Thomas Nightingale was born 1716 in England or Virginia. Family researchers
usually shown his birth 1704-1705 in Yorkshire, England. He had a brother John
Nightingale who married Anne Steele (daughter of Robert Steele) of Charleston, which the same researchers do not account for. There is a chance that Thomas
and John are sons of a Thomas Nightingale who came to Virginia in 1698. There
is a slight chance that the Nightingale, Elder, Smith and Steele families who were in Charleston by 1740 and associated with the Indian trade all came from Virginia. Yorkshire and Northampton have numerous Thomas and Johns of the
right age to be ours, so this puzzle may have to be solved by a British researcher.
Thomas Nightingale was buried 4 November 1769 according to the records of
Saint Philip’s Parish in Charleston. His death was reported in the Tuesday,
7 November 1769 issue of the South Carolina Gazette. Colonel Isaac Hayne,
who was a personal acquaintance of Thomas Nightingale (they purchased lots
together in Beaufort on speculation) noted in his journal the death: “Thomas
Nightingale of Newmarket aged 53, 4 Nov 1769.” [SC Hist Mag, X p.158]
Hayne did not speculate on ages but his information cannot be much more than
a good personal estimate. He seems to have “settled down” and married a white
woman and began having children in 1751 through 1762 or so (most of the children died young). So a birth year of 1716 for Thomas Nightingale is better
than 1705.
Thomas Nightingale was an Indian trader and associated with many of the traders and Cherokee that are part of Emory family history. He did not have any
Cherokee children (that we know of) but he seems to have been an “uncle” and
“guardian” of the mixed-blood Emory children. His white wife (possibly 2nd wife)
was Sarah Amory Elder(s). (More on her below.) The Nightingales and Emorys
(Amorys) lived on Charleston Neck and at Goose Creek together and are buried
together at Saint Philip’s Parish. He was part of the Charleston “upper crust” (mostly through horseracing) but he was loved by Cherokee, Catawba, and
half-breed families. His residence was considered “home” and “hospital” to
many. Ludovic Grant retired, penniless, from the Indian trade and spent his
final years at the Goose Creek residence of the Nightingales. The “French
Woman of Keowee” was taken in and protected by Thomas Nightingale and
she became attached to the Emory family from c.1746 to her death in c.1831.
No blood relationship between the Emorys and Nightingale is claimed, but it is
impossible to tell the story of the Emory Cherokees without paying tribute to
Thomas Nightingale. The Cherokee Tom Emory (Bullfrog), son of Will Emory
(1744-1788) the Chickamauga warrior, was likely named for Thomas Nightingale.
Thomas Nightingale was a saddler by trade and kept a stock of horses. Bridles,
straps and saddles were popular but expensive items in the trade. Nightingale
hired men to help him deliver his goods, often hiring halfbreeds.
Letters from Ludovic Grant, James Beamer and Thomas Nightingale “in the
Cherokee Naton” were read to the South Carolina legislature on 16 September
1746. (They reported on the presence of “French” Indians at Keowee.)
[SC Commons Journal of 16 Sep 1746.]
Another letter from Thomas Nightingale, “a Trader in the Cherokee Nation” was
read to the legislature on 25 May 1749. Since the letter concerned Keowee and
was delivered by Abraham Smith, a trader at Keowee, Nightingale’s connection
to that village in the 1740’s (important in validating his connection to the French
Woman of Keowee) is established.
[SC Commons Journal of 25 May 1749.]
A bunch of alarming letters from Indian traders were received by Governor James Glen in 1748. These letters aroused Glen’s suspicions because some of
the letters were allegedly written by packhorsemen who Glen personally knew
to be illiterate! Glen ordered an investigation and invited seven persons to
testify under oath from the Cherokee Nation and three persons from the Creek
Nation. From the Cherokee Nation were traders Robert Kelly, James May,
William McTear, William McDowell, Thomas Nightingale, Andrew Duche and
James Beamer. (Patrick Brown, John Farmer and Stephen Forrest came from
the Creeks.) Duche (who wrote five letters in his own name and probably a
few for other people) and his partner William Ewen were among those traders
who lost their licenses.
