Three generations of Sullivans were located in Brunswick Co. VA between 1735 and 1779. Because we haven't found an earlier link, Michael and Joyce start the line. Joyce might have been a Nicholson - or maybe not. Michael, also spelled Micajah, and Joyce had 4 children: John, Honour, Michael and Mary. That is the order they are listed on the will and, hopefully, is the order of birth. Since we are interested in Sullivans, we will concentrate on the males. Michael Sr. died in 1738 and the children were declared orphans in 1740 according to the custom of the times. (See Brunswick County Virginia Order Book 1, page 190.) Joyce soon married William Reynolds. Michael Sr's. will provided for the children, except Mary, and their estate, to be delivered to their aunt, Elizabeth Watkins, in Henrico County. VA if Joyce remarried. Elizabeth was the wife of John Watkins. We do not know if Elizabeth was a Sullivan or a sister-in-law. See http://pages.prodigy.net/dan_sullivan/main/michael.htm for a copy of the will. Since Michael Junior's line is well-documented in A Genealogy and Family Memorial by Joseph Sullivant, we will focus on John. Probably by Primogeniture John inherited the land his father lived on and 435 acres. Whether John went to Henrico or stayed at the "home place" is unknown. Facts are scarce at this point. After Joyce remarried she and her new husband apparently went to Johnston Co. NC and we presume that John retained his land until about 1753. The will of Francis Exum in 1753 in Brunswick Co. mentioned land purchased from John Sullivan. We presume John sold out and moved to the Granville/Edgecombe Co. area of NC. Unfortunately the John from Duplin Co. NC, and maybe other Johns, are there to make identification difficult. We further presume our John died in 1785. The will of a John Sullivan was administered in Edgecombe Co. by Owen Sullivan of Nash Co. NC. At least one record states that a John Sullivan was Owen's father. We believe John, the son of Michael, was the father of Charles (and Owen) but based only on preponderance of evidence - absolute proof is lacking.

A Charles Sullivan appears in Brunswick Co. in 1753 when he starts buying and selling land as noted in Brunswick County Deed Books 9, 11, 12 and 13. (See http://pages.prodigy.net/dan_sullivan/main/charles.htm). He sells his last land in 1779 and his wife, Rachel, releases her dower according to Brunswick County Deed Book 13. This is the fact connecting Charles and Rachel whose maiden name continues to elude us. The timing for Charles to be the son of John is close but acceptable; it may be the weakest link in the entire scenario. But, we don't know the exact ages either. It is possible that Charles was the son of Timothy in York Co. VA, or the Princess Anne Co. VA Sullivans because of the naming pattern, or the Nansemond Co. VA/Chowan Co. NC Sullivans, or the Bertie Co. NC Sullivans - or someone who has escaped our attention. There is absolutely NO evidence for any of those but the possibility can not be discarded. In any event Charles appears in Warren Co. NC in 1781. In addition Rachel, Drury, Isaac, Russell, and Jesse all appear in Warren Co. in marriage records and estate sales. We have not located Jordan in Warren Co. The assumption here is that because all the names, except Charles, are included in the will of a Rachel Sullivan in Caswell Co., and a Rachel was married to a Charles, and Charles sold the VA land then appeared in Warren Co., that this is one family. Again, we have a preponderance of evidence but not absolute proof.

The following makes an interesting story and is plausible - maybe it will be fact some day. Russell moved to Caswell Co. in 1796. After Charles died in 1804, Rachel moved to Caswell with Jordan, and probably the girls mentioned in her will. Isaac was in Halifax Co. and wound up in Anson Co. where his descendants are tracked in http://pages.prodigy.net/dan_sullivan/main/isaac.htm. Drury marries in Halifax Co. and moves to Franklin Co. Jesse probably moves to Caswell. Russell and Jesse probably move to TN. Jordan marries in Caswell and winds up in MO after living in TN (probably) and KY.

What follows is mostly the analysis of Hugh since Dan's data on Isaac is shown at http://pages.prodigy.net/dan_sullivan/main/isaac.htm. Drury married Elizabeth Brantley in Halifax Co. NC in 1790. The 1790 census lists one other male in the household which I presume to be the Jesse who is found in Johnston Co. NC in 1811. The 1800 census lists two males other than Drury in his household which I presume to be Jesse and Russell - meaning Jonathan Jackson was not born until after the census. The 1810 census lists two other males which I presume to be the Russell who appears in Johnston Co. in 1816 and Jonathan Jackson but the age for Jonathan Jackson doesn't precisely fit. Imprecise census ages then were more the rule than the exception. Drury died in 1812 naming Polly Sullivan "and other children" in his will - what a blow not to name them! The 1820 census shows an Elizabeth Sullivan in Anson Co. with two males. Did she move where her brother-in-law, Isaac, was located and were the children Jonathan Jackson and John R.? John R. is a new name for several of you. Jesse and Russell appear on the 1820 census of Johnston Co. Where was Russell between 1812 and 1820? He may have been living with his mother or he could have been living with Owen or both - who knows! You know the rest of the story as it has been recounted in excellent manner by Zelda Wood and Maggie Sudduth. I believe Russell, John R. and Josiah, the son of another John Sullivan, came to Alabama together about 1835 - probably via SC.

Dan - dan_sullivan@prodigy.net

Hugh - sull@adelphia.net