Appendix 3: The Ficklin Family

The Ficklin Family

Honest John Martin’s sister Ann Coleman Martin married William Phillips Ficklin. This chapter outlines the Ficklin family and elaborates on William and Ann’s children, two of whom served in the Black Horse Cavalry.

In 1912, Walter Homan Ficklin published a thorough investigation of the origins and genealogy of the Virginia Ficklin family. I quote it liberally below, especially for the generations before William Phillips Ficklin. [460] [461] I have extracted only the direct line of William Phillips Ficklin. The reference elaborates many collateral descendants.

Author Ficklin noted about this family: “They are moral, generally religious, of unimpeachable integrity, good citizens, fast friends and stern opponents of wrong and oppression… They have never been noted for taciturnity; but, on the other had, have always done their full share of talking whenever talking was allowable.”

The first Ficklin immigrant to Virginia was William Ficklin.

William and Sarah Ficklin

William Ficklin and perhaps his wife Sarah, arrived in Virginia about 1720 or 1730, and settled on about one hundred and fifty acres of leased land on the north bank of the Rappahannock River, in Brunswick parish, King George County. Here they spent the remainder of their lives. Tobacco was the chief product of their farm and out of this they were allowed to pay their rent, for at that time, tobacco was the currency. Here they reared a family of seven children, three daughters and four sons, all of whom lived to manhood or womanhood. William Ficklin died in 1756 when about sixty years of age. He probably did suddenly, since the deed of 1756 indicates that he left no will. All his children, excepting his two youngest sons, were married by this time and he had several grandchildren. His widow survived him and doubtless continued to reside on the old plantation on the Rappahannock, for they had leased it for the remainder of their lives, but of her there is no further record. They had four sons and three daughters:

1. Patience, who married Ignatius West. 2. Sarah, who married Stephen Bowen, and had a son, James. 3. Elizabeth, who married Robert Roach. 4. William (II). 5. Thomas (I). 6. Anthony. 7. Benjamin (I).

Anthony Ficklin Son of William and Sarah

Anthony Ficklin, son of William (I) and Sarah Ficklin, was born in King George County, and resided at Poplar Settlement in Stafford county, about ten miles from Falmouth. He married Elizabeth Bruce, daughter of Ch. Bruce of King George, whose wife is supposed to have been a Pannill. He died prior to 1810… [the names of his children are:]

1. Charles… who lived nearly all his life in Fauquier… married Mary

Strother, daughter of Anthony Strother of Spottsylvania County.[462]

2. Benjamin… married Susannah Foushee, in 1787 in Culpeper County. 3. Lewis. 4. Frances, who married a Duncan, and left no issue. 5. Elizabeth, who married a Stewart; their son and daughter went to

Missouri.

6. Mildred, who did not marry. 7. Susan, who married a Bell and, after his death, went to Missouri with

her family.

Lewis Ficklin Son of Anthony

Lewis Ficklin, son of Anthony, lived first in Stafford, as shown by the census of 1810. He was then over twenty-six and under forty-five years of age. The returns would indicate that his wife was living and that he had two daughters and two sons. He had fourteen slaves at that time. … his will was probated in [Fauquier county] in 1828, and his estate administered there in the years following. His wife was Simphah Rosah Enfield Phillips, who was born 10 April 1775.

Their sons were: 1. William Phillips Ficklin who married (1) Ann Coleman Martin and (2)

Frances Dulaney. [The book by Walter Homan Ficklin does not carry the Phillips-Martin-Dulaney lines any further.]

2. Gustavus, who married Virginia E. Nelson, of Fauquier and reared one

son, James W. of Warrenton, Va. Who married (1) Miss Green, (2) Miss Jasper, and (3) Miss McDonald, and has a son Lewis Hamilton. [Below says son is James W.]

Simphah’s Father Col. William Phillips

Lewis Ficklin’s wife was Simphah Rosah Enfield Phillips. Her father was William Phillips who married Elizabeth Fowke.[463] Col. Phillips was born November 1, 1744. He was a Colonel in the Revolutionary War, and at his death in 1797, was the High Sheriff of Stafford County, Virginia. Col. Phillip’s father was James Phillips of Wales, who came to Stafford County in 1714 and married Elizabeth Griffin.

William and Elizabeth had the following children. (I could not resist listing all their children because of the interesting names.):

1. Simphah Rosah Enfield who married Lewis Ficklin. (See below.)

2. Narcissa Burdett, born September 16, 1777. She married Stanfield Jones (more below. See the next page of Hayden.) [7 months between her and bro John?]

