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James Daniel Jr. has often been confused and identified as his father James Daniel Senior. Records clearly reveal that they were two distinct individuals. James Jr. was the father of Thomas, George and Isom and had wife Nancy. He lived in the Cove on the Maiden Spring Fork of Clinch River in the same vicinity where his older brother Thomas had first settled in 1771. He owned up to 345 acres. James Jr. was an ensign in the militia and served under David Ward . The cause of his early death has not been uncovered but a record of his will being recorded does exist. Regrettably, a courthouse fire in Russell County destroyed the contents of that will.
At his death, James Jr. owned 200 acres of land in Russell County, Virginia. Records from Floyd County, Kentucky involving his three sons and Nancy his wife, reveal that she received 66 2/3rd acres as well as the same amount going to the sons. It is not certain who received the remaining acreage in his will. As late as 1828 all 200 acres were still being taxed under the estate of James Daniel Jr.
It is apparent that Nancy tried to hold on to the land for her children. Even after her marriage to Samuel Sellards in 1801, and eventual move to Kentucky, she rented the land to a John Shively for ten years. Shively was an acquaintance of Samuel Sellards and is recorded in early Tazewell County Court records as paying a debt owed by Sellards. Mr. Shively eventually moved off the land and it finally was lost to taxes despite the efforts of Thomas, George and Isom to retain it.
The identity of Nancy's maiden name is shrouded in the early court records. The most likely possibilities are Asbury or Belcher. Both names were given to children of her three sons as well as generations after them. The records of Russell County reveal that a John Belcher, bought 77 2/3rd acres from James and Nancy Daniel. John Belcher witnessed a deed with James Daniel and George Belcher in Russell County. He was also Nancy's security enabling her to be the sole executrix of her husband James's will. This last act suggests a close relationship with Nancy. Many genealogies of the Belcher Family show John Belcher as a son of Isom Belcher. The fact that James and Nancy named one of their sons Isom offers even more circumstantial evidence her maiden name was Belcher. However, I have not found any records showing a Nancy Belcher marrying a James Daniel in court records nor in any published genealogy that can site a primary source. Therefore, Belcher as her maiden name is my best guess. Regrettably I gave this information to individuals who have been publishing it as fact. It can now be found all over the Internet as Gospel truth when in reality it is just my BEST GUESS.
Another strong possibility is that Nancy's maiden name was Asbury. The records of Russell and Tazewell County show that James Jr. signed deeds with a William Bolling Asbury. This William also sold land to Wyatt Daniel, brother of James Jr. and also witnessed deeds with him. Spilsby Daniel, states in his pension application that he was married to Sally Asbury. When Wyatt and Spilsby Daniel migrated to Cumberland County, Kentucky William Asbury migrated with them and is listed on the 1810 Cumberland County Census with Wyatt, Samuel Young who married Rebecca Daniel in Tazewell County in 1801 and John Stockton who married a Lucretia Daniel in Cumberland County KY. in 1805. Again, all these records paint only a circumstantial association with William Bolling Asbury and offer the possibility that Nancy Daniel's maiden name could have been Asbury. Records regarding Nancy are sparse. There are two entries in the Floyd County, Kentucky County Court Book 3 that are interesting. In the August Court of 1819 on page 101, it states that, On the motion of Samuel Sellards who made oath thereto and together with James Marceum(?) and Edward Burgess his securities entered into and acknowledged their bond in the penalty of $100 conditional agreeable to law certificate is granted him for obtaining letter of administration of the estate of Mary Daniel Deceased. A second entry also says.
On the motion of Samuel Sellards, ordered that George Washington Daniel be bound to him according to law. Also I have seen Stapleton researchers list a daughter of Nancy and Samuel named Elizabeth who married Joseph Stapleton. This marriage took place In Lawrence County in 1829.
