Debbie Hardin, a good friend from Kentucky, asked which cemeteries I visited in Greenup County, Kentucky, when we were there earlier in the year.  We visited only one, Mt. Zion Methodist Cemetery, very close to the Ohio River.  Debbie sent a photo of the gravestone of one of her several greats-grandfather, Rezin Virgin (also listed as Reason).  He is buried in Old Town Cemetery in Greenup County, along with others that came to the county at a very early age.  Old Town is one of the oldest communities in Greenup County, at one time it was an Indian village or camp.  The cemetery is located at Old Town – from Greenup take Route 1 fourteen miles to a right turn on Route 1283 Laurel Road.  The cemetery is on the left and located on the right side of the Old Town Christian Church.

Rezin Virgin, born in 1750, was the son of Jeremiah Virgin and Lucy Dickinson (sometimes spelled Dickerson).  Several sons of Jeremiah and Lucy fought in the Revolutionary War – Rezin and Kinsey were captains, Brice a lieutenant and John was a drummer boy.  Rezin was a captain of the militia in 1777.  As with my Revolutionary War 4^th great-grandfather, there was nothing in the war records on Rezin Virgin, but he is mentioned in several of the papers of his enlisted men.

William Leet, Esquire, a resident of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, gave the following account of his service in the Revolutionary War:

‘That in the winter of the year 1775 and 1776 he served two months in the militia as first Sergeant under Captain Reason Virgin.  We were stationed on Dunkard Creek, now Green County, State of Pennsylvania, to protect the frontier settlements against the Indians.  Sometime after my return home in the year 1776 I was elected Ensign of the Company and about the month of August 1777, I was sent as ensign to take command of Van Meters Fort on Short Creek and served for one month.  About this time or some time previous, Captain Virgin moved away, and John Boggs was elected in his place.’

Daniel Bean, a private, says he ‘entered the service of the United States as an Indian spy under the command of Captain Reason Virgin in the spring of the year 1781, and served with him at Virgin’s block house or station during the whole summer season.’

William Holson said he served under Captain Reason Virgin ‘that our company was stationed at Kellum’s Station in Monongahela County, Virginia, which county I then resided and that we were employed in guarding the frontiers against the inroads of the Indians.’

Rezin Virgin, eldest son of Jeremiah and Lucy Virgin, had land in what is now Fayette Co., Pa. in 1771. This land was located between two streams known as Dickerson Run and Virgin Run. Dickerson Run was named for Joshua Dickerson who settled there by 1769 and this Joshua was a cousin of Jeremiah Virgin. Virgin Run was named for the Virgin family.  Both runs flow into the Youghiogheny River.

Survey for Rezin Virgin for 400 acres of land in Washington County, Pennsylvania.

400

‘Whereas in pursuance of the Order of the Board of Property of the fifteenth day of September 1784 and the seventh day of March last, and of certain instructions by you given conformably thereto, a survey hat been made by  David Redick, one of you Deputies, on 13^th November 1785 of a tract containing four hundred acres on Chartiers Creek in the County of Washington for Reason Virgin and returned into you office on the eighty day of February in the year 1786, as appears by your certificate thereupon to the Secretary of the Land-Office.  And whereas Reason Virgin hath paid (to the Receiver-General) the Purchase Money due for the same.  These are therefore to authorize and require you to accept said Survey into your Office, and to make Return thereof into the Office of the Secretary of the Land-Office in Order for Confirmation, by Patent to the said Reason Virgin.  And for so doing, this shall be your warrant.  In witness whereof the Honorable Charles Biddle, Esquire, President of the Supreme Executive Council, hath hereunto set his Hand, and caused the lesser Seal of the said Commonwealth to be hereunto affixed, the twenty-first day of February in the year of your Lord 1786.  John Lukens, Esq., Surveyor General’

Rezin Virgin purchased 330 acres of land in Fayette County ‘including an improvement adjoining land of John Dickson on the East, Jonathan Arnold on the South, Reuben Perkins on the west and the River Monongahela on the North in Luzerne Township,’ dated October 25, 1785.

The land of Rezin Virgin backs up on the southeast to his father-in-law, Jonathan Arnold.

Captain Rezin Virgin married Jemima Sarah Arnold, the daughter of Jonathan and Rachel Scott Arnold.  In her father’s will, written July 25, 1786, and probated July 5, 1799, is the following, ‘To my loving daughter Jemima Virgin, ten shillings.’ 

Rezin and Jemima’s children were Lucy, 1769, Rachel, 1771, Kinsey, 1773, Eli, 1775, Cassandra, Rebecca, Hannah and Eleanor.

Reason Virgin is listed in the 1790 Census for Fayette County, Pennsylvania – two white males 16 and older [Rezin and Kinsey], 1 white male under 16 [Eli], 7 females [his wife and daughters] and 2 slaves.  In the History of Greenup County, Kentucky, it says the Virgin family moved from Pennsylvania to Maysville, Kentucky, in 1790.  I believe this is incorrect since the family is listed in the 1800 census of Fayette County, Pennsylvania – 1 male under 10, 1 male 10-15, 1 male 45 and older, 1 female under 10, 3 females 16-25, 1 female over 45, 1 slave.  Due to the younger children listed I think they were perhaps grandchildren?

The following is a notice of Warrant of 1,000 acres of land in Bourbon County in the name of Rezin Virgin.  Could this have been for services during the Revolutionary War?  His brother Brice Virgin lived in Bourbon County.  Perhaps he purchased this land from Rezin?

Kentucky Gazette, Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky

Thursday, May 15, 1800

Notice

I shall attend with commissioners appointed by the county court of Bourbon, under an act entitled “an act to reduce into one the several acts for ascertaining the boundary of and for processioning land,” on the 16^th day of May, at the house of Harmonious Alkire, in the county of Bourbon, and on Huston’s Fork, then and there to perpetuate the testimony of certain witnesses, respecting the special calls of an entry of 1,000 acres, made in the name of Rezin Virgin, and pre-emption warrant, on the 31^st day of October, 1786, then and there to do such other things respecting the premises as may be thought necessary, and agreeable to law.

Charles Smith, Jur. for Rezin Virgin

In 1810 the family is in Kentucky in Greenup County, 6 family members instead of 8 in 1800.

Rezin Virgin lived to the age of 75 years, passing away October 23, 1825.  I found no will or other records concerning his estate.  Jemima passed the year before at the age of 69.

Thank you, Debbie, for beginning this journey of the Virgin family.