Genealogy of James Frank Pierce (1918-1973)

Genealogical Issues

James Frank Pierce was born in Woodville, Wilkinson Co., MS on 21 Feb 1918.  He was the son of Norval Lee Pierce and Margaret Ramey Bond.  The Pierce and Bond families had both come to Colonial Virginia in the 1600's or early 1700's.  Mirroring classic colonial migration patterns, they moved steadily from Essex Co., Virginia westward along the Rappahannock River, then to Kentucky when that state was young.  Despite the two families having similar migration patterns through some of the same counties they didn't intermarry until this union.

The study of the Pierce and Bond lines provide two examples of typical Virginia colonial families, and this description of genealogical inquiry may be instructional in how to investigate other Kentucky and Virginia families.  Classic family groups and relationships from my research may be found elsewhere, e.g., Rootsweb WorldConnect (users Pierce2 and PierceVaubel) and family treemaker (http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/p/i/e/Larry-S-Pierce/index.html?Welcome=1042344479).  What is shown here is the logic and deductions that led to the genealogy.

1. James Perry Pierce and Emeline (Rolston) Pierce of Crittenden Co., KY photographs

including photos from Pierce, Bettis, Yandell, Greenlee, Gwaltney, Brewer and Oliver families of western Kentucky.

2.  Stanton Pierce (father of James Perry Pierce) of Jefferson Co., TN

In about 1837, when he was about 15-19, his father died in Russell or Wayne Co., KY.  Stanton first appears in records when he marries in Jefferson Co., TN on 15 Feb 1841.  Why did he leave his kin in Russell Co?

3.  William M. Pierce and Mary (Unknown) Pierce of Russell Co., KY

In the census and tax records, William Pierce can be demonstrated to have lived and left records in Mercer, Madison, Adair and Russell counties.  He was associated with other an Ephraim Pierce and lived near Jesse and Reuben Pierce of Pulaski Co., who were found to be his brothers.

4.  William Pierce and Mary (Stanton) Pierce of Culpeper Co., VA to Wythe Co., VA

In the descendants of William and Mary Pierce, the name "Stanton" is used more than 17 times.  Herein is the logic that shows that William and Mary Pierce of Wythe Co., VA are identical to the William and Mary Pierce of Orange Co., VA and that Mary was the daughter of Thomas Stanton, Jr. of Orange Co., VA.

The book History of the Rucker Family and their descendants by Edythe Johns Rucker Whitley 1927 states that Elizabeth Rucker (the daughter of the immigrant, Peter Rucker) married James Pierce who died in Orange Co., VA in 1778.  Herein is that data to show that James did not die in 1778 nor did he marry Elizabeth Rucker.

In the 1700's in the Rappahannock valley of Virginia, a number of Pierces left records, but few of such records are wills or other records that leave an undisputable trail of ancestry.  Rather, we must rely on family associations and implied kinship to determine relationships.  Herein is a chronological list of Pierce records of the area, annotated with genealogical information on all persons contained in the records, and a synthesis of Pierce lines suggested by the records.