[SC Commons Journal of 8 Apr 1748; SC Gazette No.744 16 – 25 July 1748]
[Andrew Duche and William Ewen were listed as “clamorous malcontents” in
Savannah, Georgia, along with John Amory. They are quite interesting characters. Back in Georgia, they fared well. Ewen was later “President of
the Council of Safety” in Georgia at the outbreak of the Revolution and fled
to England with Lieutenant Governor John Graham, who was a brother-in-law
of Mrs. Sarah Amory Graham (daughter of our John Amory and wife of Mungo
Graham).]
Thomas Nightingale also had a connection to trader Robert Gouedy. In May 1750 northern Indians again came through Keowee to conduct attacks in South Carolina and both Nightingale and Gouedy wrote letters to the governor advising him. For greater effect, the two men delivered their letters directly to the
Assembly. Both Nightingale and Gouedy left the Cherokee Nation shortly
thereafter.
[SC Commons Journal of 31 May 1750]
On 24 October 1757 Thomas Nightingale, saddler, and Sarah (Amory) his wife,
sold to “Robert Gouedey, Indian trader, of Ninety-Six” 200 acres on Ninety Six
Creek
(?) (a branch of the Saluda River) for
L
300.
[Brent Holcomb, SC Deed Abstracts 1773-1778, p.26]
Thomas Nightingale was hired to transport gunpowder to the newly-built Fort
Prince
George near Keowee. He submitted an accout for his services for
L
154.
[SC Commons Journal of 6 & 7 Feb 1754]
Abraham Smith, who was in disfavor for helping Virginia traders (and may have
lost his license to trade at Keowee) helped to transport the ammunition.
[SC Ind Docs (2) 1750-1754 : p.507, 527, 530]
Abraham’s brother Richard Smith was also in trouble and the Smiths joined
Nightingale in transporting ammunition and powder to Fort Loudon in the late
1750’s. Senior trader James Beamer also partnered with Nightingale in the
transport of goods to Fort Loudon:
Powder & Ammunition & Cannon
An Account of Abraham Smith for Carting Powder &ca. to 15th of September 1757,
twenty five Pounds 5/. Friday the 19th of January 1759.
495. Abraham Smith for the hire of himself and three Horses to drive an Iron
Field Piece to Kewohee at £3 per day; the Committee allow 40/ per Day, which
deducting £10 paid by the Commissary, £158, allowed.
517. Abraham Smith for the Carriage of 1608 lb. Ammunition to Orangeburgh, £45,
paid by the Commissary, £10. The Committee [think] £30 sufficient for this
Service, £20 to be provided. Wednesday the 11th Day of June 1760.
Flour & Misc Goods
An Account of Thomas Nightengale for Sadlary Ware by Order of the Commissary for the
Indians to the 17th of November 1758 fifty five Pounds 13/9.
No. 289. A Certificate of John Chevillette in favour of James Beamer for
Carriage of Flour to fort Loudoun £292:19, allowed.
[SC Commons Journal 8 Mar 1758]
No. 218. A Certificate of John Chevillette in favour of James Beamer for Freight of Goods
to Keowee for a Bounty on Scalps £39:11:6, indorsed to John McQueen, allowed.
[SC Commons Journal 8 Feb 1758]
No. 145. Nightingale, Thomas, An Order in favour of James Beamer, drawn by John
Chevillette Indorsed to him £210, for the Carriage of 3000 lb. Weight of Flour
from Keeowee to Fort Loudoun, Allowed.
James Beamer for Carriage of Stores to Fort Loudoun amounting to £292:19.
[SC Commons Journal 10 Feb 1758]
[SC Commons House 8 Feb 1758]
No. 237. A Certificate of John Chevillette in favour of Richard Smith for the
Hire of ten Horses to Carry Stores from Keowee to Fort Loudoun Amounting [to]
£105 indorsed to Glen & Cooper, allowed.
A Certificate from the late Mr. Commissary Chevillette to James Beamer for
Carriage of 3000 lb. Wt. of Flour from Keeowee to Fort Loudoun the 14th of March 1757,
Indorsed to Thomas Nightengale, two hundred and Ten Pounds.
Friday the 19th of January 1759.
