The Raiford Synopsis:

My information an the Raiford family is very incomplete and some of the information that I do have is unverified. I have made certain assumptions which from the evidence now available seem to be correct but which say be Proven otherwise upon further research. It appears that the Raiford family came from Devonshire, England. The name there In early records is spelt Wrayford or Wreford In America, the W was kept in the 17th century but does not appear later, the spelling varying between Rayford and Raiford. In time the latter spelling seems to have became standard for the family. According to early historical records the Raifords came to Virginia from the Bermuda Islands. The first Raiford I know of in this country was Philip Rayford (whom I have designated as Generation II so as to fit in with other genealogies). He obtained a grant of 350 acres of land In Isle of Wight County, Virginia, April 23, 1681 as a reward for importing people into the Colony. His name is spelt Wrayford in the grant but Rayford in his will which was probated Dec. 28, 1724. His will mentions two sons, four daughters and his wife as shown an the charts We are descended from Phillip Raiford (Generation III) who moved first to North Carolina and later to South Carolina, where he died in 1748. His will mentions three sons six daughters and his wife as shown on the chart. Philip Raiford (Generation IV) died in Charleston, South Carolina where his will was probated July 4, 1761. At the time of his death he was a widower, but from other sources it seems that his wife was named Judith Weston. All of his children were minors when he died. They were three sons and two daughters, as shown the chart. Philip Ephriam Raiford died in Fairfield County, South Carolina, in 1822 without making a will, or at least his will has not been found. His children other then one son Philip are unknown. Philip Raiford (Generation VI) resided in Edgefield County, South Carolina, where he died in 1824. His will was probated April 19, 1824. In his will his wife is not named, although we know from other sources that she was Elizabeth Daniel, daughter of William Daniel. This William Daniel was apparently a very well to-do planter owning large, tracts of land in both Edqefield and Fairfield Counties, South Carolina. He died in 1807 leaving a will which mentions his daughter. Philip's will mentions four "Elder children" Philip, William, John and Nancy and five "Minor children" Thomas, Robert, James, Malachi and Elizabeth. The executors of the will were My "beloved sons" William Raiford and John Raiford.

Raiford Pittman continues with his history:

I have a family tree that I can send to you. It shows that Philip Raiford was the son of Philip Raiford of Devonshire, England, married to Sarah. To view: Click He died in Isle of Wight County, VA in 1724. He secured a land grand in 1681 for transporting people to VA. I am told that he had a plantation in Bermuda before coming stateside. I have attached the first two pages of that tree. The entire family tree exceeds 1800 Kilobytes, so it is very slow to download.

My records show that his son Philip moved to NC then to SC and married Martha. He died in 1748 in Charleston. Their children were Philip, Matthew, William, Robert, Sarah, Anne, and Patience. The next in my line is another Philip, m. Judith Wilson, died in Charleston in 1761. His son Philip Epraim (name of wife not given) who died in 1822 in Fairfield Couty, SC. Their children were William and Matthew.

Philip Epraim had a son named Philip, next in my line, m. Elizabeth Daniel. He died in 1824 in Edgefield County, SC. Phillip had seven sons and two daughters. My ancestor from that group was Robert Raiford of Victoria, Marshall County, MS. He married Margaret Bryan Wyche May 8, 1834 in Thomas County, GA.

Robert and Margaret had four children, Philip (imaginative bunch), Elizabeth, Margaret, and Robert Raiford, my great grandfather. He married Cora Lea Canon, no date available. Cora Canon, for whom my mother was named, died in 1914, the year that my mother was born.

Robert and Margaret's son, Robert Canon Raiford, b. July 26, 1883, married Catherine Shaw, b. March 10, 1883. They had four daughters, Catherine, b. August 6, 1903; Margaret, Tommye, b. April, 1908; and Cora Lea, b. January 25, 1914.