3. John Siddenham, born April 10, 1777. He died without issue.

4. Robert Dinwiddie, born November 30, 1779. He died without issue, September 6, 1802.

5. Ormacinda Maxamelia Pamelia, born September 17, d.s. 1781.

6. Tarissa Hamble, born February 10, 1783. She married a Cratcher.

7. Sophronis Griffin Harriet, born January 13, 1785. She died without issue.

8. William James who had no children.

9. Laurinda Louisa Agnes, born March 21, 1788 who had no children. 10. Silem Frederick Gustavus, born Mary 3, 1790. 11. Lucy Elizabeth Dinwiddie Mason, born February 11, 1793. {see next page of Hayden for more. ]

Lewis and Simphah’s Son Gustavus

William’s brother Gustavus S. Ficklin, “died in his house near Warrenton, November 18, [13 is probably the correct day] 1891 in the 78th year of his age”.[464] [465] The death date would put his birth about 1813, just seven years younger than William Phillips Ficklin. [Check death certificate for parents.]

His wife Virginia E. Nelson was born 11 June 1829 and died 19 September 1915. She is buried next to him. She was the daughter of George Nelson and Elizabeth Porter.[466] Virginia’s sister, Sarah is buried there, died 25 April, 1882 aged 50 years. Virginia’s parents are also buried here: Elizabeth H. Porter died 12 September 1873 aged 80 years. Her husband George Nelson died 23 March 1860 aged 76 years.[467]

Gustavus and Virginia’s only child was James W. Ficklin who was born 23 April 1852 and died 5 March 1932. His wife Lucy F. Jasper [his second wife] was born 28 November 1867 and died 15 January 1909. She is buried next to him in the Ficklin Cemetery.[468] He married third a Miss McDonald.[469] [check Fauquier marrages.]

Lewis and Simphah’s Son William Phillips Ficklin

William Phillips Ficklin was born in Stafford County, Virginia in 1806 and died in Fauquier County 21 December 1873 at age 67.[470] He was the son of Lewis Ficklin of Fauquier County and Simphah Rosah Enfield Phillips. William was named after his mother’s father, Col. William Phillips. Simphah was born April 10, 1775. Her family was well established in Stafford.[471] Simphah’s father was a Revolutionary War Colonel and High Sheriff of Stafford County, Virginia.

Ann Coleman Martin was his first wife. She was born 7 April 1805. At age 47 she died 22 February 1854.[472] The Reverend George Lemmon married Ann and William Phillips Ficklin,[473] 6 April 1836.[474] [475] [476] He was about 30. She was 30, one day before her 31st birthday. [Bible says she was his 3rd wife.]

Exactly nine months after the death of Ann, he married Frances Dulaney 22 [or 19 recheck] November 1854 in Fauquier County.[477] He was 48 and a widower, she was 44 and single. He was recorded as born in Stafford County, she in Culpeper County. She was the daughter of French and Ann Dulaney. Alexander H. Spilman performed the marriage ceremony. There is no record of children. [check Ficklin cemeteries for Ann’s and Frances’ grave. Bible says she was 3rd wife. ]

Ann and William Ficklin’s Home

The family lived at their home “Great Marsh” near Midland [Liberty]. “The Ficklin family owned the estate from 1832 to 1957. William and John Ficklin, who lived in the original Federal-style house, served in Company H of the 4th Virginia Cavalry or Blackhorse Troop.”[478]

Ann and William had four children. One son died at 18, another was killed at 20 and a girl died in infancy. Only Lewis survived to adulthood. One can only imagine the sadness of their father. Ann died before the deaths of her two boys. William Lewis and John Marshall were both in the Black Horse Cavalry. They were first cousins to the Martin boys.

George Martin Ficklin

William and Ann’s oldest son George was born 4 January 1838 in Fauquier County and at age 19 died of typhoid fever at home in September 1857.[479] He was named after his mother’s brother who also died young.

Francis Ann Ficklin

Francis [check spelling in death book.] was born 30 April 1842. She died in infancy, 26 May 1842.

John Marshall Ficklin

John Marshall Ficklin[480] was born 7 November 1843. He was killed 11 June 1864 at Trevillian Station, aged 20.[481] His body was never found. We know little about him except his military service record. He enlisted in the Black Horse 20 October 1862.

