in his autobiography, his mother moved back to Middlesex County where her father lived. George also goes on to say his mother remarried a couple of times more. (1) From reading his words, you get the impression he did not have much bonding with these men. He and his brother William were apprenticed to learn to be tailors. As soon as his brother William turned 21, he went to court to assume guardianship of George and their two sisters. (2) Their mother, Agatha Buford, was married to her third husband, John Lee, by that time.
George married Mary Walker in 1754 and started acquiring land in 1757. (3) They were in Louisa County at that point but in 1761 part of Louisa became part of Albemarle County. There are several land transactions in Albemarle County starting in 1765. (4) In 1791 and 1804 he divided nearly six hundred acres between his sons, George and Joseph. (5)
George was a very religious man. He says in his autobiography that he was baptized as a Baptist at the age of 40. In January 1773 George Twyman was one of the original 48 members of the 1st Baptist Church in Albemarle. The organizational meeting was held in Lewis's Meeting House. At a meeting held 2 months later, George presided as 1st Moderator.(6) The church became Chestnut Grove Church. Recorded there was his Book of Common Prayer in which he listed some thoughts and the births of all his children. (7) He did not approve of slavery even though he owned many slaves. Living in Virginia he didn't feel he could free them, but left instructions that they should be treated fairly. (8)
George Twyman was also a long term acquaintance of Thomas Jefferson. He wrote at least three letters to Thomas Jefferson, maybe more. (9) (10) The one written in 1809 was on behalf of the church welcoming Jefferson home after his "service of eight years." (11)
He had lived an upstanding life, raised ten children and prospered. He wrote his will on 22 Nov 1811, just a few months after he had written his autobiography. He died in May 1818 at the age of 87. His will was proved June 2, 1818. (12)

"My father died when I was about three years olde & my youngest sister by my father about one year older. My mother then with her four children at the little mountain in the parts now called Orange Co, a very thin inhabited place. My mother then retreated back down to Middlesex Co - her native place; her father Thos. Buford then living in that co. After some short time my mother married to a second husband, John Warwick, who lived a few years & left her two more children - She marryed to a third man whose name was John Lee - He lived several years & then left her a widow the third & last time.- she lived many years after, & died in my bro. William Twyman's home -

The transcript continues after this with his account of how he had lived a life of sin, gambling away a dollar as soon as he had earned it. Then he met some Quakers and repented, and resolved to live a better life.

"Soon after that time I was out of my apprentice-ship & followed the occupation of a tailor that I had learnt with my bro. In about three years I married a woman by the name of Mary Walker, daughter of Edward Walker, a worthy honest man of Orange Co. This woman & I have lived together enjoying the blessings of God & a good conscience. - We have raised ten children which I believe are all alive - The youngest of which has had seven children." etc.

George Twyman autobiography, 1731-1818 published in the Virginia Genealogist Falmouth, VA: Jan 1965. Vol 9, Iss. 1

(2) Spotsylvania Guardian Bonds Will Book A £100 William Twyman, guard. to George Twyman, orph. of George Twyman, with John Wood, sec. Jun 7, 1748
William Twyman was appointed 7 Jun 1748, guardian to George, and 5 Jul 1748, guardian to his two sisters, Catherine and Mary.

(3) 24 Sep 1757 Louisa County, VA
Louisa County Deed Book B pg 217-218 David and Lucy Mills to George Twyman, Taylor, for Fredericksville Parish, Louisa Co for £62.16. 728 acres part of 6,196 acres Mills obtained by patent on branches of James River now in possession of said Twyman, John Henry

(4) Albemarle Deed BKs
BK 4 pg. 87-88, BK 6 pg. 303-304, BK 10 pg. 174, BK 12 pg. 318, BK 13 pg. 143-143, BK 13 pg. 517, BK 13, pg. 553-554

