JABEZ JARVIS, REZIA, AND KEZIA

A number of years ago it was set in print that the wife of
Jabez JARVIS was Kezia RIDGE, daughter of William and Winneford
RIDGE.  This is an error.

I believe this was first put in print in a piece by David Reece
in the 1981 book The Heritage of Old Buncombe County.  I do not
know if it appeared anywhere prior to this, nor do I know if
this was the research of Mr Reece or if he got it from someone
else.  This piece does, ultimately, seem to be the source of
all the assertions that Jabez' wife was Kezia RIDGE.

There is a 1798 deed in Surry Co NC, Book H Page 95, that shows
Jabez, Sr. and wife Elizabeth to Hezekiah Bronson - 71 A. -
Forks of Yadkin and Fisher, a grant to Jabez Sr. #1620. Wit.
Abner Rose, Absolem Bronson, Thos. Rice.  This is from Jarvis
Family Notes #2 - June 1970.  I have not personally seen a copy
of this deed or a complete transcript.  If someone could
provide me with either, it would be greatly appreciated.  As
far as I know, this is the only document known that names
Jabez' wife.

Thanks to the efforts of George Baumbach, the estate papers of
William RIDGE have been transcribed and posted to the WWW. 
They are currently (Mar 1999) posted at

  http://www.mindspring.com/~baumbach/cody/tory/ 

William RIDGE was killed in 1780.  He left three adult children
and six minor children.  The three adult children were Nancy
(wife of John FIELDER), Godfrey (dead by 1783), and a daughter
(wife of Byram COMBS).  The six minor children: Elizabeth,
Mary, Seth, William, Thomas, and Winneford.  The three adult
children were not by Winneford.  One of the issues in the
settlement concerned a slave named Cate and her daughter Kezia. 
This is the only mention of anybody named "Kezia."

Winneford (Combs) RIDGE was born 14 May 1749 in Stafford Co VA. 
On that basis alone, it is improbable, though not impossible,
that she is the mother-in-law of Jabez JARVIS, who was about 55
years old in 1780.  She was certainly not the grandmother of
Jabez' children.

Winneford was the administratrix of William's estate.  One of
her securities was Rezia JARVIS.  Among the estate papers of
William RIDGE is a deposition by John HARNESS stating that
Rezia JARVIS was the son of Jabez JARVIS.  To my knowledge this
is the only document establishing that relationship.

There have been at least three instances where the name
"Reziah" has been mis-transcribed as "Keziah."  This may have
been the reason for believing in the existence of a "Keziah"
JARVIS.

Steve
shmartonak@ticnet.com
March 1999