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Joshua Singleton, son of Robert and Elizabeth, inherited land in Richmond County, Virginia and there he married Ann McCarty who was the daughter of Daniel McCarty, another of Virginia's wealthy planters. They resided in North Farnham Parish of Richmond County the land that Robert Singleton had purchased in 1711. Birth records from this parish have been preserved and are among the records of Richmond County, Virginia. Births of four of Joshua's children are recorded.
1. SARAH, b.
3 Aug 1725, m. by 8 Nov 1743 to John Rust
2. JOSHUA,
b. 23 July 1727/8
3. ANNE, b.
27 Aug 1730
4. STANLEY,
b. 2 Oct 1731 (our ancestor)
Anne must have died in infancy for she is not mentioned in her father’s will. The will does name another son, Robert, who was probably the eldest.
Joshua Singleton's will was proved in court on the fifth of February 1732 (Richmond County Will Book 5, p.184). The Stafford County land on the Occaquan River, which Joshua had inherited from his father, was now in the newly formed Prince William County and was to be equally divided between sons Robert and Stanley.
Joshua's estate inventory shows him to have been a wealthy slave owner, holding personal goods valued at 300 pounds English Money. The children were very young at the time of Joshua's death and he made provision in his will for their education. He stated that it was his will that his "three sons, Robert, Joshua and Stanley be kept in school till they are perfect readers in the Holy Bible and capable of writing a good, legible hand and proficient in Arithmetick as far as the rule of three". Daughter Sarah was to “have one whole year's schooling."
Only two years after Joshua's death his widow, Ann (McCarty)Singleton, died. In her will, written 9 April 1734, Ann directed that her cousin, Mary Thornton, take care of her plantation and rear her children. Mary Thornton had witnessed Joshua's will two years earlier and may have made her home with them. Ann' s will was recorded 1 July 1734 in will Book 5, page 239 of Richmond County, Virginia.
The exact location of Joshua and Ann's land was not described in either will. Land records in the Richmond County Courthouse show where Joshua's descendants sold lands on Totuskey Creek in North Farnham parish, so that is apparently the area in which they lived.
The three sons of Joshua and Ann (McCarty) Singleton became successful in adulthood. Robert and Joshua, Jr. became surveyors and Robert's name is found often in the old surveys of Fauquier County, Virginia. The occupation of a surveyor was normally reserved for the privileged gentleman who had an eye for speculative opportunities.
Joshua, Jr. had received the home plantation and all of the Richmond County lands. He was married in 1749 to Ann Samford, the daughter of James and Mary (Barber) Samford. He died on the 20th of February 1773 in North Farnham Parish of Richmond County, probably at the plantation hone of his birth. Most of his children were under the age of twenty one when he wrote his will on 17 August 1772. It was probated on 3 March 1773. His eldest son, Robert was to care for the younger children. The children of Joshua, Jr. and Ann (Samford) Singleton were:
1. Robert,
b. 7 Nov 1750, d. 1781, m. Drucilla Webb
2. Fredric,
killed in the Revolutionary war
3. ANN
McCARTY, m. 19 Apr 1775 to James Edmondson, Jr. who died in 1779 in Essex
C0., VA without children. Ann
was married again in 178_ to Eppa Hubert.
4. JOSHUA,
b. 20 Dec 1759. Lived in Fauquier Co., VA. later in Lunenburg Co., VA and
in Kentucky.
5. JAMES,
b. 2 Aug 1762, lived in Frederick Co., VA. Was a General and a member of
the Virginia legislature.
6. JOHN,
b. 3 Jan 1765, died young.
7. SAMUEL,
b. 16 Jan 1767.
Joshua and Samuel moved to Lunenburg County, VA where their father owned land. About 1789 they removed to Kentucky. Kentucky records reveal that a large number of The Singletons from Virginia settled in Lincoln, Fayette, Jefferson and Jessamine Counties of that state.
Ann McCarty, who became the wife of our ancestor Joshua Singleton, was the daughter of Daniel McCarty.
THE HISTORICAL ATLAS OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY, VA states that Daniel was born in 1679 in England, The son of Dennis and Elizabeth(Billington) McCarty. He was a Captain in the Colonial Militia, a Sheriff in 1710 and a Justice in 1714.
A plaque in the Old Courthouse in Warsaw, Richmond County, VA. lists the names of both Daniel and his father, Dennis McCarty, as being among the first Prosecuting Attorneys of that county.
Daniel McCarty is buried in the Old Yeoomico Church Cemetery in Westmoreland County, VA. The inscription on his tomb can no longer be read. The following is taken from A SKETCH OF YEOCOMICO CHURCH and was reprinted from an article by Mrs. Elenor Griffith Fairfax, which was printed in THE SOUTHERN CHURCHMAN in 1888. "Close to the base of the right and east gable is the rocky foundation of a vault, in size 15x18 feet; it is now a grassy mound with several cedar trees growing upon it. Near the center of this mound is a gray stone tablet much defaced by time, and it was only after repeated efforts that I have finally succeeded in making out the inscription, which is as follows, Here lyeth the body of Daniel McCarty, who departed this life the fourth of _____ 1724, in the forty-fifth year of his age. He was endowed with many virtues and good qualifications, but the actions proceeding from them bespeak their praise. Here also lyeth the body of Thaddeus McCarty, youngest son to Daniel McCarty, Esq., who died the 7, of February, 1731, in the 19, year of his age.
Near this place likewise is the body of Penelope, wife to Daniel McCarty, second son of Daniel McCarty, Esq., and daughter to Christine Higgins, Gent., who departed this life the 26, of March, 1732, in the 19 year of her age, with one child."'
Sources: Richmond
County, VA Microfilm Reel No. 66 in the Virginia State Library, Richmond,
VA. Richmond County, VA Wills and Deeds.A SKETCH OF YECOMICO CHURCH IN
COPLE PARISH, WESTMORELAND COUNTY, VA, by W.T. Mayo, W.R. Crabbe, &
S.D. Cox. C.E. Sudworth, Printer, 510 12th St. N.W., Washington, D.C.
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