t.1
l3l Porter Flagg
PORTER6FLAGG (Joshuas,
AJlen'-t,Thomas';,sonof Rev.
Josiah4,
JoshuaFlaggand his wife, Eliza Comee,was b,ornat Dana,Worcester,
Massachusetts,T
March 1810.e'He marriedat PowhatanCounty,Virginia,26
September1 837,MATILDA HOLMAN," whrowas born aboui l80i',n' daughter
of Henry and ElizabethBarbara(Branch)Holnranof PowhatanCounty,Virginia.ea
Porterwas a farmerand mail contractorlagent
and removedto Virginia from
prior to his marriageto Matildain 1837.
Vlassachusetts
o'ln I 842,a turnpikefrom Danvill; to Lynchburgwas chartered...A
stagecoachplied daily betweenthe two towns,a distanceof someseventyfive miles,and the turnpikewas known as the 'StageRoad.'PorterIrlagg
hadthe mail contractfor years.Four horsesdriven at a long gallopwere
usedto the stage,,and relay stableswere pfacedat Chathamand Chalk
Level,wherethe horseswerechanged.
"."e)
and monetarydisputes
Porterwas involvedin multiple real estatepurchases
Campbell,Go,rchland,Powhatanand King and
and transactionsin Pittsylvania,,
QueenCountiesandthe citiesof Danvilleand Richmond,Virginiabetween1837
and 1872.e6
In I840, Porterwas living with his wife, Matilda,andchild,Ann E."in
lrt
CampbellCount),Virginia.He hadtwo maleslavesand one fbmaleslave.eT
\/irginia with his wife, Matilda,and
1850,he was living in Danville,Pittsylvania,
Puryear,a 14 yearold, who wasprobabty.|h.
Ann 8., andJosephine
his daughter,
I 827.e8In
daughterof Matitda'ssister,who marriedJosephP.Puryear,77 Januaqy
Porterwas living in Danville,Virginiawith his wife, Matilda,and his
1860,,
" r Cor ney - Co m eFea m i l y ,p .l 5 (L D S F H C F i l m #1464004).
er
VA' Marriages.
Powhatan"
PowhatanCountyClourthouse.
26
Oct. 1868at age60 t.fromburial recordsof St. Luke'sChurch.
of
date
burial
from
deducted
date
Birth
"
Powhatan.VA. availableat Virginia HistoricalSociety,Richmond,VA).
eapowhatanCountyCourthouse.
Powhatan.VA. MarriageBond 9 2511837listsfatheras Henry Holnran.
,-tClements,MaudeC-ar-ter.
Counlv,Baltimore:BaltimoreRegionalPublishingCompany.
The F{istoryof Pitts},lvania
1 9 8 7P. . 2 4 1 .
',,'piffsy,lvania.
recordsin VA. as well as
and King and QueenCountycourthouse
Canrpbell,Goochland.Pou'hatan
the citiesof Danvilleand Richmondcoufthouserecords.
nt
. . L y n chburgN .E . D i stri ct,p.43 (mi crofi l m).
l l o "VA
1840U. S .C e n s u sC, a m p b e lC
nt
, a r n i l y 6 8 , p .1 6 5( r n i c r o f i l m ) .
a .w e l l i n g 6 8 F
. i t t s y l v a n iD
1 8 5 0U . S .C e n s u sD. a n v i l l eP
t5
In I 870,Porter
daughter,Ann E. Walters,who had marriedWilliam F. Walte.s.nn
her maidennameof
was living with his daughter,Ann E., who had reassumed
Flagg,in King and QueenCounty,Virginia.l00By 1875,Porterremovedto
Richmond,Virginia,'0randwas listedin the RichmondCity Directoryin 18751877, I 880,andwith his brother,Murray in I881. In 1880,Porterwas living in
Richmond,Henrico,Virginia as a boarderand unableto work becauseof liver
disease.l02
'.26
Matilda died Oct. 1868and was buried October,1868at the Holman
Family Cemeteryin PowhatanCounty,Virginia,with the funeralbeingconducted
PorterFlaggdied at Richmond,Virginia on
by the ministerat St. Luke's Church.'u3
26December1880of softeningof the brain and heartdisease.He had beena
residentof the city for about 15 years,and was buried at Powhatan,Virginia,
probablyat the family cemeteryof Henry Holrnan,,wherehis wife, Matilda, was
The cemeteryis no longerin existence.Porter'sLast Will and Testament
buried.tOo
readas follo*r:|t't
In the nameof God,Amen! I PorterFlagg of the City of Richmondin
the stateof Virginia do makethis my last will andtestament,as fbllows,,
(that is to say)my desireis to be buriedin a decentmannerand that all my
just debtsand funeralexpensesbe paid as soonaftermy deceaseas
convenientlymay be -- And I give and cleviseand bequeathall my estate
both real and personalof everykind and descriptionwhatsoeverunto my
two brothersLucius Flaggand Murray Flagg,to be equallydivided between
them,to them and their heirsrespectivelyforever-- it beingmy desirethat
they shallbe my only deviseesand legatiesand that they shall shareequally
of
to any lineal descendant
in my estateandthat no part of it shall clescent
mine, in any eventwhatsoever.ShouldI surviveeitherof my saidbrothers
brotheraforesaidwould
then I desirethat the shareto which my deceased
havebeenentitledunderthis will, had he survivedffi€, shallpassand
descentto his heirsand distributes,accordingto the statuteof descentsand
distributionsof the Stateof Virginia in the samemanner,as it would have
, a n v i l l e ,Pi tts y ' l v a nci ao.. vA , p.473 (mi crofi l m).