(5) History of Albemarle County, Virginia ", pgs 333-334 - TWYMAN, George and William Twyman, in all likelihood brothers, were citizens of Culpeper. George began to purchase land in Albemarle on the Buck Mountain Road near Earlysville in 1765. In 1791 and 1804 he divided nearly six hundred acres between his sons, George and Joseph. He died in 1822, at the age of eighty-nine. His wife's name was Mary, and his children were George, Joseph, Samuel, Sarah, the wife of a Sanford, William, Abraham, Elizabeth, the wife of William J. Wood, Agatha, the wife of Robert Dearing, Ruth, the wife of David Watts, and James. A number of this family removed to Kentucky, and as none of them bearing the name now reside in the county, it is probable they all emigrated to the West.
George's brother William in 1770 bought more than five hundred acres on the head waters of Mechum's, which he sold in 1778 to William Wood and Francis Weathered. In 1771 he purchased from Jacob Snead three hundred acres on Ivy Creek, at the crossing of the Whitehall Road. This place he sold two years after to George Wayt. From the fact that the eldest son of Wayt was named Twyman, his wife was no doubt a daughter of William. William Twyman, whose wife's name was Winifred, appears never to have lived in Albemarle."

Flyleaf from old English Episcopal prayer book:
"George Twyman, his book. God gives him grace thereon to look, not only look but understand that learning is better than house and land, for when house and land are gone and spent, the learning will prove most excellent."

From George Twyman

[ca. 30 Sep. 1791]

Worthy Sir

The very great inequality in our Circumstances, But more in knowledg, Education, and preferment, makes it indisputable that you Can hope, or expect, any Sattisfaction from any Conversation that might be between us. And a Bare Sight of each-other must be full as little.—And although I have not Before now been to see you, yet I must say it is not for want of a Due Respect.—For being so sensible of your abilities, and my own weakness, am Bound to Conclude that my Confined thoughts to, and ingagements in, Domestick affairs, Can add nothing to your noble and Exalted minde.—What has attached my affections to you, I leve you to Judge, for I count no man my Superiour but as he Excels in Virtues, and none inferiour but for the Contrary.—However for the present, interest as wel as sattisfaction, induces me to make you a Visit, which I intend Shall be on monday, next.—And be the Case as it may, I shall be Sattisfied only to be inrol’d, and rather know, That I am your friend, which will better appear if ever it should be wanted.—In reasonable Service,

George Twyman

(10)To Thomas Jefferson from George Twyman 3 Jul 1804

Sir

I remember that I heard you say, your attention was now on your garden; you also shew’d me your place for seeds. Those I have inclos’d are very good summer turnip-seed. I think from long experience the best time for sowing is about the 20th. or betwean the 20 & last of July. However it Depend very much on the Season. Therefore my way is to sow at Different times, in the space of 10. or 12 Days.

Please to accept my respects To yourself and famely.

George Twyman

PS. I was told by some person a year or two Ago, that you wisht to have a Cat of a tawtershel Colour. if you Do, I think I Can Come very near to it, and should be glad to gratify [. . .] known.

See the letter

(11) To Thomas Jefferson from George Twyman 19 Mar 1809

Dear Sir,

Albemarle Buckmountain Baptist Church, Sendeth Greeting to our much esteemed friend, Mr Thomas Jefferson.

We Congratulate you in your Return home, from your labour and painful Servis of eight years. now to take some Sweet hours of retirment and rest.—Injoying at pleasure the Company of your loveing Friends, and neighbours. not that We were werey, or Dissattisfied with your Conduct, but were wel pleased; for which Be pleas’d to accept of these our kind Thanks.—May your Days be many and Comfortable. in a word (may we say) we wish you health, wealth, and prosperity through life, And in the world to come life everlasting

Signed by order of the Church

George Twyman

(12) Will of George Twyman

George Twyman III's will was written 22 November 1811 Albemarle County, Virginia; will probated 2 June 1818 Albemarle County, Virginia." (Albemarle County, Virginia Will Book 6, page 294.) Transcribed by Glennis Carr. Copies of will are shown below.

I, George Twyman of Albemarle, State of Virginia being in common health and sound mind and memory [ ] my soul to God who gave it in hopes of everlasting happiness through Jesus Christ.

