| Notes |
- Winston Dalton, in separate entries in his journal, refers to Micajah as both Micajah Wheeler and Micajah Wheeler Bennett. I have always assumed that Winston was old when he wrote this and that this was just an error in his journal. However, Mary Foote Lund has shown me that his name also appears both ways in official records. After studying this information, it appears that his true surname was Wheeler. Since Charity Wheeler is inovled in several important records, there is a good possibility that she is Micajah's mother. Micajah named his first daughter Charity. William Bennett, son of Peter, also seems to be a very important person. This is speculative, but I see two possibilities worth researching. It is possible that Charity Wheeler was widowed and then later married William Bennett. If Micajah was very young, he could have taken his stepfather's name and still used Wheeler in official records. Alternatively, Micajah could be the illegitimate child of Charity Wheeler and an unkown Bennett, perhaps William.
Below is some information sent to me by Mary Foote Lund:
"I have found evidence that Micajah Wheeler Bennett did in fact use Micajah Wheeler in addition to Micajah Wheeler Bennett/Micajah Bennett. This wasn't just a slip on Winston Dalton's part. On a recent visit to the Library of Virginia I located Micajah and Patsey Pullen's marriage bond records which include her father's consent and the bond. They both have some peculiarities, but most noteworthy is that the bond is issued to Micajah Wheeler Bennett, while the consent was for the marriage of Micajah Wheeler and Patsey Pullen written in Thomas Pullen's hand.
If he used Micajah Wheeler, 2 indentures in the Pittsylvania Deed records are pertinent, and they do fit with his timeline. On 3 Feb 1801 Micajah Wheeler purchased 220 acres on the Great Branch of Old Womans Creek from Ambrose Colyer, the indenture being witnessed by Martin Dalton, James Dalton and Stephen Toler. This is less than 2 years after Micajah and Patsey's marriage. On 13 April 1804 Micajah Wheeler sold the same land to William Burnett, both "of Pittsylvania County." The Indenture is not witnessed but is signed by both Micajah and Patsey Wheeler. Micajah and Patsy/Martha Wheeler Bennett were living in Franklin County in 1810 when he died, and when Patsy appears in the census, and references to other legal proceedings imply he had lived there for some time. He did not buy land in Franklin County under either name, however.
My brother, an attorney, says that land records always were very important, the most important part of the law, and the standards were very strict. Micajah may have gone by Micajah Wheeler Bennett, but these land records strongly suggest his 'legal' name was Micajah Wheeler (assuming these are the same person). This might be the case if he was raised by a Bennett step-father who never officially adopted him.
The few documents I have include only one Bennett. The marriage consent was witnessed by Stephen Toler (who also witnessed the deed) and William Bennett. And, it seems they were more than casual witnesses. The consent reads "Sir It seems to be agreed to amongst us that there be a Marriage between Micajah Wheeler & Patsey Pullen. Please grant a license for officiating the same. given under my hand this 20th day August 1799 Thomas Pullen" Not very enthusiastic. (Between 'Wheeler' and 'Patsey' is a coarse addition that may be a 'B,' as if a clerk may have been bothered that the consent and bond were in different names.)
William Bennett also appears in Micajah Wheeler Bennett's estate papers. The final accounting of his estate provided by his administrator includes 2 payments totally over
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- 1810
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