" " 1860U. S .C e n s u sD
' , , ul g 7 0 L i . S .C e n s u sK. i n g a n d e u e e nc o . " V A " D w e l l i n g2 2 6 , F a m i l y 2 2 8 . J u n e 2 21^8 7 0 p. . 3 9 1 l r n i c r o f i h n ) '
r,,'Ceftificateof Death,Richmond,vA, 1880,Yol. 47,C-G, availableat Libraryof Virginia.Richmond'Va'
' nt l8B 0 U. S .C e n s u sR
, e n ri c o v. A , S up.D i st.3, E D 78, p. l 2 (mi crofi l m)'
. i c h mo n dH
',,, St. [.uke,sburial records.powhatan,VA, availableat the Virginia HistoricalSociety.Richrnond-VA'
"'oCertificateof Death,Richmond,VA, 1880'
',,tC'ityof Richmonci.
VA, ChanceryCourt.Will Book 2, pp. 40'7-408.
l6
donehad saidbrothersurvivedme and the died intestate-- but in no event
to any lineal descendantof
shall any portion of my estatepassand dlescend
mine -- and in orderto settleup my estal.e
and to ef ct a division thereofas
aboveindicated,without necessarydela'gand expense,I herebyauthorize
and empowermy executorshereinafternamedor suchone of them as may
qualify,or my administratorwith the will annexed,shouldone qualiff, to
sell all my real estateor any portionthereof,if a saleshouldbe deemed
necessaryand advisablefor the purposeof effectingsuch settlementand
division -- I herebyrevokeall formerwills madeby me, and havingthe
utmostconfidencein my saidbrothers,I herebynominateand appointmy
tw'obrothers,abovementioned,executorsof this my lastwill and testament,
and requestthat the court will allow thernto qualify without security,and I
further requestthat they will both act.
In witnesswhereof,I, the said testatorPorterFlagg haveheretoset
my handand affixedmy sealthis 18'hday of September1877at Richmond,
Virginia.
ln January1881,PorterFlagg'sEstate\^/asappraisedin Richmond,Virginia
and included:one hack, t/zstagecoach,one wergon,one buggy,one bay mare,one
one hay cutter,three featherbeds,threebed
buggy harness,two wagon harnesses,
comfbrters,one desk,one wardrobe,two trunks,two chairs,one gun.,one gold
ittems.l06
watch,two silverwatchesandmiscellaneous
Porterand Matilda had the following child born in Virginia:
tl0l
i. ANN E. FLAGG, b. 1838;m. WILLiIAM FLWALTERS.
r,,,,
Virginia.ChancervCourt.Accountsof Fiduciaries,Book 27. p.25-26.
Citv of Richmoncl.
ll0l AI\N E" F|,AGG
AI\N E. FLAGG, daughterof-Porter and Matilda (Holman) Flagg,
was born about l838 in Virginia. She marriedat Danville, Pittsylvania,,
Virginia, (Lic.) 23 october 1855,rWILLIA,M F, WALTERS, alsoknown
as Felix, a f-armerand tnerchant,who was b,ornat PittsylvaniaCounty,,
Virginia,26April 1834,sonof AzariahGravesand ElizabethPayne
(Richardson)Walters.tAs AzariahGraves\Valters'propertywas in both
Caswell,Nofth Carolinaand PittsylvaniaCounty,Virginia,William Walters'
given as North Carolina.
birthplaceis sometimes
In 1840,Ann andher parentsweje living at CampbellCounty,
Virginiain the l-ynchburg
NE District.-'
In 1850,Ann was living with her
parentsat Danville,FittsylvaniaCounty,Virginia.a[n 1860,Ann was living
asAnn E. Walterswith her parentsat f)anville,,PittsylvaniaCounty,
Virginia.tln 1870,Ann was living with her father,as her rnotherwas
at King and QueenCounty,Virginiaand had resumedher maiden
deceased.,
nameof Flagg.
