Pioneers in Paradise: Ancient ancestors from remote lands connected to Bristol

Ancient ancestors from remote lands connected to Bristol

We all have direct and ancient ancestors. A few generations back and we have hundreds of them. A little further and there are thousands of them. Of course, most people would acknowledge only a few, in fact I have learned that most people barely know, if at all, who their great-grandparents are. Usually beyond them, all is a dark genealogical mystery. But, somewhere in some far away country, we have had a great number of remote ancestors all contributing to our being here.

Staring at the picture of the statue of John Maxwell of Farnham shown with this article, one would not suppose that he has a distinct connection with our city of Bristol, but he does, indeed, a very definite connection. Joseph Rhea Anderson, who in 1852 set up the original town of Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia, came of the Maxwell line. To make the connection, we will go up the family tree a way.

Mr. Anderson’s great-grandfather was William Anderson, an early settler on the Middle River near present Staunton in Augusta County, Va. He was a native of Ireland but apparently came from England in America in 1732. By his second wife, Elizabeth Campbell, he was the father of Col. John Anderson who was born in Augusta County, Va., May 6, 1750. As a side note, it will be told here that Elizabeth was of the same clan whence came Gen. William Campbell of Revolutionary War fame and Gov. David Campbell of Virginia. This governor and Joseph Anderson carried on a lengthy correspondence regarding this connection.

On May 12, 1774, Col. John Anderson married Rebecca Maxwell, born Aug. 7, 1753 and here our Maxwell connection is made.

Rebecca was a daughter of David Maxwell who was born in Dumfries, Scotland, about 1729. He was a son of Bezaleel Maxwell. His line can be traced back to 949 A.D. When about 17 years of age, David married Nellie McCullough. About 1750 this couple migrated to Lancaster County, Pa., where Rebecca was born. Then about 1760, the couple moved to Fairfax County, Va., and then about 10 years later, the family moved to the headwaters of the Clinch River in southwestern Virginia. Shortly after this move, David was killed by Indians (about 1770). The older sons then became the providers for the family. Several of the sons of the family became prominent citizens of Tennessee, probably the most famous being George Maxwell. A descendant of one of these sons built the famous Maxwell House Hotel in Nashville, Tenn.

After Rebecca Maxwell of this family married John Anderson, they built a block house in western Tazewell County, Va. It seems that they also lived for some time in Elk Garden that is some distance east of present Lebanon, Va. Before 1772, Col. John Anderson bought a fine tract of land in east Carters Valley in what became Scott County, Va. Near a big spring on this place, after his marriage, he erected what became known as the Block House. It was a point where people travelling westward to Kentucky assembled to wait until a stronger group could be formed to make the perilous journey into the Indian country that lay beyond the Moccasin Gap. During the following years hundreds, perhaps thousands, passed through this Block House on their journeys westward.

After the need for a Block House had passed, John Anderson built a larger house nearby. The blockhouse then became a weaving house for Mrs. Anderson. She and some of her slaves wove cloth for family needs and sold the surplus. She specialized in weaving unusually nice bedspreads. One of her favorite patterns was the Snail Trail (some call it Cat’s Paw).

In 1817, an incident that is of great interest to we who study mind over matter. She became very ill of some kind of disease and was thought to be dying. On Oct. 17, 1817, her husband was suddenly affected and died of a massive stroke. When news reached her sick bed, Rebecca sprung into action and immediately began taking charge of the plantation. Apparently the need to live overcame the need to die. She lived on in good health for about seven more years dying suddenly on Feb. 21, 1824 while weaving another one of her famous bedspreads. She and her husband are buried in Morrison Chapel Cemetery near Kingsport, Tenn. The blockhouse and the larger house burned in 1876. One or two of the old chimneys still stand in the field at the location.

A son of this couple was Isaac Campbell Anderson who married Margaret Rhea. Their oldest son was Joseph Rhea Anderson (1819-1888) who planned and laid out the town of Bristol in 1852. He was indeed a descendant of a noted Maxwell clan of Scotland, Ireland and England.

Bud Phillips is a local historian and author. He can be reached at (276) 466-6435. For more about Bristol’s history, visit www.bristolhistoricalassociation.com.