Blog Some Genealogy

What’s in a name you ask? The death of a daughter of Amar VIAH was recorded in the Parish Register of Saint Peter’s in Virginia. Her name seems to be written as “Nahome”. Was she “Nahome”, “Nohoma”, “Nohome”, “Nohomo”, “Nahoma” or “new born’d” or none of the above? Is there a capital letter missing at the front of her name?

I think she was probably “Nohome”. In Virginia the “h” could have sounded like an “r”, as her surname “VIA” was also “VIAR” and VIAH”. Perhaps it sounded like “Nommie”. In 17th century Virginia, Eleanor and Honora were popular names related to each other. “Nora” was a traditional nickname for both names. And “Nonnie” was often the nickname for “Nora”.

Why did Amer name his daughter “Nahome”?

More on Nicknames and Diminutives

This is a scanned image of an original page from the Saint Peter’s Parish Register. It shows the baptisms of three daughters of Amer VIA of New Kent County, Virginia. If anyone has higher quality images of this page or any other page relating to Amer VIA, I would be most happy to receive it and post it to the Internet. Click on image for full size.

The VIA family of New Kent, Hanover and Albemarle Counties, Virginia is very difficult to research beyond Amor VIA who first appears in Virginia in 1677.. The main reason is that there are so many different ways of spelling that surname. Amor VIA was likely the first to use the “VIA” spelling, and it became somewhat standardized amongst his descendants, occasionally varying as “Viar or Viah”.

However, in early Tidewater Virginia and just across the Potomac River in Maryland, are various other spellings used during the 1600s, such as Viers, Vear, Veares, Vares, Veirs, Veer, Veers, Vyer and that does not even include the names that use the letter “W” in place of “V”, such as Wier, Weir, Wear, Weare, Ware and so on. If and how all of these early Virginia settlers are related to one another is possibly a forever unsolved mystery. This site: Viers Random Notes attempts to unravel the mystery.

It was here that I first came across the reference to “Danll VEARES”. This is 14 years after Amor VIA’s record of transportation, 1677, and just three years prior to the first mention of Amer VIA in the records of Saint Peter’s Parish. Danll VEARES, along with 16 other persons was transported by William Winston, who is recorded in New Kent County. The land that he and Englebrecht were granted was “on lower side of Mattadecus Cr;”. In 1704, when Saint Paul’s Parish was cut off from Saint Peter’s, we find that Amer VIA was living above the mouth of Matadequin Creek.

VEARES, DANLL-“Wm. Winston & Jno. Englebrecht, 800 acs. New Kent Co; on lower side of Mattadecus Cr; adj. Jno. Geraway; 28 Apr. 1691, pg. 129. Granted Jno. Pouncy, 9 June 1666 deserted & now granted by order &c. Imp. Of 16 pers: (list of names including:) DANLL. VEARES….” Source: Cavalier and Pioneers 1666-1695, Patent Book 8, pg. 358, Vol II-Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants, by Nell Marion Nugent, Pub. By Virginia State Library, Richmond, Va-1977.

Culpeper County, Virginia: 2 miles NE of Winston on Rt. #49; thence west of Rt. #49 about 300 yards.

This is not a very large cemetery. It contains besides the stone whose inscription is given below, several new graves and several with unmarked stone. The graveyard is nicely kept and is fenced in from stock.

The four inscriptions given below are all on one stone which is a comparatively new one. These inscriptions were probably obtained from the family Bible when the stone was erected.

Sarah Guinn
wife of John Guinn
Born 1824
Died 1848

Amanda Guinn
Born 1831
Died 1853

Benjamin Guinn
Born 1851
Died 1860

John Guinn
Born 1785
Died 1852

Source: Library of Virginia Digital Collection, LVA Titled Files: Survey Report, Guinn Cemetery: 12 March 1937, Research made by Margaret Jeffries.

This studious analysis of early VIA people was posted this morning by Judy Maupin Pons of the VIA-L Message Board:

Robert first appears in the processioning records of New Kent County, St. Paul’s Parish in 1716. In order to hold title to land the owner must have been at least 21 years of age. Robert’s birth date is estimated to be 1695 or before. Robert was in the processioning records through November 1759. Robert’s death date is estimated to be between 1759 and 1763. No Via’s are listed in the processioning records again until 1731. The processioning records are incomplete with some original pages missing so that may account for the missing years.

In 1731 both William and Robert Via appear in the processioning records.

Margaret (or Mary) has disappeared from the processioning records. In studying the neighbors it appears as though William was living on the land once occupied by Amor Via. This indicates William was not of age in 1716 but was of age by 1731 making his birth year 1698-1710. William Via was in the processioning records from 1731 through 1743.

In 1739 a second William Via appears in the processioning records of Hanover County, St. Paul’s Parish. His birth year is estimated to be 1718 or before. William II appears in the processioning records in 1739 and 1743.

Gideon first appears in the processioning records of Hanover County, St. Paul’s Parish in 1751 making his birth year 1730 or before. This Gideon is in precinct 20. There are no other Via’s listed in this precinct.

