John Vardeman

Notes:

John Verdeman is listed on Bedford Co. Virginia Order book 1-A, 19 Mar 1757, (book 975.5675 P28b p. 141, as having brought in 4 young Wolves heads (bounty on Wolves) and payment, as did William Verdeman.

John moved from Bedford County through the New River and Clinch River areas to the west and on into Kentucky. J.H. Spencer's HISTORY OF KENTUCKY BAPTISTS 1775-1885 includes a biography of Jeremiah Vardeman, the youngest son of John and Elizabeth Vardeman. This book DOES NOT HAVE A LIST of the children however. The only specifics are that (1) Jeremiah is the youngest of 12 children and (2) he had brothers named Amaziah and Morgan. J.H. Vardeman of Alpharetta, Georgia suggests that the reason they are cited is that they were also active in the Church at Crab Orchard. Most of the circulated lists name 12 children, including Peter and Thomas Vardeman, but this is in error. Peter is a brother of John's, and Thomas is his son. Some also list a son name Alexander, of whom there are absolutely no records, and "a child who died young." Alexander may be the child who died young.

On 14 July 2001, Leatha Betts emailed me that "The only Vardemans that was in Kentucky earlier than 1789, was John Vardeman and Elizabeth Morgan of Lincoln Co. Kentucky who came out of Bedford Co. Virginia. He arrived in Fayette Co. then to Lincoln Co. Kentucky 20 Jun 1787, where he received land for his Rev. War service. Lincoln Co. Kentucky Deeds Vol. 1 p. 18, 35, 36. book 976.9625 R28m

It looks like he had sons named Peter, Amaziah, Jeremiah, John Jr., Morgan and William Vardiman...(Vardeman/Vardaman/Verdeman/Vardiman are varient spellings found in various land deeds and tax records.) Book "Early Lincoln Co. Kentucky Householders", 1787-1811, 976.9625 R4s. Most of these Vardemans but one stayed in Lincoln Co. Kentucky, however, William Vardeman migrated to Mississippi....possibly with his brother John Vardeman Jr. They took the Oath of Alligence (film 1704224, 6401, p. 192, 1 Dec. 1798, in Miss. Territory Southern Dist. John Vardiman and William Vardaman.

A book called Lexington 1779, Pioneer Kentucky 976.947 H2m, p. 94, has the compiled notes of a Rev.. Shane who was interviewing older people in Kentucky for their memories of the making of Lexington Kentucky History, and he intereviewd a man named Josiah Collins, who had a memory, of traveling with General Clark from Kentucky to Ohio, chasing the Shawnee Indians, "The second night after we left Lexington, a gun went off accidently wounded one of our company. The third day, my captain (William McConnell) solicited me and Hugh Thompson to ride out and try to kill some meat. That night we lay out. The next morning we pursued on and came to the camp ground from behind. As we passed in, we came to a fresh grave at the camp. We were told that when they had stopped in the evening, several hunters had run out to kill game. One man had killed a deer, and was stooping down and gutting it when JOHN VARDEMAN took him for an indian and shot and killed him. They brought him in and buried him. So that there was one killed and one wounded before we got to the mouth of Licking. We there waited a day or so till the regulars and some militia came up in boats from the falls. While we were at now Cincinnati, we threw up a little sort of breast work and put up a sort of little cabin for Capt. Adams to stay in and take care of the invalids and wounded. Cabin right opposite the mouth of Licking. (I think he said left with him five soldiers to guard.) McCracken (Capt. William McCracken dead from what was thought to have been a poisoned arrow) was buried with the honors of war right by the cabin and a log heap burnt over it to conceal the place. McCracken had been out with us in the 1779 expedition. Maj. (George) Walls and his company of horse killed two when we came to the towns. Across the river for a small distance was a level bottom where the Indians attneded their corn. The prairie then extended considerably up the hill. The camp was drawn up in the form of a hollow square right on the bank of the river. The mess on the lower side (down the river) next to the river was right where (in) the yard of an Indian cabin had been. The first night, the Indians carried the opposite bank of the river in the night and fired on that mess and wounded a man. They then fell back and talked from off the top of that hill. John Sovereign that had formerly been a prisoner of the Shawnees and understood their language well talked for Clark (General George Rogers Clark)." (Courtesy of Leatha Betts)

Family/Spouse: Elizabeth Morgan. Elizabeth was born after 1727 in South Carolina; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Elizabeth Vardeman was born before 1742; and died.
2. Jemima Vardeman was born before 1743; and died.
3. Mary Magdalene Vardeman was born in 1744; and died.
4. Letita Vardeman was born in 1746; and died.
5. Amaziah Vardeman was born in 1751; and died.
6. William Vardeman was born after 1751 in Kentucky; and died.
7. John Vardeman was born in 1761; and died.
8. Morgan Vardeman was born in 1766; and died.
9. ??? Vardeman was born after 1767; and died.
10. Sabra Vardeman was born about 1771; and died.
11. Tabitha Vardeman was born about 1773; and died.
12. Jeremiah Vardeman was born in 1775; and died.

Notes:

William Vardeman of Goochland Co. Virginia, who received 200 acres, on the South side of the Rivanna River near the Mountains, adjacent to Charles Lewis, rec. 27 Sep 1734, for one pound (stirling) p. 296, Patent Book 15, from the book Cavaliers and Pioneers 1732-1741, 975.5 R 2n, p. 52. (Courtesy of Leatha Betts)

Called "Old William." He relocated to an area of "up-country" South Carolina which became part of the old 96th District and, in 1782, Newberry County. It had only been open to settlement for about 30 years and was the frontier with the Cherokee Indians at the time of this arrival. He left a will dated in 1783--probated in 1789--in which he named his current wife and his four sons in order: John, William Jr, Peter and James. Unfortunately, he did not name any of his daughters. (Letter from J.H. Vardeman, Alpharetta, GA dated March 31, 2000)

William married Magdalene Peter(S)Son on 21 Apr 1720 in Fort Christina, New Castle County, Delaware. Magdalene was born before 1700; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
They were married at Holy Trinity (Old Swede's) Church in what is now Wilmington, Delaware. Additional church records place them in this area of Delaware through 1724.

Ft. Christina, the oldest European settlement in the Delaware River valley, was founded by the Swedes under Peter Minuit in 1638. It was captured by the Dutch under Peter Stuyvesant in 1655 and renamed Altena. The British captured it from the Dutch in 1664, and it was eventually renamed Wilmington by Quaker settlers.

After leaving Delaware, William and Magdalene made their way into the Blue Ridge Mountain area of Virginia.

Notes:

"The will left by John Vardeman in New Castle County, Delaware in 1714 is the earliest authentic or verifiable record of any Vardeman in America, and is assumed that this John was the original immigrant to America, apparently from Sweden although there are some other possibilities of where they may have come from." (Letter from J.H. Vardaman of Alpharetta, GA dated 31 March 2000)

John married Margaret ???. Margaret was born before 1678; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]