I Item. I lend unto my well beloved wife Mary during her natural life one choice feather bed and furniture, bedstead and cord.__I lend to her to be lodged in the hands of my executors 500? pounds cash Virginia money the interest to be for her maintanice so much as may be needful, if that should not be sufficient then to make use of principal.
II. I lend unto my dearly beloved daughter Agatha Dearing one negro woman by the name of Hannah, one other by name of Lucy, one negro man by name of Peter. After her death to be equally divided among her children and fifty three pounds discount in my book.
III. to daughter Ruth Watts one negro woman named Rachel, I have also given her a negro boy named Jancy (?). I also give her a discount in my book to the amount of sixty pounds, also a negro man by the name of Randolph to her and her heirs.
IV. I give to my well beloved Samuel Twyman one negro man by name of Gilbert also a woman by name of Milly, I also give him my big Bible I also give him a negro man by name of Tom. I also give him a amount in my book for sixty five pounds and where as I have sold to Samuel the one half of my Orange land for seventy five ? pounds which he is charged with in my book, that with the other half being now recorded to him in all three hundred and fifty nine acres more or less, which negroes and their increase, Bible, discount, and land to him and his heirs forever.
V. I give to my son James Twyman one negro man by name of Frank, a woman by the name of Molly and her two children Martin? and Champ?, a negro man name of Lowrey and name Bray?.
VI. To son George Twyman one negro man by name of Minor (?) and a girl by name of [ ]. As I have already given George all my land laying near the Buck Mt. Road together with the remainder of the tract I have of Doct. Thomas Walker by estimation [ ] hundred 68 acres and now deeded to Richard Durrett by myself and son George. I also give him ?Bukins Family Thisilia?. (note: Glennis Carr tried to copy the last three words as they appeared in the Will.
VII. To son William Twyman a negro man name of Robins, one by name of Harry, one girl by name of Nancy. I also give William a discount in my book of sixty five pounds.
VIII. To son Joseph Twyman one negro man name of Forester, a negro woman named Clary. I also five to Joseph 330 acres of land being part of tract I now live on __ Buck Mt. Road__to upper line adjoining Milses to Mary Dairs remembering that the said Joseph is to pay to my estate the sum of 54 pounds and is charged with the same in my book.
IX. To son Abraham Twyman a negro woman by name of Hannah, one woman by name of Dinah and her three children.
I also give to Abraham as much discount in my book as will amount to seventy pounds.
X.To daughter Sarah Sanford one negro man named Charles, a man named Martin. I give to her a discount in my book of one hundred thirty pounds with the promise that when Richard Sanford her husband who has shown great dissatisfaction in the past, so lent to his wife with declaration to [ ] forever of my estate. I have herein lent to her now if the said Richard Sanford his wife or any other person in their behalf should bring or cause to be brought such with claiming any more of my estate than that which I have herein lent to her that for such conduct and unlawful claim hereby [ ] all the above the loan to her and declare that the same shall be equally divided among the rest of my children, but if no such claim is made or suit brought then the above to be hers and her heirs forever.
XI.I give to daughter Betty Wood one negro woman by name of Cate, on other named Nancy, one man name Ned. One man named Parkes with one child, a man named Robin, also 1 bed and furniture, one saddle and bridle and a discount in my book for five pounds.
(12) To my negro man named [ ] and his wife Heaton? (Hester?) I hereby commit to the care and [ ] of either of my children to whom they [ ] to support and [ ] for their better support, and I give each of them fifty dollars.
I desire that the other part of the land being that I now live on my be sold, reserving one half acre which I allot to be for a burying place-remainder and all of my estate to mentioned to be sold for the benefit of all the legatees I give the above mentioned children an equal part of all the remainder of my estate equally divided observing that this last division respecting Robert Dearing and wife Agatha and Sarah Sanfords children. George Twyman

Shall be as the above bounded to them

My sons George Twyman and Joseph Twyman, and Nelson Barksdale are to be the executors- 22 day of Nov. 1811-
                George Twyman (seal)
Witnesses
Twyman Wayt         John R. Jones
George Branham      Michael Johnson
Eli Alexander           John Winn, Jr.
Proved June 2, 1818 brought into court by Twyman Wayt, John Winn, Jr., Michael Johnson and John R. Jones

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George Twyman III		see FAMILY TREE
Born: 29 Mar 1730/31 Orange County, VA Baptized: 04 Apr 1731 Christ Church Parish, Middlesex, VA :
Married: 11 Jan 1754 to Mary Walker, Christ Church Parish, Middlesex Co., VA
Died: May 1818 Fredericksville, Albemarle County, VA