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Martha "Patty" Bridgman was born about about 1780, in Virginia. She was the daughter of Franklin Bridgman and his first wife (name unknown). Some researchers believe her name was Martha Elizabeth. We found her listed as Martha and as "Patty", which was probably a nickname for Patricia.
Martha married Sampson David in 1803, in Wythe County, Virginia, according to a marriage listing for Early Virginia marriages. Sampson David was born about 1769, in Virginia. He was the son of George David and Mary Morgan.
George David was born about 1753, in Wales. Mary Morgan was born about 1725, in Pennsylvania. They married July 26, 1762, at St. Paul's Church, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They both died in Tennessee. George and Mary David had several children, including: (1) Lewis David, b. Nov 6, 1767, VA; d. Feb 28, 1837, Campbell Co, TN; m. Anna Means on Feb 2, 1790, in VA; (2) Sampson David, b. abt 1769, VA; (3) Caleb M. David, b. Apr 29, 1771, Henrico Co, VA; d. Oct 23, 1851, Campbell Co, TN; m. Mary Ann Drewing on Sept 13, 1802, Henrico Co, VA, then m. Elizabeth Smiddy on Sept 12, 1837 in Campbell Co, TN, soon after the death of Mary Ann; (4) Mary David, b. Jan 17, 1773, VA; d. Mar 19, 1853, Marion Co, TN; m. David Chandoin (Chandon) abt 1793, in VA; (5) Isaac David, b. abt 1775, VA; d. 1837, Sumter Co, SC; m. Abigail Harrington bef 1793, in VA and (6) James David, b. Mar 20, 1778, VA; m. Elizabeth Reeves on Dec 1, 1800, TN.
Sampson and Martha David migrated from Virginia to Tennessee prior to 1805. He appears on the 1805 Anderson County, Tennessee tax list. Prior to 1810, he moved to Campbell County, Tennessee. Records indicate he was in a trade business prior to 1810 in Campbell County with someone named King. The business was called King & David.
Campbell County records of Deeds and Grants 1806-1810, pages 151-154 show the following:
Indenture, March
6, 1810.
Between Thomas
Mood, Esq. high sheriff of Campbell County, Tenn. on the one part.
Sampson David, of County and State afore said, on the other part.
Whereas by virtue of an execution issuing from the County Court of
Anderson against John Terry, John Reynolds & Jeremiah Cloud for
the sum of $80.42 which sum was received by William Terry &
Sampson David, copartners in trade. Trading under
the firm of King & David of Campbell County, on record may
appear, and whereas the said execution was directed and delivered to
Michael Huffaker Esq. then high sheriff of Campbell County,
commanding him that of the goods and chattels, lands and tenements of
the said John Terry, John Reynolds and Jeremiah Cloud he should
causer to be made the aforesaid sum of Eighty Dollars and fortytwo
cents, to satisfy the aforesaid execution with the costs thereon, and
the said Michael Huffaker, sheriff as aforesaid, in ____ and by
virtue of his office and the aforesaid execution did seize and take
into his hands and custody (no goods or chattels, to be found) a
certain piece or parcel of land in Campbell County, bounded as
follows: Beginning on the North bank of Powels River on a white
walnut and mulberry, turning thence N. 64 Deg. W. 107 poles with the
line of Thomas Mayho to 2 marked black oakson the waggon road, thence
N. 37 W. 126 poles to a blas'd ash and red oak on Denton's line,
thence W. with sd. line 84 poles to a white oak, blgum and a godwood
on the line of Lot L of Henderson and Company's Powells Valley
Survey, thence with sd line S. 31 Deg. E. 342 poles to the bakn of
Powels River, thence up the river as it mounders N. 81 Deg. E. 180
poles to a bend in the river, thence N. 16 E. 15 poles to a sugar
tree, thence N. 22 W. with the river to the beginning, and the said
Michael Huffaker, Sheriff as aforesaid, after due advertisment
according to law, did cause the said piece or parcel of land, with
all appurtenances thereto belonging, to be put up at a publick sale
to the highest bidder on Sept. 3, 1808, at which time and place the
aforesaid Sampson David became the last and highest bidder at the sum
of ten dollars for the said land with etc etc.