A Certificate from John Chevillette to Richd. Smith for the Carriage of 1500 lb. Weight of Flour from Keeowee to Fort Loudoun dated the 10th of March 1757,
Indors'd to M. & Campbell, One hundred and five Pounds.
Friday the 19th of January 1759.
288. Thomas Nightingale his Account amounting in the whole to £994:1, from
which the Committee deduct on the Article of Waggon-hire charged at £6 per diem
20/ which makes £82, the Balance being £912:1 to be allowed, £578:11 on Account
of the Expedition and £333:10 for the ordinary Services.
Saturday the 31st Day of May 1760.
Rum (account disallowed, not paid)
A Certificate from Captain Paul Demere to James Beamer for 5 Caggs of Rum
delivered to the Indians at a General Meeting dated 13th of October 1757,
indorsed to Thomas Nightingale for One hundred Pounds.
[SC Commons Journal 19 Jan 1759]
No. 147. Nightingale, Thomas, An Order drawn by Paul Demere in favour of
James Beamer and Indorsed to him, for Rum given to the Indians £100. The
Committee think this Certificate ought not to be allowed, because it has been
usual not to allow any Rum to be given the Indians in the Nation.
Friday the 2d Day of February 1759.
At this time, both William Emory and Robert Emory had gone off to do their duty
in the British army. Young John Emory (about 14) was an orphan and was probably employed by Nightingale as a helper or wagon driver. Young Will
Emory (15-16) rejoined the Cherokee at Keowee and may have gone up to Virginia with Warhatchy of Keowee. Their cousin, Susannah Emory (14) also
rejoined the Cherokee and hitched a wagon ride to Fort Loudon where she
caught the eye of Captain John Stuart. Halfbreed James Moore, John Emory’s
uncle, was also part of the transport – he lost a horse moving cattle to the fort
and was reimbursed.
[SC Commons House 8 Mar 1758]
Thomas Amory of Charleston, South Carolina, then Boston, Massachusetts,
is believed to be the father of Sarah Amory, who was born c.1710. She was described as a spinster when she married William Elder on 17 August 1747 at Saint Philip’s. He died in 1748. She then married Thomas Nightingale on 30 November 1749 at Saint Philip’s. Both her husbands were Indian traders, both were associates of John Amory (d.1746) another Indian trader, whose relationship to Thomas Amory of Charleston then Boston, is unknown.
She apparently was left with her aunt Sarah Amory (1690-1722?) in Charleston after her father remarried and moved to Boston. Her brief marriage to William Elder left her to dispose of his estate, which she did with businesslike vigor. When Sarah Amory, widow of John Amory (d.1746), gave up the Indian hospitality trade at Goose Creek Newmarket Plantation (in 1750), Thomas and Sarah Nightingale took it over.
An Account of Mrs. Sarah Amory in the Amount of £ 1399 : 5, being for the
Entertainment of the Cherokee Indians upon Charles Town Neck and for the
Pasturage of their Horses.
[SC Commons Journal of 9 Feb 1750, 3 May 1750]
An Account of Thomas Nightingale amounting to the Sum of two hundred and seventy
seven Pounds, seven Shillings and six Pence, it being for the entertainment of twenty
seven Chicasaw Indians and twenty five Catawbas upon Charles town Neck and for the
Pasturage of the Horses &c. (The committee found 14 punds overcharged.)
[SC Commons Journal of 18 Jan 1751, 27 Feb 1751, 9 May 1751]
Some of Sarah Nightingale’s expenses in the Indian trade:
When Little Carpenter came down with 70 Cherokee (led by Capt John Stuart) to celebrate
the completion of Fort Loudon, he was hosted by Mrs. Nightingale in Dec 1756. Her expenses
for 1756 (approved for £ 609) were not paid on time so her account for Little Carpenter’s
visit was a hefty £ 1520 (including the amount owed) – which was approved for payment.
[SC Commons Journal of 15 Jan 1756, 11 Feb 1756, 3 Feb, 4 Feb, 14 May 1757]
Two Accounts of Sarah Nightingale, one amounting to £103 for entertaining Indians
and the other to £150, for damages sustained by the Royal American Regiment being
encamp'd in her Pasture.
[SC Commons House of 18 Jan 1758]
Wednesday the 8th of February 1758.