Catherine married Robert P. Currie on Crawfordsville, AR, no children. Margaret married Steven Hightower Butler, Jr. of Como, MS, one chlid, Steven H. Butler, III. Tommye married Marvin Floyd Parnell (still living) of Pleasant Grove, MS. They had two children who lived. The first, also named Marvin Floyd, died at birth. Next was Patricia Ann, born August 7, 1932. and Robert Ford, b. February 1935. Cora Lea m. Luther Ralph Pittman of Cades, TN. One child, me, b. July 24, 1937.

Patricaia Ann m. James Thomas of Memphis. One child, Jamie, born 1958 or 1959. She lives in Charleston and works for the county supervisors as their PR person. She has had one short story written bout her by a prominent Charleston author whose name escapes me.

Robert is married to Nell of Las Vegas (second marriage, first no children). One son, Christopher, now living in Hollywood, CA and in the acting business. Don't know what his name is now b/c he had to change it. SAG already had a Christopher Parnell listed.

I married Sherry Lee Trullender upon my return from Vietnam. We were married at Nellis AirForce Base on July 11, 1971. She had two children whom I adopted. William Trullender, nee Edward Augustus Kahler, b. 19 September 1962, and William Brett, nee William Brett Kahler, b. 1 October 1963.

Trully, the eldest m. Danielle Cleever of Granger, IN, date forgotten. They have one son, Reagan, b. September 19998. They live in Newcastle, WA, a suburb of Seattle.

Brett m. Susan Vianne Massey Pittman, b. 4-16-65, of Miami, FL. they have one son, Raymond Brett Pittman. b. 9-17-92. Susan is an FBI agent. They live in Weston, FL, a suburb of Miami. Susan is second generation Turkish.

I am a retired Marine officer and a retired attorney. I attended law school at the University of Mississippi while on terminal leave from the Marine Corps.

I have attached the first page of the family tree with your ancestor as a JPEG file. To view: Click I tried to transcribe it the other day, but it kept running off of the paper. I have the descendants of Robert Raiford and Margaret Wyche, the descendants of William Raiford and Elizabeth Lark, and the descendants of Thomass Woodward Rsaiford anad Caroline Barbee. Each of those are only one page long.

I got this information from a Colonel Raiford Payne in Colorado Springs, CO in the summer of 1955. My seniorclass from Hughes, AR was there on a senior trip and as class officers, we got our picture in the local paper. Since my name was Raiford. Col. Payne (who incidently was born only 35-40 miles from where I grew up) contacted me. He had no information on the descendants of Robert Raiford and Margaret Wyche which my family was able to supply him with. The result is what he sent us after he mapped it out. (There is a saint 'way back in the Wyche lineage, BTW--beats a monkey in the family tree.)

I hope that this is of some use to you.

Sincerely,
Raiford L. Pittman
My Raiford family page
P.O. Box 474
Como, MS 38619
662-526-9218

VIRGINIA CAVALIERS AND PIONEERS
Submitted by Raiford Pittman
PATENT BOOK NO. 6 
 

P. 151 
MR. JOHN HARDIE, 1390 acs., Is. of W. Co., 21 Sept. 1674. P. 521. 
Adj. Mathew Tomlin; Wm. Westray; & land of Fulgham & Bressey &c. 1150 acs. 
Granted him 5 June 1666; 240 acs. For trans. of 5 pers; Izabell Jones, 
Tho. Fore, Mary Wilkinson, Philip Wrayford, Philip Mutis. 
  

P. 216 
PHILIP WRAYFORD. 350 acs. Is. of W. Co; on br. Of the Blackwater; beg. At 
Mr. Acheley's corner; adj. Col. Bridger; &c. 23 Apr. 1681. p. 69. Trans. of 
7 pers; Marke Horpu (?), Jona.l Moore, Tho. Norton, Wm. Darby, Pers. Eldy, 
Ja. Onakerby (or Makerby), Tho. Doubty. 


PATENT BOOK NO. 7 
  
P. 217 
GEORGE PEIRCE, 400 acs. Is. of W. Co. on brs of Blackwater, adj. Mr. Asheley; 
Phill. Wrayfird; & his own land.; 23 Apr. 1681, p. 71. Trans. of 8 pers: 
Jno. Sands, Abr. Barnes, Chr. Jones, Tho. Brown, Wm. Moon, And. North, 
Jno. King, Fard. Stamp. 
  

