Corbins of Virginia

Sorry if it seems like I have been spending so much time on this family blog disproving so many lineages, but since I have spent the time doing the research, I don't want my genealogy cousins going down some of the endless rabbit holes that I have uncovered.

This missive involves my maternal Corbin line of Virginia (Henrico/Richmond VA). I have attached a screengrab from my Ancestry Genetic Genealogy tree below.

There are a "big bunch" of trees on Ancestry that have tried to connect our Henrico Corbin line to the gateway Corbin family from England - Henry Corbin-Alice Eltonhead. Sorry to inform any of my cousins who have that line in their tree but there is no DNA support (autosomal or Y-DNA) to support that connection. In fact, DNA both Y-DNA and atDNA have conclusively proved that our Corbins are not the ones that descend from one of the Magna Charta signers.

But don't take my word for it, Below is from one of the leading Virginia Corbin researchers, Here is her post on the subject from the Corbin surname group in 2014:

Begin New Thread

Re: HENRY CORBIN (husband of ALICE ELTONHEAD) connection with JOHN CORBIN, of the Culpeper Co., VA Family

Diana_Gale_Matthiesen(View Posts)

• Replies: 0
• Posted: 19 Jun 2014 8:16 AM
• Classification: Query
• Surnames: Corbin

The reason you find so many secondary sources connecting American CORBINs to Henry CORBIN, 1654 immigrant to Virginia from Hall End, Warwickshire, and his wife, Alice ELTONHEAD, is that both are "gateway" ancestors, that is, they have fabulous ancestral connections. See this web page: http://www.magnacharta.com/bomc/bomc-gateway-ancestors/ The problem is, most of these alleged connections are not valid. They always were dubious on paper, and now Y-DNA testing has debunked them genetically. Numerous descendants of John CORBIN of Richmond Co., VA, have been Y-DNA tested; and while this testing has pulled together several lines southern CORBINs (scroll to far right to see lineages): http://dgmweb.net/DNA/Corbin/CorbinDNA-results-HgI1.html#AS2 they are not a match with the tested descendant of Henry CORBIN: http://dgmweb.net/DNA/Corbin/CorbinDNA-results-HgR1b.html#HallEnd If you're a male CORBIN and you want to prove descent from Henry (or an earlier common patrilineal CORBIN ancestor), you can now do it with a Y-DNA test.

Finally, from Diana's website at http://dgmweb.net/FGS/Corb/CorbinHenry-AliceEltonhead.html

Henry CORBIN Alice ELTONHEAD

Our subjects are "gateway ancestors," whose pedigrees include Magna Carta sureties, Crusaders, and Charlemagne, so it's an understatement to say that American CORBIN genealogists have sought a connection to them for the better part of two centuries.  In fact, only a few CORBINs are known to have a solid paper connection, all through Henry's son, Col. Gawin CORBIN.  One of Gawin's patrilineal descendants has now been tested for the CORBIN Y-DNA Surname Project.  Results indicate that he is, so far, not a match with anyone, and that includes all the other CORBIN lines tested at this time.  This may very well have been the most widely anticipated — and most widely disappointing — test result, ever, in my projects!  The possibility remains that this one tested individual may have an NPE in his patrilineal line, so additional descendants are sought for testing, but as it stands, none of the many CORBIN claims of a connection appear valid, except for this descendant of Col. Gawin. Based on Y-DNA test results, the following families have been excluded as biological relatives of Henry:  the Northern Neck CORBINs (desc/o John CORBIN of Richmond Co., VA), the Baltimore CORBINs (desc/o Nicholas CORBIN, 1671 immigrant to Maryland), the Muddy River CORBINs (desc/o Clement CORBIN of Woodstock, CT), the Delmarva CORBINs (desc/o George CORBIN of Northampton Co., VA), the Pickens CORBINs (desc/o Peter CORBIN of Pickens Co., SC), the Lexington CORBINS (desc/o Peter CORBIN of Lexington Co., SC), and so on... Please see this page to compare tested CORBIN lines.

Bottom line: The Corbins from Richmond/Henrico Co VA are NOT related to Henry Corbin and Alice Eltonhead.

