Sunday, August 11, 2013

MICAJER BUNCH

                                        
There were several people named Micajer Bunch.  The Micager I follow in this research is also listed on several records with the nickname “Cage” He is associated with my seventh generation grandfather William “The Tory” Riddle. I don’t know if this association was from their neighborhood 1750’s in the community of the Flat River, Orange County, NC, or a possible relationship by blood, or marriage.   

The first record I have found on Micager was this 1749 tax list of Lunenburg County, Virginia (from Sunlight on the Southside) William Howard’s list; Gedion Bunch and tithe Cage Bunch. Note; Obviously, Cage is the son of Gedion Bunch. I am convinced this is the same Micajer “Caiger” Bunch who has such a close association with the Riddles, Collins and Gibsons. Who later moved 1790’s into Hawkins County, Tennessee.

Gedion Bunch moves into Granville County, NC (Orange County formed from Granville County in 1753) Granville Tax List 1750.*A tithe is a male 16, or over) William Bolling 1 tithe; James Bowling 1 tithe; *Gideon Bunch  2 tithes.; Thomas Collins Sr. 1 tithe; Samuel Collins 1 tithe; John Collins 1 tithe; Thomas Gibson with tithes Charles Gibson and George Gibson. 

Gedion Bunch born about 1715 was son of John Bunch born about 1695 because he sold the land his father John Bunch inherited.  John was the son of Paul Bunch who was born about 1670.  Paul Bunch received a land patent for 265 acres on the south side of the Roanoke River adjoining Gideon Gibson on Jan 1, 1725. His Will was probated March 10, 1727 in Chowan County, NC leaving his land and 8 slaves to son John Bunch, and to Fortune Holdbee and her daughters Keziah and Jemima. Elizabeth Bunch and another daughter Russell received one shilling each. 

John Bunch SR born ca 1630 came to Lancaster County, Virginia in 1651 as an indentured servant. He later moved to New Kent County, Virginia and owned land on the Pamunkey River by 1670’s John Bunch Sr had at least two sons:
John Bunch Jr. (had large family in Louisa County, Virginia. 
Paul Bunch listed above (died 1726 in Chowan County, NC 
There is a legend among descendants of the above named Bunches that they are related to Pocahontas, the Pohattan Indian princes who married John Rolf (Park Bunch families by Alice Crandall Park and Mrs. Garland King, Tennessee State library.)

  Micajer Bunch son of Gedion is listed in 1754 Orange County, NC tax list of Gedion Macon in the household of John Stoud who paid a tax for Micager Bunch and Lydia Bunch possibly his daughter and son in-law?

The 1755 Orange County, North Carolina, tax list several families who either they are their forefather once lived on the Pamunkey  River in Louisa County, Virginia and who eventually migrated  to Hawkins County, TN and became know as the Melungeons. 
Gidean Bunch 1 tithe (mulatto)

Micajer Bunch 1 tithe (mulatto)
Moses Ridley (Riddle) 1 tithe and wife Mary (mulattoes)
Thomas Collins 3 tithes (mulatto) 
Samuel Collins 3 tithes  (mulattoes)
John Collins 1 tithe (mulatto)
Thomas Gibson 3 tithes (mulatto)
Charles Gibson 1 tithe (mulatto)
George Gibson 1 tithe (mulatto)
Mager Gibson 1 tithe (mulatto)

Most of these families moved from the flat River to the New River area of Virginia and North Carolina. The follow tax lists are from Kegley’s early adventures on the Western Waters) 1771 New River area Botetourt County, Virginia
Charles Collins 1 tithe
John Collins 4 tithes
Samuel Collins two tithes
Charles Sexton 1 tithe
McKegar Bunch 1 tithe
William Sexton 1 tithe


Some of these including Micager Bunch were living on Indian Lands.
Fincastle County was formed from Botetourt in 1772; this 1773 tax list shows the ones living on Indian land. Which means they had crossed the survey line agreed upon in the treaty of Lochaber as the western boundary.   
David Collins (Indian Lands)
Charles Collins (Indian Lands)
Samuel Collins (Indian Lands) 
George Collins (Indian lands)
*Micajer Bunch (Indian lands)
John Collins SR 
John Collins Jr. 
Ambrose Collins
Elisha Collins 
Lewis Collins

Micajer Bunch was in the battle at Point Plesant against the Shawnee Indians (1774 Lord Dunsmore War, Montgomery County Soldiers by Kegley) 
William Riddle this authors seventh generation grandfather also fought in this war and their commanding officer Captain William Herbert plaintiff, Cajer Bunch and Wm Ridley defendants. 2- William Scott and Micajer Bunch, debt  (Fincastle County, Virginia Court Record) 

Wilkes County NC land records Micajer Bunch land on Elk Creek and it was at the mouth of Elk Creek where Capt William Riddle camped when he took Col. Benjamin Cleveland hostage. Was taking him to the British Command post in SC for ransom money from the British to. William Riddle camp was near the mouth of Elk Creek on Riddle Knob and a knob nearby was called Bunches Knob. William Riddle was hung in the spring of 1781 at Wilkesboro NC. His Widow and children migrated to Hawkins County and some of his children eventually migrated from Hawkins County, Tennessee, Lee County, Virginia. Then to Cumberland County, KY. And it’s possible they left the New River area at the same time. 

The exact date of Micajer Bunch land purchase is not found, but on a grant March 3, 1792, to John Rice  140 acres on the waters of Joseph Wallings Mill Creek a branch of the Clinch River and beginning at a popular and Dogwood being a corner of Micajer Bunch claim then running along Bunch line. This land was located near Present day Kyles Ford, Hancock County, TN and very new the border of Virginia. This land location explains why Cager (Micajer) Bunch signed the 1792 petition to form Lee County, Virginia. At this time Virginia claimed most of the land on the North side Of Clinch River.  (Tax list form Virginia State Library. At Richmond)
Lee County, Virginia tax list. 17th March 1795.
Drury Bunch (1 horse)
Micajah Bunch (1 horse)
Torel Bunch (1 horse)
Clem Bunch (no horses)

The 1796 tax list of  Lee County, VA also included the same list but adds Isyreal Bunch,

1797 Lee County, VA  tax list  Micajer Bunch, Isreal Bunch, Solomon Bunch, Claiborn Bunch, Jesee Bowlin,  Zachariah Goins, he was son of John and Elizabeth Goins, of Henry County, Virginia 

Micajer Cage Bunch is listed by Some historians as one of the first Melungeons in this Newman Ridge, Blackwater area. Micajer along with several other families migrated to Cumberland County, Kentucky in about 1798. 
1799- (Cumberland County, KY tax list courtesy Mary Hill, Family History Center, Salt Lake City, Utah.)   Jessee Robert, Cage Bunch, Elisha Blevins, Joseph Bunch, Drury Bunch, James Roberts? Stephen Robinson, Moses Roberts, George Rogers, John Rogers all of these believed from the Newman Ridge, Blackwater area of Lee County, Virginia and Hawkins County, Tennessee. Micajer Bunch is missing from the 1804 Cumberland County, Kentucky  tax list. He probably died between the 1793 and 1804 tax collections.
What is weird is that on the 1805 Tax list of Cumberland County, Kentucky most of these on the 1799 list are gone. James and Joseph Riddle sons of  Captain William and happy Rogers Riddle also settled in Cumberland County, Kentucky around 1804-5.

Jack

1 comment:

  1. Thanks I used the historical records to actually travel to the places where they once lived, on the Flat River and on the New River which includes Bunch's knob near Todd NC.


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