P. 236 
RICHARD HUCHINS, JUNR., 226 acs. Is. of Wight Co. on brs. of the Black Water, 
20 Apr. 1682, p. 155. Begin at John. Watkins' line; adj. Philip Wrayford; by 
William Powell; &c. Imp. of 5 pers: Samuel Dunston, John Simpson, James Long, 
Robert Orrel, Mary Newton. 

P. 238 
THOMAS MANDUE, 320 acs., Is. of W. Co., on brs. of the Black Water, 20 Apr. 1682, 
p. 165.Begin at George Perce's land, in possession of Phillip Wrayford; to Mathew
Strickland; to the Coblers line, &c. Trans of 7 pers: Tho. Parker, Richd Stanly, 
Christopher Ellis, Samll. Bott, John Phillips, Jeter Moore, Tho. Anderson.
 

PATENT BOOK NO. 8 
  
P. 375 
BRIDGEMAN JOYNER, 600 acs. Is. of Wight Co., neer Kingsdale Swamp; along James 
Brian & and run of the maine Black Water Sw; 29 Apr. 1692, p. 222. Imp. of 12 
pers: Bridgman Joyner, Elizabeth Jones, Jno. Edmond, Tho. Wright, William Walker, 
Phillip Rafford, Jno. Edmond, Mary Wilkinson, Jno. Edwards, Owen Ellis, Derick 
Stone, Black Moll. 
  

PATENT BOOK NO. 9 
  
P. 5 
WILLIAM CARVER, 45 acs., Low. Par. of Is. of Wight Co; adj. Thomas Mandue & 
Phillip Wrayford; 25 Oct. 1695. P. 23. Imp. of: John Ashden . 
  
P. 134 
PHILLIP RAYFORD, of Is. of W. Co., 100 acs. (N. L.), Isle of Wight Co; S. side 
of the main Blackwater Sw; on S. side of Seacock Sw; adj. His old land 
13 Nov.1713; 10 Shill. 
  
P. 139 
PHILLIP RAYFORD, 325 acs. (N. L.) In the Low Par. of Isle of Wight Co, on S. 
side of the main Black Water Sw., 13 Nov. 1713, p. 119. On SW side of Seacock 
Sw; neer mouth of Round Hill Sw. 1 Lb 10 shill. 
  

PATENT BOOK NO. 10 
  
P. 169 
PHILIP RAYFORD, 525 acs. (N. L. ) Is. of Wight Co; on S. side the main Blackwater
Sw; beg. On SE side of the Doctor's Br., in line of Capt. Luke Havield; near the 
Indian Path; on Robert Hodges' line; 23 Dec. 1714, p. 231. 1 Lb. 15 shill., & Imp. 
of 4 pers: George Rotherford, Edward Hopkins, Jno. Harris, Wm. Harrington. 
  
P. 204 
WILLIAM CRUMPLER, 130 acs. (N. L. ) Isle of Wight Co., on S. side the main Blackwater 
Sw. adj. Philip Rayford (Raiford); George Williamson & Thomas Reives; 12 Jul. 1718,
p. 382. 15 Shill. 
  
P. 272 
THOMAS JONES, 440 acs. (N. L.) Is. of Wight Co; on S. side the main Blackwater Sw; 
& on N. side the Long Branch; adj. his own, & land of Phillip Rayford; 9 July 1724, 
p. 90. 45 Shill.  

P. 324 
COL. JOHN ALLEN of Surry Co; 400 acs. (N. L.), Is. of Wight Co; on SW side the Round 
Hill Sw; on SW of Seacock Sw; cor of land of Phillip Rayford dec'd ; 6 May 1727, 
p. 75. 40 Shill. 


**See the transcription of a sale of land on 2 Sept. 1674 to Philip by 
George Peirce (sic?) in the book by John Bennett Boddie, SEVENTEENTH 
CENTURY ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY VIRGINIA, Heritage Books. It's transcribed 
from Will and Deed Book I.