If you have connected John I have noted in my tree above to the gateway couple mentioned above, sorry but you have been lead down a rabbit hole.

Is Robert Melton (d. 1759) wife Mary Farrar?

This lineage has been hotly debated for years and I wanted to pass along my research notes that I think definitely answer the question -- No!

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I have worked on the theory that Robert Melton's wife was Marry Farrar, daughter of Thomas Farrar and Katherine Perrin. Even though atDNA seemed to suggest and supported that conclusion, original records, and other facts do not. The atDNA was just to far back, in my opinion, to be conclusive and override the written record presented below.

From Adventurers of Purse and Person V1, Page 934

Mary Farrar, daughter of Thomas Farrar and Katherine Perrin probably married Joseph Watkins who died before 1 March 1734/5 when his estate was inventoried in Goochland Co. They had one child Mary Watkins. Thomas Farrar in his will names his granddaughter as Mary Watkins. Since Mary Farrar was still married to Watkins in 1734/5 in Goochland Co she could not have been married to Robert Melton in NC with that family. Time to see who Robert Melton's wife really was.

There is this from Boots Farrar (Genealogy.com Farrar GenForum) October 4, 2010:

Sorry, but there is no Mary Farrar descended from Councillor William Farrar and his wife Cecily widow of Samuel Jordan, who married a Robert Melton. In fact, there is a claim by the Meltons that she had a sister Elizabeth (O.) Farrar who married William James Melton, both claim that these girls were daughters of Thomas Farrar and Katherine Perrin, but for a number of reasons that is impossible.

1. Thomas and Katherine did not have a daughter named Elizabeth.
2. Mary and Elizabeth were born in New Kent County, Va 1700

Thomas and Katherine were living on Farrar's Island, Henrico Co, Va in 1700, in fact, Thomas sold Farrar's Island to Thomas Randolph in 1727.

3. I am heavy into research in all branches of the Farrar family and have not found any Farrar living in New Kent Co, VA

I suspect that these Mary and Elizabeth Farrar's are actually Farrows or Farris even Farr's. Many researchers make the mistake of shoehorning Farrows, Farris and Farr's into the Farrar family, if they can carry it off, then they can join some social clubs like Ancient Planters.

Some Farrows are indeed Farrar's, maybe some Farris are indeed Farrar's (but I've yet to see evidence of that), however, most Farrows are actually Farrows, and not all Farrar's are Farrar's some are Farrows or Farr's. (could it be Furr?-LVH)

One thing can clear up the question, and that is to have a male Farrar join the Farrar DNA project at http://www.worldfamilies.net/surnames/farrar. Science can settle questions that until settled by science are merely myths.

For my Witt family cousins, I thought I would share this post from the Witt Surname board at Ancestry. My 6th great grandfather Rev War Capt Elijah Witt is buried in the Witt Baptist Churchyard. Guess I will have to make that journey across the mountain at some point.

Witt Foundry Historical site
Donald Blaylock

The Witt foundry Historical site location pinpoint is now live on google maps. I added the Witt foundry location as well as the Witt Baptist church cemetery onto google maps today 8 Apr 2019. The location of the foundry was 100% confirmed by Mr. Jack F. , Jack grew up next to the foundry at a house directly across the train tracks from the site and the current Witt Baptist Church and Cemetery. Mr. Jack F. is also a deacon. At the Witt Baptist Church and he is currently being displaced from his home due to his property being taken for a new expansion of the industrial park in Hamblen County TN. , A new bus building Company from Holland is needing his land along Witt Road. According to Mr. Jack F. , The only remaining sections of the original foundry is a few concrete Piers which stand southwest from the adjacent railroad tracks between the creek bed and the R.R.tracks and across the road from Witt Baptist Church / Cemetery and that area. There is also a small wooden bridge that spans the creek but it was or is not safe to cross it. The creek banks are very much overgrown and approximately six feet deep, bottom line, access would be best taken by walking down the railroad tracks, if you get permission to park at a small automotive repair shop and/or a hardware lumber store that currently occupy that area north of the tracks.

Best regards
Don Blaylock
A descendant of Anna Witt Russell family

Rev War Capt Elijah Witt marker. He is my 6th great grandfather. Find A Grave Memorial 79562831