My PLEASANTS research concentrates on Jesse Pleasants of Halifax County, VA, who was the great grandson of John Pleasants the emigrant of Curles, Henrico, VA. The line I'm tracking is:
John Pleasants-Jane (Larcome) Tucker
Joseph Pleasants (died 1725/60 - Martha Cocke
Joseph Pleasants-Sarah Goode (1st), Elizabeth Woodson (2nd)
Jesse Pleasants (c.1733-1804)-Elizabeth Smith (1745-1810)
John Smith Pleasants (1785-1856)-Nancy Thweatt (1785-1844)
Jesse was born in Henrico County, VA. He married in Cumberland County, Va., died in Halifax County and his line continued there. Jesse's father Joseph, grandfather Joseph, and great grandfather John were all Quakers, but Jesse was disowned because he married out of unity and for being baptised also. Jesse's father Joseph was also disfellowshipped when he married Sarah GOODE
outside of the faith, but was later reinstated and married Elizabeth WOODSON
at the Curles Meeting House in Henrico.
Jesse's son John Smith Pleasants served in the War of 1812. John S. Pleasants' wife, Nancy THWEATT, was the daughter of Giles and Sarah BARKSDALE Thweatt.
The last descendant I track through John Smith Pleasants' son, William Barksdale Pleasants (1812-1892), is Thomas Pleasants (b. c.1857). The Pleasants Estates in Halifax County (1015+ acres) was sold by Thomas D. Pleasants and his wife Gertrude B. Pleasants of Helena, Montana to John
Cunningham.
John Smith PLEASANTS was also the father of John R. Pleasants. John Randolph Pleasants, born January 21, 1815, Va.; died October 27, 1881; a gunsmith; married at Halifax County, Va. on November 9, 1837 to Elizabeth
Armistead BAKER. Their children were:
Mary Carrington Pleasants (Apr 1853-1 Sep 1946), m. Francis Alexander SCOTT
William Giles Pleasants (1854-1937),m. Rosa Lee GAFFORD
I have a copy of Jesse Pleasants' will written 25 Nov 1803 and probated 22 Oct 1804 and it reads in part:
"...I give and bequeth unto my son John Pleasants all my Tract of land whereon I now live after my wife's decease also a tract of land that came by my wife in Green briar County also three Negroes George Morning Kitty..."
An inventory of his estate filed 7 Nov 1804 lists among all the household goods, livestock, and farm equipment, his slaves including: "1 Negroe Man George; 1 Negroe Woman Morning child Joe." These are my 3rd great grandparents.
An inventory of the estate of John S. Pleasants [the son of Jesse Pleasants], filed 27 Jul 1857 lists among his slaves: Edmond 39 $1000. Edmond is the son of George and Mourning and my great great grandfather. I think that he was left to William Barksdale Pleasants, the eldest son who lived in Halifax and practiced dentistry in Richmond. OR Edmond may have been left to John Randolph Pleasants
I'm interested in ALL PLEASANTS family research. Slave ancestry is very difficult to trace. Some researchers never get past the 1870 census "wall" because this is the first time most of our ancestors are recorded with surnames. From that point back we have to first identify slaveholders - no easy task - and then trace through the owners' records of wills, deeds, property transfers, etc.
I've been corresponding for several years with other Pleasants researchers and it has been from these contacts that I've been able to develop a strategy to uncover my own roots. I track the descendants of John Pleasants of Curles looking for anything that may give me more information on my
Pleasants slaves ancestors.
Christine Jones, Richmond, VA
Email:
jonesc@sprynet.comHome Page URL:
http://home.sprynet.com/~jonesc/