In 1755 a Gideon Via appears in precinct 18 with Josias Via and Robt Via.

Gideon is in the processioning records through 1767.

Josias Via first appears in the processioning records of Hanover County, St. Paul’s Parish in 1755 making his birth year 1734 or before. Josias is in the processioning records from 1755 through 1779.

The second Robert Via first appears in the processioning records of Hanover County, St. Paul’s Parish in 1759 making his birth year 1738 or before.

Robert II is in the processioning records from 1759 through 1779.

A third William Via appears in the processioning records of Hanover County, St. Paul’s Parish in 1767 making his birth date 1746 or before. William III is in the processioning records from 1767 through 1779.

The following was published to the VIA-L Message Board by VIA researcher, Judy Maupin Pons:

After studying some of the early records pertaining to the Via’s, here are some of my comments:

• Amer was transported in 1677. No notation is given to indicate that he was a minor. The belief is that Amor was born in 1656 or before.
• April 11, 1699 in St. Peter’s Parish the baptism of Judith Via, daughter of Amer Via was recorded.
• August 3, 1701 in St. Peter’s Parish the baptism of Margaret Via, daughter of Amer Via was recorded.
• February 27, 1703 in St. Peter’s Parish the baptism of Mary Via, daughter of Amer Via was recorded.
• In 1704, Amer Vice paid a Quit Rent Roll tax on 50 acres of land in New Kent County, Virginia. (This information came from a transcribed book. I’ve seen the name on original records before that was written as Via but transcribed as Vice when the “a” was not completely closed.)
• Amor Via’s land was processioned in New Kent County, St. Paul’s Parish in 1708/09. In 1711 Amor’s land was processioned and in his place is the name Marg: Via. It appears as though Amor died after March 1709/09 and before March 1711/12.
• In 1711/12 the processioning records gives the name as Marg: Via. This record may refer to Amor’s wife. It still bothers me that she is not listed as “widow” as many of the other women are, but at this point I cannot think of any other reasonable explanation as to who she may have been.
• In 1716 the processioning records gives the name as Mary Via. The return still lists the land as belonging to Amor Via. This seems to indicate that the estate of Amor was still not settled.

My first question has always been, “from whence came the ‘transported’ Amor VIA?” In Saint Peter’s parish records there is also this: “nohome daugh: to Amar Viah deceased ye 26 :d of 1688” I myself believe that Amor VIA was alive through the 1716 processioning records, and that the names that look like “Margaret” or “Mary” VIA, were transcription misreadings of the original records, as nowhere is this person described as a woman, such as “widow”. At this period of time in Virginia, only single women of age or widows had property rights.

On 3 April 1716, “Amor VIA” was processioned in Saint Paul’s parish at the lower church, according to “Vestry Book of Hanover County, Virginia 1706-1786,” pages 245, 251: “We have peaceably processioned the lands of Jonas Lawson, Wm Talley, Mark Anthony, Amor VIA, Widd: Thompson, Widd: Burnet, Widd: Peece & Widd: Crawfort Peter Plantine not present John Tally having no land adjoining - overseers Robt Horsley and John Matlock.” If “Amor VIA” was deceased at the time, 1716, the record should have shown him as “Estate of” or “Widow”, in my opinion.

Albemarle County, Virginia, June 21, 1779

The following are notes from the transcriber about this unique document, known as the Albemarle Declaration of Independence. The entire transcription, including the names of the signers, may be found at RootsWeb.

This is a typescript of a handwritten, eighteenth-century transcription of the declaration. The handwritten transcription is in the “Commonplace Book” of George GILMER, which is in the possession of the Virginia Historical Society. The VHS library’s catalogue card with this item reads: “Mss5:5 Gilmer, George, 1743-1795. Commonplace book, G4213:1 1775-1820. [Card 8]” The card indicates that the declaration appears on pages 162-164. Thus, the names appended to the Gilmer copy of the declaration are not the actual signatures of the subscribers, but rather transcriptions of the signatures, apparently made by Mr. Gilmer; that is, all of the names are in the same handwriting. As noted below, George Gilmer is the first-listed signer of the declaration.

“We whos names are hereunto subscribed do swear that we renounce & refuse all Allegiance to George the third King of Great Britain, his heirs & successors & that I will be faithfull & bear True Allegiance to the commonwealth of Virginia as a free & independent state, & that I will not at any do or cause to be done [sic - should be “not at any time do…”?], any matter or thing that will be prejudicial or injurious to the freedom & independence thereof as declared by congress & also that [”we” appears to be interlineated here] I will discover & make known to some one justice of the peace for the said state all treasons or traitorous conspiracies which I know or hereafter shall know to be formed against this or any of the united states of America“

If you are searching for a photograph of the grave of your Revolutionary War patriot ancestor, here are two places to visit:

Find A Grave’s Revolutionary War Forum

Patriot Graves at Flickr

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The state of Missouri is placing on-line, images of death certificates, from 1910 to 1955. They have already completed up to 1925.
Missouri State Archives