Mollie Belle,never
Ann, her husband,William Ir..and daughter,,
fbundrecords.William and
appeartogetherin any censusrecordsor othLer
Mollie lived with his farnily,andAnn lived with her parents.Ann keptthe
Waltersnameinto at leastthe 1860'sand William reportedhimselfas
widowedin the 1900census.It is not larownif Ann andWilliam divorcedor
neitherremarried.AzariahGravesWaltersand Porter
were.justseparated;
knew eachothermanyyears. They
Flagg,Williarn F. andAnn's f'athers,
wereboth land ownersin PittsylvaniaCounty, Azariahwas a mail
contractorin the Danvilleand surroundingareas,Porlerwas a mail
contractorfrom Richmondto Farmvilleto Danville fbr many years,anclthey
had businessdealingstogether.Theremay havebeenill feelingsbetween
the Waltersand Flagg family in that in one :;uitin PittsylvaniaCounty,it
stated:
' B ur eauo f V i ta i Sta ti s ti c sD. e p t.o f l { e a l th,C ommonw eal th
of V i rgi ni a.D anvi l i eMarri ages.l 8-55.p.28.
VA.
line 7. av a i l a b l ea t L i b ra r-lo f V i rg i n i a .R i chrnond.
' l ' u e ..
t
M a y 25. 1909,p' 8. col ' l l .
O bit uary
" D u n v i l l e R e g i s tc r.
t l8' 10I . J .SC. e n s u sC. l a rn p b eLl l o ,.V A.p .43 (rni crofi l rn).
*
r o. f l l m ) .
6 8i c" p
l B 5 0I . J . S . C e n s u s . D a n v i l l c , [ , i t t s y l v a n i a C o . . V A , D w e l l i n g 6 S . [ ' a nl 6r i5l y( m
t 1 8 6 0L J " SC. e n s u sD. a n v i l l eP
(
n
r
i
c
r
o
f
i
l
m
)
.
, i t t s y ' l v a nCi ao . "V A . p . 4 7 3
. . . conveyanceof the real estateand otherpropertymentioned
in the deedmadeby Porterlriagg to llzartahG. Walterswas
tiaudulentand was executedwith the view and for the purposeof
hindering,dela)'ingand defraudingthe creditorsof the aforesaid
PorterFlagg.. ."
William Felix Walterswas a Privatein Co. A, VA Infantrv(Danville
Blues),enrolledfbr activeserviceon Junej;, 1861andwasmusteredin June
30, 1861.He was ofien sick,,complainedof chronicrheumatismandwas
and BellevueHospitalsat
in i 86l and 1862at Chimbora:zo
hospitalized
Richmond,Virginiaand C.S.A.GeneralHospitalat Danville,Virginia.He
furnisheda substitutein 1862.7
It is believedthatAnn E. (Flagg)Waltersdied between1870and
her father,was living by hirnselfin Richmondin 1875and
1875,as Porter,,
Ann is not living with the Walters.It is assumedthatAnn is buriedat the
Holman farm in PowhatanCounty,Virginia in an unmarkedgravealong
with her motherand father.Williarndied at Danville,PittsylvaniaCounty,
V i r g i n i e , ? 4M a y 1 9 0 9 .
Obituaryof Pvt. William Felix Walterss
Mr. William Felix (sic)Walters,eldestsonof the lateCaptain
Azariah(lraves Walters,died yesterday at his country hotne,"Cottage
Grove,"just beyondthe DanvilleSctroolfor Boysaftera long iliness.
April 26, 1834,beinghis
FIewas born in PittsylvaniaC'ounty,
76thyearat the tirne of his death. Whenthe War betweenthe States
brokeout in the early sixties,Mr. Waltersenteredthe Contederate
Army and servedduring the four yearswith honor. He was a member
Veteransof this city.
Carnp.,Confede:rate
of the Cabell-Graves
churchand wasa member
Early in life h. joined the Metlhodist
of Main StreetMethodistEpiscopalllhurch. He is survivedby two
brothers,Messrs"R.A. andE.A. Waltersof this city and onedaughter'
will be held fiom the late
Miss Mollie Belle Walters.The fune:ral
(,
Danv ill e .Vi rg i p i aC o u r-th o u sCeh, a n c eryOrderB ook 4. p. 412-413.
fionr Virginia' Elghtec'nth
t
Soldierswho serveclin C)rganizations
i:ornpiledSeiviceRecordsof Conlederate
VA'
R
i
chmond,
V
i
rgi
ni
a.
of
I nf - ant ryV.-Wa . R o l l 6 l i . L J .SL. i b . Arc h ..avai l abl eat t,i brarry
*
2'
fue., Ivlay25- 1909.p' 8' col'
Obituary',[,)urt'ille Regi'ster.
residence
this afternoonand intermentwill be in GreenHill
Cemetery.