William Lewis Ficklin

William Lewis Ficklin was born in 18 September 1840. He died 20 April 1904, aged 63. He is buried in Warrenton Cemetery.[482] [483] He was the only adult survivor of his three siblings. He married Lucy Sales Eastham whose father was Col. Lawson Eastham of Rappahannock County who married Maria Dulan[?] 6 January 1838 in Fauquier County.[484] [Look for marriage record.] Lucy was born in 1848 and died in 1921. [Check death certif. for name of mother. ] She is buried in Warrenton Cemetery next to her husband.[485]

On February 21, 1938 His wife Lucy was reported to be living in Richmond, aged ninety-two.[486] This reference is wrong if her tombstone is correct. [check again.] [Look for marriage record in Rappahannock.]

They had the following children:[487] [488]

1. Anna. [Mary Kay has no record.]

2. William Phillips. He had a farm in Spring Hill. He married Louise Brown from Remington. She was the daughter of Judson Brown of Fauquier County.[489] They had two children: He is buried in Warrenton Cemetery; 1872-1929. His wife (1875-1956) is buried beside him.[490] 1. William, who died in June 1986. He worked in Saranac Lake, New

York in the hospital as an X-ray technician.

2. Mary Louise who married Donald Hamilton. Died November 1980.

3. Alice Dinwiddie, who is buried next to her parents in Warrenton Cemetery. Her tombstone says 1870-1962.[491] She never married and in her later years she lived with her sister Nan in Richmond.[492]

4. George, [Is this the assessor of Lee district?] who married Mae Malcom. They had: 1. Edward 2. George Lewis now retired in Boones Mill, Virginia. He married Mae

Morse, daughter of Dr. Edward Morse of Culpeper County.

3. William M. 4. Mildred.

4. John Dulaney. [A John D. Ficklin, born November 8, 1878, died May 19, 1967, is buried in Warrenton Cemetery. Mattie R. Ficklin, February 3, 1882-April 27, 1957 is buried next to him.[493]] Mr. William Ficklin said he married “Matt” [ask Mr. Ficklin, “Molly” vice “Matt”] Robinson from Lakota. John married Martha Caroline Robinson, daughter of Thomas Holmes Robinson of Fauquier County.[494] They had: 1. John Bland Ficklin who was born in 1911 and died in 1995. He is

buried in Arlington. [495] He married Elizabeth Spletter. Their children are:

1. John Bland Ficklin, Jr.
2. Mary Kay Ficklin [m. a Holterman.]
3. William Dulaney Ficklin [and others-get from Mary Kay.]

2. Thomas Phillip Ficklin. Called “Bug”, he died in Raleigh, North

Carolina about 1988. He had three children.

3. Jane Wilton Ficklin who married James Bresnahan. He was an F.B.I.

agent. She lives in Kansas City, Missouri. They have three daughters, two of whom are twins. A son died in infancy.[496]

6. Floyd. Died at age twelve[497]. He was born in the old Ficklin home place and later moved to Warrenton.[498]

7. Nancy, married Aubin Buckley Branch. Had a son Aubin.

William L. Ficklin’s Black Horse Service

William served in the Black Horse Cavalry as a Lieutenant. He was involved in a noted incident during the war when his comrade William Lee was killed:

In her Friday, April 17, 1863 letter, Susan Caldwell recorded: “Quite an excitement up town, the Black Horse are in full speed and the Yankees are up the street. We have just heard of the death of Richard [she mistakes Richard for William] Lee a member of the Black Horse. An officer was at John M. Fants’ and was in conversation with the Ladies when Lee heard of it, and although Lee was persuaded not to go he persisted saying he would make him surrender —he rushed in the house — some say he fired first, others say the officer fired first and shot him dead on the spot. Poor fellow we all knew him. Capt. Farnsworth shot him. Better for him to have remained away unless he had had more with him — some say that others were there and two were captured.[499]

Another source reports the same incident:

The Death of William Lee. In the early fall of 1862 a Federal colonel was eating dinner at “Melma,” home of colonel John M.[erriman] Fant. Fant was the father of five very attractive daughters and kept a good table. The visitor was facing the big front window and his white mare was hitched out in front. His comrades were camped across the river beyond Fant’s Mill. While enjoying his meal he saw four Confederates ride up in front. Two of them went in the back, one on each side of the house. The Federal officer’s orderly fled down toward the river on a fleet horse. Frank Duke one of the confederates, shot at him. The other three Confederates were Lieutanant Bill Ficklin, father of George Ficklin, the present assessor of Lee District [was Geo son of Bill or Gustavus?]; Hugh Hamilton, later Treasurer of Fauquier County and William Lee. Ficklin stayed out in front. William Lee, who was drinking, went on into the house and as he entered the dining room the Federal colonel shot him in the breast. However, Lee followed on after him into a entry, then went into Mrs. Fant’s room and fell behind the bed. It is said that there are still blood stains on the floor. The Federal officer went out a side door and on to a chimney, then dodged to the ice house and down by the garden fence. Hugh Hamilton shot at him three times but missed…[500] [find house, take photo.]

Fredericksburg Star, 4/22/04, p.2, c.2, cites 4th Va. Cav., per Krick. [Need citation; papers in my files] #

Till he ‘fell on sleep’ Tuesday morning last the 20th inst., in the 64th year of his age, William L. Ficklin was the only surviving child of the late William Phillips Ficklin, [and his wife Ann Coleman Martin] a Virginia gentleman of the old regime. Mr. Ficklin’s home was near Bealeton, Fauquier Co., Va., where he was born, reared and spent a most useful life. He was laid to rest on Friday afternoon last beside his ancestors at the old family residence. In early manhood he married the daughter of Col. Lawson Eastham of Rappahannock Co., who with five children mourn the loss of a loving and exemplary husband, a kind and indulgent father. At the call of his state, when but 20 years old, he went forth to the tented field in the distinguished Black Horse Cavalry under the command of the late Gen. William H. Payne,[501] and during the progress of the struggle between the states by duty well performed and personal gallantry rose to a lieutenancy in that command. He with his comrades emblazoned the name of the “Black Horse Troop” high on the roll of fame. An intimate association with Mr. Ficklin from boyhood enables me to state that truth and honor were the sheet anchors of a life that wrought to him such character as to do honor to his age and generation. His personality was a most pleasing one. While having principles and firmly adhering to them he never sought to enforce his views on others. All knowing him will concur that “Billy Ficklin” was a manly man, a brave soldier and a courteous gentleman. (Born 1841.)[502]

[check WPA records for this home.]

Insert Family Tree diagram of Ficklin Family.

Possibly add this material:

STROTHER

Excerpts from A GENEALOGICAL HISTORY OF THE FICKLIN FAMILY, compiled by Walter (or Homan) Roman Ficklin published by the W. H. Kistler Press,

Denver, CO. in 1912, Page 45.

20. Charles Ficklin, son of Anthony, lived nearly all of his life in Fauquier. His father speaks of him as a citizen of that county in a deed dated October 29, 1784. (Stafford records) He speaks of himself as a citizen of Fauquier in his Will, which was probated October 28, 1816. His wife, Mary, is mentioned in the Will, and the children named therein were as follows:

(61.) Anthony Strother was living in Stafford in 1810 (Census). He married, but he died childless, l844, in Fauquier, where his estate was administered.

(62.) Charles B. never married.

(63.) Betsy did not marry and lived with her sister, Mrs. C. M. Johnson, and died in her home, the old Nathan Boone Place on Femme Osage Creek, St. Charles County, Missouri, and is buried there.

(64.) Susan B., married a Mr. Robinson, and lived at Wheeling, West Virginia.

(65.) Maria Pannel, married Major Thomas Tate and had one child, Mary STROTHER Tate, who married John W. Taylor, and reared six children: Maria Virginia Sarah Margaret India STROTHER Thomas Tate Mary L.

(66.) Nancy married George Buckner Fant, December 15, 1815, and emigrated to Missouri. They had a son, Charles Ficklin Fant. Miss M. E. Deatherage, of Carrollton, Missouri, is a descendant of theirs.

(67.) Drucilla Harriet married Charles Morehead Johnson and moved to Missouri. They had a son, Charles Montgomery Johnson, who died in St. Charles, Missouri, June 7, 1910.

(68.) Polly married Philip Foushe.

*The maiden name of Mary, wife of Charles Ficklin, has been handed down to her descendants as Mary STROTHER, daughter of ANTHONY STROTHER of Spottsylvania County. It will be noted her first child was named in honor of Anthony Strother, and she had a granddaughter named Mary Strother Tate.

(Corrections have been made by Mrs.(George W.) Mary Johnson McElhiney) from http://www.mindspring.com/~tkemp/stroth3.html :