No. 164. A Third Account of Sarah Nightingale Amounting [to] £49:1:6 for
Entertaining of Cherokee Indians, allowed.
Sarah Nightingale for Entertaining Indians amounting to £873:10.
[SC Commons House 9 Mar 1758]
An Account of Sarah Nightengale for Board and Lodging White Men and Indians &
Pasturage for their Horses to 21st November 1758, Seven hundred and fifty Pounds 2/6.
Friday the 19th of January 1759.
No. 143. Nightingale, Sarah, An Account for Entertaining Indians £750:2:6, In
which We find several Overcharges amounting to £82:11:3, the Ballance £667:11:3
to be allowed.
9. Sarah Nightingale for entertaining Indians, their Attendants and Horses,
£444:4:3 allowed.
Thursday the 24th Day of April 1760.
This is not a complete list of her accounts submitted. She made more than her husband Thomas did in the Indian trade.
Although it is a tradition from the 1850’s that the wife of Thomas Nightingale
was a daughter of Thomas Amory of Charleston, South Carolina, then Boston, Massachusetts, this has never been accepted by Thomas Amory researchers.
It fails on three points: an unknown first marriage, leaving a young child in
Charleston while Thomas moves to Boston, and no mention of her in his
correspondence or his estate.
There is better reason to believe that she m(1) John Amory, m(2) William
Elders, m(3) Thomas Nightingale. The dates work out. Plus it helps to
explain the closeness between Thomas Nightingale and the Emory Cherokee
children. (She was the stepmother of William Emory.)
The Indian accounts of Sarah Amory and Sarah Nightingale are identical and
there is no overlap and they both are incurred at New Market in Goose Creek
Charlestown Neck.
There is the problem of an earlier daughter of John Amory named Sarah (she
married Mungo Graham) but this could be a daughter from his first wife. Or,
the second Sarah could be named for Thomas Nightingale’s mother. This seems
to be the case as their only other child was named John, probably for Thomas
Nightingale’s father.
Then there are the baffling grandchildren named Isaac Amory Johnson and Mary
Amory Johnson, which are easy to explain as the older half brother and half
sister of Sarah Nightingale (b.1751). (See John Amory section.)
The arrival of Reverend Isaac Amory from England (and his return a year later)
corresponds to the illness and death of Sarah Amory Nightingale (1765).
There is a stronger case to be made for the wife of Thomas Nightingale being
the widow of John Amory rather than the daughter of Thomas Amory.
The Charleston, South Carolina, gentleman enjoyed the sport of horse racing. In 1735 a race track was laid out on the Broad Path as it went through Charlestown Neck. This course was called the Quarter House (the name of a nearby tavern)
and the York Course. In 1754, with the help of Thomas Nightingale, the New Market Course was laid out on New Market Plantation and became the place to race. (The York Course was also called the New Market Course in the 1740’s.)
[SC Hist Mag XIX 43-44]
To Be Run For, by Subscription,
at New-Market Course at Goose Creek,
by any Horse, Mare, or Gelding, on Thursday the 29th of September, a Silver Tankard,
Value One Hundred Pounds, for the first Horse. And a Pint Pot, Value Fifty Pounds,
for the second Horse. And, on Tuesday the 18th of October, two Pieces of Plate of the
same Value, where Gentlemen may be accommodated in the publick Way,
by Their humble Servant,
Robert Parker.
Excluded horses: Mr. Raper’s, Mr. McKever’s, Mr. Carter’s Chucklehead, and
Mr. Butler’s Roger.
[SC Gazette No.492, Monday 24 Aug 1743]
Stray’d, or privately put into Thomas Nightingale’s pasture call’d New-Market,
a bay horse branded on the mounting buttock CD+ , and on the shoulder WI.
Whoever proves his property as the law directs, may have him again, applying to
Alexander Gordon, J.P.
[SC Gazette No.846, Monday 23 Jul – 30 Jul 1750. s.b. Alexander Garden]
Thomas Nightingale . . . emigrated from Yorkshire to South Carolina as a young
man and got his start operating a cow pen on the frontier. He was evidently a shrewd
businessman as he was soon prosperous. In 1754 he decided to build Newmarket Race
Track in Charleston and the first races were held there in 1760. He was among the first
to import thoroughbred stock from
England to this country.