**It shows that the earliest entry for Philip is 1674 and not May 1, 1679 as previous 
reported.
=======================================================================
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Colony of NC 1765-1775 Abstracts of Land Patents Volume Two-A 
by Margaret M. Hofmann.

3064 pg. 677 MATHEW RAIFORD 18 April 1771 150 acres in Anson on the N.E. 
side of Peedee river, joining the S.W. bank of Little river, Andrew 
Moreman, Jacob Sheppard, and the sd. Raiford.

3066 pg. 678 MATHEW RAIFORD, Jr. 18 April 1771 200 acres in Anson on the 
N.E. side of Peedee river, joining Tar Kiln Branch and (a point) near the 
round pond.

3055 pg. 676 WILLIAM PICKETT 18 April 1771 100 acres in Anson on the S.W. 
of Peedee river, joining Nicholas Smiths supposed lower line, Turkey Cock 
Creek, Picketts other survey, and (a point) near the mouth of the Creek at 
the end of Joseph Whites Line.




RAIFORD (a letter to me)

 Diane,

"The History of the Raiford Family" was written by William Russell
Raiford.  The book is hardback and 191 pages in length.  The book was
published in 1989.  William's address is 12011 Old Bridge Road,
Rockville, Maryland 20852.  I believe the cost is $25.    It well worth
the price.  William goes in more detail on the VA Raiford's then the
NC/SC Raiford's.

My family line is:


Philip Raiford 

William Raiford

William Raiford

William Raiford

Philip Raiford

Allen Raiford

Henry Raiford

Kenneth Raiford

John Raiford

William Raiford (ME)


Philip is my 7th GGF.  Philip was born in 1649 in Credition, Devon,
England.  He married Sarah Kinchen.  He died in 1724 in Isle of Wight
Co., VA.  Philip had 4 sons and 3 daughters as I told you in my last
e-mail.  

It appears plausible that Philip Raiford was the only immigrant ancestor
of the entire Raiford clan in America.  This Philip was born in
Crediton, Devonshire, being baptised there on December 2, 1649.  He came
to the new World sometime between 1666 and 1679, at an age ranging from
17 to 30 years.  If we assume that he came as alleged with John Hardy in
1672, an assumption quite in line with the above given parameters, then
he was about 23 years old.  After living a full an eventful life in Isle
of Wight County, VA, he died there in 1724, at the age about 75 years.

Philip and Sarah had Robert, Mary, Anne, Patience, Sarah, William,
Matthew, and Philip. Matthew.  William is referred to as the VA
Raifords, Matthew is referred to as the NC Raifords and Philip is
referred to as the SC Raifords.  So the Raifords originated in VA and
then moved to NC and SC.

The NC Raifords can trace their ancestry to Matthew, son of Philip, the
immigrant, whose birthdate has been accepted by the DAR as about 1687. 
Matthew first appears on the tax list of Craven County, NC, in 1720. 
Matthew made his will on July 21, 1752.  He died in the spring of 1758,
and his will was admitted to probate in the April, 1758, Court of
Cumberland County.

Matthew and Mourning has Matthew, Robert, Mary, Anne, Mourning, Rebecca,
William, Grace, Philip Peter, and Drusilla.  Mary married Captain
William Terry of Savannah Creek, also known as William Terry of Anson
County.  Anne also married a William Terry who was known as William
Terry east of the Pee Dee, to distinguish him from from Mary's husband.

My GGF Henry Raiford fought for the 18th Batt. Co. A VA Heavy Artillery. Many Raifords fought for the Confederacy as stated in the book. Your cousin; William Kenneth Raiford of Suffolk, VA.

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More on My Raiford Webpage: [click here]

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I recently heard from another Raiford cousin who is authoring a new Raiford History book. R.Chase Raiford says his focus is on the NC Raifords and expects his book to be hot off the presses this summer, 1998. The following e-mails are from him.

