University of Virginia Library

MICHIE.

The first Michie who settled in the county was John, who
bought land near the Horse Shoe of the Rivanna from John
Henry, father of the great orator. When the purchase was
made does not appear, but he sold to Hezekiah Rice, and
repurchased from him in 1763. He died in 1777. His children
were John, who died before his father, Robert, James,
Patrick, William, Sarah, the wife of Christopher Wood, and
Mary, the wife also of a Wood. Robert and his sisters seem
to have lived in Louisa.

Patrick had his home southwest of Earlysville, between
the Buck Mountain Road and the south fork of the Rivanna.
He died in 1799. His wife's name was Frances, and his
children were Nancy, the wife of Joseph Goodman, James,
Elizabeth, the wife of Thomas Maupin, Sarah, the wife of
William G. Martin, Martha, the wife of Richard Davis,
Susan, the wife of William Michie, Mary, the wife of John
Maupin, and David.

William became a large landholder in the same section.
He purchased in 1793 from Lewis Webb, of New Kent, two
thousand and ninety acres in one tract. On the Buck Mountain
Road he established the public house, which has since
been known as Michie's Old Tavern. He was appointed a
magistrate in 1791, served as Sheriff in 1803, and died in
1811. He was twice married; one of his wives, it is believed,
being Ann, daughter of David Mills. His children by the
first marriage were John A., and Mary, the wife of John
Mullins, and by the second William, David and Lucy, the
wife of Benjamin Richards.

John A. was appointed a magistrate of the county in 1807.
His wife was Frances, daughter of Thomas Jarman. He

died in 1827. His children were Frances J., Ann, Sarah,
Elizabeth, the wife of Bezaleel G. Brown, Theodosia, the
wife of Edmund Brown, John E., James, William, Robert
J., Jonathan, Mary and Martha. Of these James attained a
prominent position in the affairs of the county. He was a
successful business man, was appointed a magistrate in
1816, and served as Sheriff in 1843. He was an earnest
Episcopalian, and displayed his zeal in active efforts to rebuild
the ruins of the old Buck Mountain Church. His
home was on the north fork of the Rivanna, south of Piney
Mountain. He died in 1850. His wife was Frances, daughter
of Thomas Garth Jr., and his children Mary Elizabeth,
the wife of William T. Early, Virginia, Susan, Adeline,
Dr. J. Augustus, Thomas, Theresa, the wife of Lucian
Michie, Alexander H., and Henry Clay. Jonathan married
a sister of Thomas J. Michie, of Staunton, and his children
were John P., Margaret, the wife of Dr. Theodore Michie,
Frances, the wife of Dr. R. N. Hewitt, of Campbell County,
Thomas, Chapman and Franklin.

William Michie, son of William, married, it is believed,
Susan, daughter of his uncle Patrick. His children were
Dr. James W., David and Frances. His brother David was a
man of great enterprise and thrift. In early life he was a
merchant first in the Michie Tavern neighborhood, and afterwards
at Milton. He invested in real estate in different parts
of the county, purchasing in 1805 from Randolph Lewis his
plantation Buck Island on the north side of the Rivanna,
which he seems to have made his home till 1837. In that
year he bought the brick house on the northeast corner of
Market and Seventh Streets in Charlottesville, where he
resided until his death in 1850. He left no children, and his
large estate was divided among his numerous relatives, under
the direction of George Carr, as administrator.

James Michie Jr., or Beau Jim, as he was commonly called,
was the son of a William Michie. His residence was at
Longwood, west of Earlysville. His death occurred in 1847.
He married Eliza Graves, of Rockingham, and his children
were Dr. Theodore, Octavius, Joseph P., Lucian, Oran,

Claudius N., Eugene, Catharine, the wife of William A.
Rogers, Cornelia and Virginia.