WilliamandAnn hadthe fbllowinschild:
i. MOLLIE BELLE WALTERS,b. Jan.1860VA or NCe,unm.;
in 1860and I 870 in Pittsylvania,
lived with her paternalgrandparents
and fatherin Tunstall,
lived with her grandparents
Co.,VA,,l0
Pittsylvania
Co.,VA in l880,rrlived with her fatherin Tunstall,
PittsylvaniaCo.,VA in 1900,12and\vasliving as a boarderin
which may
Co.,\A inlg21t.lnthe l92A census,
Tunstall,Pittsylvania
be the first time Mollie communicatedher informationdirectlyto the
This
censustaker,shestatedher motherw'asborn in Massachusetts.l3
indicatesthat Mollie had somelimite:dinformationabouther mother.
I{owever,it was her grandfather,PorterFlaggthat was born in
and not her mother,who was born in Virginia.In
Massachusetts
PorterFlagg,wrotehis
SeptemberI877 when Mollie's granrlfather,
shouldgo to his brothers
will, he mentionedtwice that his esterte
of
"...and that no partof-it shalldescentto any linealdescendant
mine..." He obviouslywasawareof Mollie but wasnot currenton
her living situation.Mollie inheritedinl899 fiom her grandfather,
LzartahGravesWalters,a smail,paintedhousewith threeroomsand
a smaliparcelof land attachednearthe far front gateof his
Mollie BelleWaltersdied28 January1922andis buried
homeplace.'o
Danville,Virginia.r5
at Green[]ill Cemetery,
Obituar)'of Mollie Belle Walters
Miss Mollie B. Walters,agedr55,diedat 5:30a.m.todayat
EdmundsHospital,whereshehad beena patientfor severalmonths
',
The
C l e n s ure
s c o rd ss ta tebothN orthC arol i naand vi rgi ni a as Mol l i e' sbi rthpl ace.
r he lg6 0 -1 9 2 0l .J .S.
Counry'.
Pittsylvania
(80
and
AzariahGravesWalters'propertywas locatedin both CaswellCounty acres)
V A ( 100 0 + a c re s ).
, , ,lg60
'
V A (nri crofrl m).
. u th e rnD i stri ct.P i ttsyl vani aC o."
a n d 1 8 7 0tJ .S .C e n s u sSo
' , 1880U .S.C e n s u sT" u n s ta l l Pi
V A (mi crofrl rn).
. tts y l v a ni a.
n s ta l l ,
' . lg00 tJ .S .C e n s u s-fu
V A (mi crof-i l m).
Pi tts y l v a ni a,
.
, , lc . l20U .S .C e n s u s .' fu n s ta Pi
V A (mi crotrl m)"
l l , tts y l v a ni a.
rr AzariahGraveswalters Will. a copy in the possession
of Bob Carterof RockinghamCommunit;w
ebsi
te'
l o ..N C H i s t ori calS oci ety
Colf ege 2
. 0 1 2 ^p e r C a s w e i C
t t T h J B u uD
- A.
l e m . .D a n v i l l eV
G
. a n v i l l e\.' A . 2 8 J a n l g 2 2 . p . I a n d ' f o m b s t o n e .r e e nI - { i l C
from a heavyfall several
as a resultof severeinjuriesshesusterined
yearsago. Shewas a daughterof W.lF.Waltersand a granddaughter
of Capt.A.G. Walters.For many yearsshehad madeher homeat
"CottageGrove" the old Walters'horneplacenearthis city. Shewas a
cousinof C.G.Holland,FrankHolland,Miss Nellie Holland,Mrs.
JulianM. Robinsonand C. MauriceFlinn.
Mollie Belle WaltersTombstone
DanviIle" Vi rgini a*
Qgeerr_flile]en919ga,
* l ' l . t " d e a t h d a t e o n t h e t o r n b s t o n e s h o ul g
d2
b2
e r a t h e r t h a nl g 2 l a c c o r d i n g t oT h e B e eo b i t u a r y .
pubfislred28 January1922.
On January5, 1924,therewas a legalnotice in the newspaper
concerninga suit filed to forcethe saleof the houseand properlyownedby
Mollie Bellewhenshediedin orderto payher debts.16