And whereas by an Act of the General Assembly of the State of Tenn.
passed at Knoxville Nov. 27, 1809, making it the duty of sheriffs in
office to execute deeds of conveyance for lands sold by the former
sheriffs that have gone out of office without executing deeds to
lands by them sold. This Indenture, therefore,
Witnesseth that the said Thomas Mood was high sheriff, Campbell
County, was aforesaid for and in consideration of the sum of $10.00
paid into the hands of the aforesaid Michael Huffaker by the
aforesaid Sampson David, the receipt of which etc etc I the
said Thomas Mood, new high sheriff, etc etc hereby sell etc unto
Sampson David, his heirs etc all of the said tract or parcel of land
containing 200 acres, more or less, etc.
Witness Whereof I
the sd Thos. Mood, high sheriff of Campbell County, hath hereunto etc.
The day and year above written.
Thomas Mood (seal)
Sheriff of Campbell County
In prescence of-
Joseph Sharp
Samuel Critchfield
Rich'd Sharp
State of Tennessee )
Campbell
County
)
March Term 1810
Above deed acknowledged in open court and ordered registered.
D. T. Strong, Clk.
State of Tennessee )
Campbell
County
)
April 26, 1810
Daniel White
Register of Campbell County
By his deputy
Sampson David appears on the 1818 Campbell County tax list. He was a very wealthy landowner, planter and slave holder.
On April 26, 1826, Sampson David wrote and signed his will.
Will of Sampson David
I, Sampson David,
of the town of Jacksborough and State of Tennessee, do make and
ordain this my last Will and Testament and do hereby dispose of all
my worldly goods and substance as follows towit:
It is my will that
my body at my death be buried in a decent and christian like manner
and I do hereby recommend my soul to the God of Heaven who gave it.
It is also my will that all my just debts be paid.
It is my will that
my beloved wife Martha David have all my estate both real and
personal during her life (excepting a debt due me by James Chandon of
Three Thousand Dollars or thereabout) which said debt due me by said
Chandons, I will and bequeath to the grandchildren of my mother, Mary
David, to be paid to them equally as they come of age, towit:
The children of Lewis David, James David, Isaac David
and Mary Chandon, wife of David Chandon.
It is my will that
my wife, Martha, at her death may have full power and authority to
dispose of all my personal property, or money, bank stock &C (my
negro Dave excepted) in any manner she may think proper.
It is my will and
desire that on the first day of January one thousand eight hundred
and forty (1840) all the slaves I now hold with their increase, or
any that I may hereafter buy, (except such as I may in the mean time
choose to sell or dispose of) be hired out by trustees hereinafter to
be named and that as soon as the proceeds of their hire will be
sufficient to transport or send them to some state or colony, where
freedom is allowed or tolerated and slavery forbidden that they be
forthwith sold by my said Trustees or any one of them should the
balance refuse to act. This provision I have made
in this my will because I am of the opinion that all mankind should
be free and to the end that this part of my will be carried into
effect I do hereby appoint my friends John M. Brabson of Taswell,
Tennessee, William C. Mynatt, James W. White, Clark T. Barton, Drewry
F. Armstrong and Richard G. Dunlap of Knoxville, Tennessee and Joseph
Hart of Jacksboroe, Tennessee to act as Trustees as hereinbefore
stated and I do further authorize and empower my said Trustees as
aforesaid or any one of them (in case either will not act) at the
death of my wife Martha David, should it happen before the year 1840,
to exercise his or their discretion with a view to produce an earlier
emancipation of said slaves, and it is my desire that said Trustee be
governed in the exercise of their discretion by the good conduct of
my said slaves to my said wife Martha during her lifetime, but that
direction not be so beyond or extend the year one thousand eight
hundred and forty.
I do hereby
appoint my wife Martha David to be executrix of my last Will and Testament.
Given under my hand and seal this 26th of April 1826.
Sampson David (seal)
The words "or
money" &C were
interlined before signed.
Wm. Hogshead
R. G. Dunlap
D. C. Mynatt
State of Tennessee)
Campbell
County ) Court of
Pleas and Quarter Sessions 12th June 1826
The execution of
the foregoing instrument of writing or Last Will and Testament of
Sampson David Deceased, was this day proven in open court by William
C. Mynatt and William Hogshead, witnesses thereto; and was thereupon
recorded at full length in Book A pages 156 & 157.
Test.
Jo Hart Clk.
Sampson David died about May 1826, in Campbell County.
Martha (Bridgman) David died May 27, 1827, in Campbell County. At the time of Martha's death, the David Estate holdings were vast. A sale of the personal estate of Martha David, Dec'd, conducted by her brother, John Bridgman, Administor of said Estate, began on August 27, 1827 and continued for five succeeding days until the sale was completed. The list of items sold was submitted to the court on September 11, 1827.
Sampson and Martha (Bridgman) David had no children.