One of the most celebrated races of the colonial era was a match race held
between Adolphus, bred in Carolina and owned by William Henry Drayton, and
Thomas Nightingale's Shadow, bred in England by the Duke of Northumberland.
Shadow won the race easily and when Nightingale challenged any horse in South
Carolina to take him on, there were no acceptances.
Nightingale also promoted cockfighting.
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~jsggenealogy/Jsgordon/d1218.htm
John Nightingale married Anne (Nancy) Steele, daughter of Robert Steel(e) of Saint Philip’s Parish of Charleston, South Carolina. John died before 1747.
No descendents were left after 1753. Wife Anne died before 1753.
John and Nancy (Anne) had:
i. Ann (Nancy) Nightingale b. 23 May 1738 baptized 22 Jan 1742
bur. 2 Oct 1753 at Saint Philip’s.
ii. James Nightingale b. c. 1741 bur. 24 July 1746
Robert Steel, tanner, dated his will 3 February 1747 and it was proved on 4 March 1747. In his will he names his wife “Marter” (Martha), his daughter “Ann
Nightengal” and his minor granddaughter “Nancy Nightengal”. His widow
Martha went on to marry Hopkin Price, another tanner.
On 8 October 1753, Hopkin Price and wife Martha (formerly Martha Steel) sold
The property mentioned in the will of Robert Steel, his daughter and grand-
daughter both dying before 1753. (Robert Steel’s will gave his daughter Ann the
property until the granddaughter turned 16 or was married. But his wife Martha
was the executrix so before 23 May 1754 (the 16th birthday) she had to sell the
property or it would revert to the crown since the will had no other provision.
The land records of Thomas Nightingale are too numerous to list. He was not
wealthy but actively speculating in land that he believed would become valuable.
Some properties he never saw more than once. He purchased a lot in Beaufort
on Saint Helena’s Island, a tract near Ninety Six, and a tract on the Savannah
River, all on speculation. He did, though, get some land on the Santee River and
intended to move there but dangers from the Catawba Indians forced him to remain in Goose Creek --
Page 352: The Petition of Thomas Nightingale humbly setting forth:
That the Petitioner has made a settlement on Santee on Land that he is
desirous of having surveyed for himself and his Family. He has three
servants and one Child for whom as yet not any Land has been assigned him,
he prays to Lay out to the petitioner 200 acres on Santee or the waters
thereof. Cha’s Town, the 3d day of April 1753. The prayer thereof was
granted.
[Holcomb, Petitions for Land, p.216]
In 1769, shortly before both men died, Thomas Nightingale and William Emory
(along with Emory’s brother-in-law Aaron Loocock) submitted petitions together
for frontier land (on 6 June 1769). [Holcomb, Petitions for Land, p.233]
Thomas Nightingale b.1716 d.c.2 Nov 1769 buried at Saint Philip’s of Charleston, South Carolina. He married 30 Nov 1749 Sarah (Amory) Elders (b.c 1710 bur. 31 Mar 1765 at Saint Philip’s). She m(1) John Amory (d.1746) in England , m(2) William Elders 17 Aug 1747 at Saint Philip’s. He d.1748. She was probably the
daughter of ----- Wilson and the 2nd wife of John Amory, whom she marrried
13 February 1726 in Lincolnshire.
Children:
i. Sarah Nightingale b. 28 Aug 1751 d. 5 Oct 1825
buried at Saint Philip’s
m. 15 May 1769 William Johnson (b.1741 NY d. 21 Mar 1818
Charleston, SC); a patriot and leading figure of the SC revolution.
Had 12 children, see:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~jsggenealogy/Jsgordon/d1181.htm
89.
Sarah Nightingale
(8) was born on Aug 28 1751 in Charleston, South Carolina. She died on
Oct 5 1825. In her will dated Oct 31 1823, she stated that she owned a pew at
St. Philip's Church, where her husband and, almost certainly, herself are
buried.
She left considerable property including three houses and lots in Charleston, a
plantation, bank stock, and more than thirty named household slaves.
ii. John Nightingale bapt. 24 Mar 1762 at St. Philip’s bur. 12 Jun
1764 at St. Philip’s.