Tracing my ancestry, I give precedence to the female lines; that, when I reach any male ancestor, I may adhere to the male line so far as it points toward myself: and I mention my female ancestors by their maiden names.

I, William Physick Zuber, was born in Twiggs County, Georgia; July 6, 1820. My parents were Abraham Zuber Jr. and Mary Ann Mann.

My mother, Mary Ann Mann, was born in Edgefield District, South Carolina; about the year 1796. Her parent were Thomas Mann and Ann Deshazo.

My mother's maternal grandmother, Mollie Trevelian, was born in Virginia about the year 1732. One of her parents, I know not which, was born in Scotland, the other in Ireland. When yet young, they migrated from their respective native countries to Virginia, where they married. Later, they moved with their daughter, Mollie and other children, to North Carolina: and there Mollie married Robert Deshazo.

Mollie Trevalian Deshazo had an elder borther, John Trevelian; who, as a volunteer in the Virginia Militia, participated in the campaign against Fort Du Quesne, in 1755; fought in the battle of Monongahela, -- remembered as General Braddock's Defeat, -- July 8th, of that year (French-Indian war; George Washington also fought in this battle under the command of General Edward Braddock). In that battle, John was captured by the French; and thence he was conducted, a prisoner, to Canada. How long he was held as a prisoner, I am not informed; but he was finally set at liberty, -- penniless in a strange country, among a people whose language he did not understand. There were only two ways by which could return home. One was through a wilderness, which was infested by savages, who would surely kill him if he attempted to traverse it alone: and he could not learn of any body of adventurers whom he could accompany on such a trip. The other way was to go by sea: but he had not money with which to pay his passage; and he could obtain employment only for short terms between intervals, and at low wages. But he worked when he could obtain employment at any price; hoping, by rigid economy, to save money enough to pay his way home. Finally, after an absence of four or five years, he made the trip home; whether by land or by sea, I am not informed. He owned a good home, which was well furnished for that period; which his friends had not disposed of, though they believed that he had been killed in the battle in which he was captured. He first thought that he would marry and live on his homestead: but a change of conditions determined him to do otherwise. He sold his possessions in Virginia; and went to North Carolina, whither his parents had already gone. He never married: but, by industry and economy, he amassed a fortune. He was a very pious member of the Methodist Church. At the beginning of the Revolutionary war, he enlisted in the rebel army (American side, of course), in which he served till the end of the war (1783). He resided in North Carolina till he was past ninety years old. Then he sold his property; went to South Carolina; and, during the rest of his life, resided with his brother-in-law and sister, Robert and Mollie Deshazo. There he orally stated what I have here said about him to his little grand neice, Mary Ann Mann: and many years later, she having become my mother, repeated the same to me. He died at the residence of Robert Deshazo, in Edgefield District, South Carolina, at the age of ninety-six.

My mother's maternal grandfather, Robert Deshazo, was born in Virginia about the year 1730. He was a son of Nathaniel Deshazo and a grandson of Peter Deshazo. Peter and Nathaniel were born in France. When Nathaniel was a little boy, Peter came to America, and settled in Virginia. there Nathaniel became a prosperious farmer. It is evident that Nathaniel's wife was also born in France, or was totally of French decent: for his son, Robert, boasted that he was a full-blooded Frenchman; though he never learned the French language.

When Robert Deshazo was twenty years old (ca.1750), his father, Nathaniel, wishing to move to a new country, sent him to North Carolina, with money, to purchase land and build a home in that Colony. He found a suitable place; purchased it; and, with hired help, built houses, cleared and enclosed land, and made a crop. He also purchased a fine lot of live-stock. All this he accomplished in one year. Then he returned to Virginia, to move his father's family hither. There being no mails at that time, he had not heard from his family since his departure for North Carolina. Arriving at the old home, he found that his father had died (ca. 1751/52), and his mother and the other children were adverse to moving. Therefore, his father's heirs amicably effected a partition of the estate; and Robert took, for his part, the property which he had procured and improved in North Carolina. Then he returned to North Carolina, and assumed possession of the home which he had propared for his parents. This was near the residence of Mr. Trevelian: and, immediatley after his return from Virginia, he married Mr. Trevelian's daughter, Mollie, and took her to his own home (ca. 1752/53).