Diane,
I am writing a book on the Raifords with emphasis on the NC Raifords.  The book will be approximately 700 pages.
One of the footnotes in my book mentions Matthew Raiford's Clan of Bladen/Cumberland/Anson/Richmond/Montgomery Counties. The county nomenclature is how I separate the Matthew and Robert "Carolina" Raifords! You might enjoy it.
  In reiteration, my emphasis is on the Robert Raifords of Craven/Johnston/Dobbs/Wayne/Lenoir/Greene Counties.

(fn.) Speaking of double first cousins! "James Pickett, son of James Pickett, Sr. d. Anson 1723, married Elizabeth Raiford, daughter of Matthew I (this must be error); he served in the N.C. Gen. Assembly in 1769. Delegate to three Provincial Congresses, one of which brother William Pickett, who later married Mourning Raiford (Robards), daughter of Matthew Raiford, II, also attended. William Pickett became a Major in the Continental line and served as a delegate to the Provincial Congresses also. James Pickett, son of James Pickett who married Elizabeth Raiford, married his cousin, Martha Terry, daughter of William Terry and his wife, Mary Raiford, daughter of Matthew Raiford I. William Pickett, husband to Martha Terry, served in the House of Representatives for Anson County during the years 1790, 1791, and 1795. Martin Pickett, youngest child of James Pickett and Martha Terry married Nancy Raiford. All of the Picketts were and continue to be prominent in the South. See: Anson Newspaper Article, "Pickett Heritage Has Place Annals", by Grady R. Moore, Oct. 18, 1949, pp. 55-57.

Second Message:

Diane,
The "Double First Cousin" article is from one of the footnotes (fn) in my book.  Yes, it is from the newspaper article from 1949, not 1849. My book covers many deeds and documents relating to Matthew Raiford and hopefully will benefit the Matthew descendants.  I have set up charts for the Robert Raiford line (my direct line).  The book is more of a history interweaving the Raifords as they were actors on the stage.  It is not a "Joe begat Bill" book, though I deal with the latter also.

  For example, I have a whole chapter on the "Regulation Movement" which involved both Raiford groups.  Matthew I was a vestryman when Cumberland was carved out of Bladen. His brother Robert was a vestryman when Johsnton was carved out of Craven.  Their children were active in politics.  I tell their stories! Matthew II moved to Anson; his son represented Anson in the Assembly; the son and John Mast (brother in law) took the Anson "Regulator" Petition to New Bern. William Raiford and Matthew III signed the petition.  They were regulators. Meantime, in Johnston and Dobbs Counties, William Raiford, son of Robert, was a sergeant in the militia; his brother, Philip, was an officer in the Johnston County militia. Governor Tryon assembled these militias and marced to the "Battle of Alamance" to put down the regulators from that area.

  I think your descriptions of the book are fine; it might be ambitious to say my book will be hot off the press by March, but I am working on that date.  Hopefully by summer would be more conservative.

  I hope the book will answer many questions about different lines. The newspaper article might have errors; the name of the game is documentation.  I do have this for many of the Matthew Raiford children, but not as extensive as for the Robert Raiford line.

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UPDATE: I made contact with Chase and the word is that this book is finished and may be out by the end of the year (2000)!!
  chaseraiford@mindspring.com

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Burke's "General Armory" Description of Raiford Coat of Arms.

This image of the Coat of Arms was painted by Algin H. Reeves of Lawrenceberg, KY in February 1958.

QUERY:

Am in the process of visiting your excellent site and decided to accept your
invitation to write. My wife and children are descended from Sarah C (Sally) Raiford
who married Gideon Barnes in Jones Co., GA, in 1823. I am searching for a source
reference to tie Sarah to her father John who died in Louisville, Jefferson, GA in
1812. At least we think her father was John. Any suggestions appreciated. Keep up
the good work.

If you have the time, you might enjoy looking at:
www.oocities.org/reedsofestill. The line I'm enquiring about is
Rowland->Keifer->Barnes->Raiford.
Montford Reed montyreed@attbi.com
SAR 156018



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