VAUGHAN, ETC NEWSLETTER
June 1987
EDITOR: Verna Baker Banes
Page 49
RESEARCH COMPILED ON MELKIJAH VAUGHAN by MARY GREGG, 3604 Spotswood,
#2, Memphis, TN 38111
MELKIJAH VAUGHAN OF MORGAN AND BLOUNT COUNTIES IN ALABAMA AND
WILSON COUNTY IN TENNESSEE
and
MICAJAH VAUGHAN OF BRUNSWICK COUNTY IN VIRGINIA
Ref: A History of Morgan County, Alabama. John Knox. p. 91
"Melkijah Vaughn, co-operator of one of Somerville's first stores was a delegate to the first
constitutional convention, and served as a representative from Cotaco County in the 1818
General Assembly.
He had come from Brunswick Co., Virginia, where he had married Delilah McKenny in 1791.
She died in 1815 and his second wife was Dicey (Wesson) Walker. Vaughn moved to Georgia
about 1798-99, returned to Virginia for a while, and then came to Morgan County about 1817.
He seems to have returned to Brunswick County for a while, but afterwards returned to Morgan,
since he served in the Legislature again in 1825 and 1827. He died in Morgan County about 1828.
His land grants were in the region north of Florette and near the site of the first county court, but
his business and political interests seem to have centered in Somerville."
By the time I saw the above-cited article, I had had similar information from another source -
I believe it was something someone had put in the vertical file in the Huntsville, Alabama, Library.
I thought the compiler of the information was mixing up Micajah Vaugh(a)n of Brunswick County,
Virginia, with an entirely different man - Melkijah Vaugh(a)n, who probably had roots in the
Halifax County, Virginia, area. My reasons:
1. I almost never see the name of the Alabama man without the "l", whereas Micajah Vaughn
of Brunswick County, Virginia seems definitely to have been named the fairly common name
"Micajah". Melkijah (various spellings, but always with an "l" in it) is a most uncommon name.
The earliest instance of it I have seen is in the Sprag(g)ins family of Halifax County, Virginia, with
whom the Vaughan family of that county intermarried. I have documentary evidence that there
existed a man by the name of Melkijah Spraggins Vaughan, and I believe him to be the same man
who is found in early Cotaco (Morgan) County, Alabama, though I cannot prove that.
2. The name Melkijah Vaughan is found in several branches of the Vaughan family in Mississippi,
Tennessee and Texas, often in families which also use the given name Hun(d)ley. The earliest known
Hundley Vaughan was definitely from Pittsylvania and Halifax Counties, Virginia, and is not known
to ever have been associated with the Brunswick County family.
In 1977, I was in Richmond, Virginia, doing research at the Virginia State Archives, and I spent
a little time searching the Brunswick County records to see what I could find on Micajah Vaughan.
I read the Personal Property Tax Lists because these would not show a person as a tithable unless
he actually did live in the county, and I wanted to see if Micajah Vaughan were living in Brunswick
County at a time when Melkijah Vaughan is known to have been in Alabama. I read the tax lists
for the years 1819-1825 because we can pinpoint Melkijah as being in Alabama in at least some of
those years. I did not find Micajah on every list; I read hurriedly and it is possible that a more care-
ful reading would locate him. However, he is definitely in Brunswick County in 1812, 1813, 1814
(and other years), and the Alabama man is definitely in Alabama during that time.
BRUNSWICK COUNTY, VIRGINIA PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX LISTS
Columns: 1) White male tithables (2 & 3) Slaves, most years the two columns are designated slaves
under 12 and over 12 (4) Horses
1806 Micajor Vaughan 1 - - 1
1807 Micajor Vaughan 1 - - 1
1808 -There is no list for 1808
1809 Micajor Vaughan 1 - - 1
1810 Micajah Vaughan 1 - - 1
1811 Micajah Vaughan 2 - - 2
1812 Micajah Vaughan 2 - - 2
1813 Micajah Vaughan 2 - - 2
1814 Micajar Vaughan 3 - - 2
1815 Micajar Vaughan 3 - - 2
1816 Not found
1817 Not found
1818 Micajah Vaughan 1 - - 1
1819 Not found
1820 Micajah Vaughan 1 - - 1
1821 Micajah Vaughan - 1 - -
1822 Micajah Vaughan 1 - - 1
1823, 1824, 1825 - Not found
Melkijah Vaughan was in Alabama in 1813. He served in the 7th Regiment, Mississippi Territorial
Militia
from Madison County, Alabama, from November 8, 1813 until December 9, 1813.
On July 8, 1818, the Land Office at Huntsville (Alabama) issued a document which states, "It
is hereby certified that Melkijah Vaughan of Cotaco County, A.T., did on the Eighth day of July
1818 purchase the lot or North East quarter of Section numbered one in Township No. Seven, Range
No. Two West in the District of lands offered for sale at Huntsville....159 80/100 acres in Mad. Dist.,
A.T....$319.60...." So he must have been in Alabama in 1818, and that is confirmed by the fact that
he served in the General Assembly from Cotaco County that year. It is further confirmed by the fact
hat his name appears in a record of the
Cotaco County Orphans Court in 1818.
In 1822, he was Clerk of the Court in Blount County.
I do not believe he could have been in Virginia in both 1813 and 1814,
[... this continues on page 49 -- the previous page of the newsletter -- they were printed out of order, it seems.
rj]
contact me, Linda CONAWAY Welden at:
Linda_Welden@Vaughan-Vaughn.org
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