Robert Deshazo was an accomplished tobacco-farmer and raiser of live-stock: and, as tobacco them commanded what we of today would call a fabulous price, he aquired wealth very rapidly. At the beginning of the Revolutionary war, he owned 13 negroes, all very young Africans, sixteen head of valuable horses, and plenty of other live-stock. He was a pious member of the Baptist Church, highly esteemed by his neighbors: and all his servants loved him, and served him faithfully.

At the beginning of the hostilities (1775, Revolutionary war), Robert's eldest son, Lewis Deshazo (b.ca.1758), then sixteen years old, enlisted in the regular Continental Army; in which he served till the end of the war (1783). But Robert himslf stayed at home to care for his family and property: though, whenever there was fighting near him between the whigs and the tories, which frequently occurred, he always participated therein, as a volunteer, on the side of the Whigs. But a large majority of his neighbors were Tories: and this circumstance imperiled his life, and involved the loss of most of his property. At first his Tory neighbors tried to persuade him to join them: next, they threatened to kill him: and finally, they robbed him of his property, and hunted him as if he were a wild beast. Then he spent much of him time hiding from them in the swamps. After dirving away all of his horses and cattle, they surprised his negroes in the field, cut off their retreat, and drove away twelve of the thirteen; whom they sold im some distant locality. Only one, a woman named Jinnie, escaped into a swamp. She was a faithful servant; was subjected to several other narrow escapes; and at one time, saved her masters life by warning him of danger; but they never captured her. At another time, they surrounded his dewelling, entered it, cursed his wife, and threatened to kill her unless she would tell them where her husband was; but the heroic Mollie withstood them for hours; and they departed, no wiser for their dastardly conduct.

When the war closed, Robert Deshazo's Tory neighbors, having lost their cause, tried to recover their former friendly relations with him. But they had robbed him, abused his family, and sought to murder him, and offered no restitutions; their presence was a torture to him; and he resolved to leave them.

When peace was restored (ca. 1784), Robert Deshazo sold his home in North Carolina; and moved to Edgefield District, South Carolina. There he established a new home; and again aquired wealth, but not so rapidly as he had done in North Carolina before the war. Here he and Mrs. Deshazo lived till 1814, when their respective ages were eighty-four and eighty-two years. Then he again sold his home, and made another removal. From Edgefield District, South Carolina, he moved to Twiggs County, Georgia: where two of his sons had gone, and where they had purchased another home for him. During the next year, 1815, he died, at his home in Twiggs County, Georgia, at the age of 85. Soon after his death, his wife, Mrs Mollie Trevelian Deshazo, returned to Edgefield District, South Carolina; there she lived with her daughter, Mrs Mary Norris, during the rest of her life. She died at the residence of her son-in-law, Nathan Norris, in 1830, at the age of ninety-eight.

My maternal grandmother, Ann Deshazo (b.ca.1765), moved, with her parents, from North Carolina to Edgefield District South Carolina; and there she married Thomas Mann.

My maternal grandfather, Thomas Mann, was born in North Carolina, about the year 1755. He was a son of John Watts Mann.

My mothers paternal grandfather, John Watts Mann, was born in France; though his parents had been born, brought up and married in Wales. Hence he professed to be "a Welchman born in France". He migrated from Frace to North Carolina.

My maternal grandfather, Thomas Mann, moved from North Carolina to Edgefield District, South Carolina and there he married An Deshazo, about the year 1792. Abou;the year 1800, my grandmother, Ann Deshazo Mann died in her fathers house in Edgefield District, South Carolina; aged about thirty-five years. My grandfather, Thomas Mann, went from Edgfield Distrit, South Carolina to Florida where he married again. Later he moved to Twiggs County, Georgia. Yet later, he moved to Taledegaga County, AL; where he died in 1840 at the age of 85.

My mother, Mary Ann Mann (b.ca.1796 SC), was a little girl when her mother (Ann Deshazo Mann) died; and was brought up by her maternal grandparens, Robert and Mollie Deshazo. From them, she learned what I know of her ancestry: and I learned it from her. In 1814 she moved from Edgefield District, South Carolina to Twiggs County, Georgia. There she continued to live with her uncle, William Deshazo, in the same state and county and was married in his house to Abraham Zuber Jr., on February 16, 1816.

My father, Abraham Zuber Jr. was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Novermber 14, 1780. His parents were Abraham Zuber Sr. and Mary Bartling.

NOTE: I have been able to document - prove that folks were where Mr. Zuber said they were at the corresponding times. Please email me with any questions - Becky.