Michael ROWLAND

HAIRSTON.org ID#1010, b. about 1755, d. between 1821 and 1825
Father*Andrew ROWLAND1,2,3
Mother*Ruth NORMAN b. a 1731
Birth*Michael ROWLAND was born about 1755 in Virginia.1 
He was the son of Andrew ROWLAND and Ruth NORMAN.1,2,3 
County Name1767 - Pittsylvania from Halifax County. 
Court Record*Michael Rowland, John Rowland and John Blagg sign a 150 pound bond to the Justices of Pittsylvania County to build a prison. - Pittsylvania Deed Book 2, page 139. FSL #7646004, image 359.4
Court RecordIn November 1773, Francis Weatherby vs. Michael Rowland. - Pittsylvania Court Records 2, page 63. FSL #7897273 image 154. 
Court RecordOn 28 February 1774, an indenture between William Rowland and Michael Rowland and approved by Mary Rowland, was ordered to be recorded in the deed books. I have not been able to find the indenture in the deed books. - Cumberland County Order Book 1774-1778, page 1. FSL #7893770 image 18.
Military*Michael Rowland and Joshua Renfro were with Col. William Christian, Col. Charles Lewis and Major Evan Shelby on the Cherokee Expedition (Christie's Campaign) in August, 1776. About 1,800 Virginian volunteers attacked Cherokee lands (now Tennessee) after the British encouraged them to attack the settlers. There were also volunteers from Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina attacking from the south.5 
County Name1777 - Henry from Pittsylvania County. 
Oath to Virginia*Michael ROWLAND on 30 August 1777, in Henry, Virginia, county, took Oath Of Allegiance to Commonwealth of Virginia and renounced allegiance to Great Britian.6 
Marriage*He married Elizabeth HAIRSTON, daughter of Robert HAIRSTON and Ruth STOVALL, about 20 June 1778 in Henry, Virginia. Michael ROWLAND registered a bond to marry Elizabeth HAIRSTON, daughter of Robert HAIRSTON and Ruth STOVALL, on 20 Jun 1778 in Henry County, Virginia. His brother Baldwin Rowland was the security.7,8,9,10,11,1,2,3
Court Record*In Henry County Court on 27th March 1779, the County Levy was recorded. William Rowland and Michael Rowland were paid for guarding prisoners. Henry County Order Book #1, page 38. FSL #7898572, image 49. 
Deed*On 23 March 1780, Michael Rowland and his wife Elizabeth sell 400 acres in Henry County to Alexander Hunter for 600 pounds. (Michael's and Alexander's wives are sisters). - Henry County Deed Book 2, p. 15. FSL #7898570 image 222.12
PropertyMichael Rowland buys land on both sides of the North Mayo River, in Henry County, for 2,000 pounds from Nathaniel Ketchaim on 25 March 1780. - Henry County Deed Book 2, page 29. FSL #7898570 image 229.12 
DeedMichael ROWLAND witnessed the deed of George ROWLAND on 25 May 1780 in Henry, Virginia; 1780 Henry County - George Rowland purchases 300 acres on the north side of Marrowbone Creek for 2,000 pounds from Thomas and Mary Hamilton (Hambleton) on 25 May 1780. Witnessed by John Barksdill, P. Hairston (399), Samuel Hairston (401) and Michael Rowland (1010). - Henry County Deed Book 2, p. 71. FSL #7898570 image 250. 
WillMichael ROWLAND was mentioned in the will of John ROWLAND on 5 July 1780 in Henry, Virginia; His will mentions "my brother Michael Rowland's eldest son William Roland", "my brother George Rowland", "my wife Mary", "to George Rowland Jr. and William Rowland, sons of Gilbert Roland", "two sons of Joshua Bowls dec'd....their mother Sarah Bowls", Garland Akin, "Mary Isham, wife of James Isham" and Philip and Obedience Ryan. Executors were William Tunstall, Haynes Morgan, Peter Saunders and Josiah Carter. Patrick Henry, John Fountain, John Salmon guardians of Garland Akin. Witnessed by Baldwin Rowland, Henry Barksdale and John Salmon - Henry County Will Book 1, p. 37-39. FSL 7898570-29 NOTE: this is not the first time I have seen a father name a son after his brother and the family starts calling him a junior, as in this case George Jr..13,14
MilitaryMichael Rowland was in Brice Martin's Company under Col. Abraham Penn at the Battle of Guilford Court House in March of 1781.10,15

 
Court RecordIn April 1781 Michael Rowland is granted a license to keep and ordinary (tavern) in Henry County.6 
DeedOn 6 August 1781, Michael Rowland sells 121 acres to Baynes Carter. - Henry County Deed Book 2, page 150. FSL #7898570 image 289. 
Tax Rolls*1782 - Michael Rowland is listed on the Personal Property Tax Rolls of Henry County, Virginia. Tithes 1, slaves 8, horses 4, cattle 7. - FSL #7849140 image 15. 
DeedOn 25 July 1782, Michael Rowland buys 554 acres fromthe Grymes Holcomb estate. - Henry County Deed Book 2, page 229. FSL #7898570, image 324. 
Tax Rolls1783 - Michael Rowland is listed as a tax payer in Henry County, Virginia. Slaves were Ned, Cloe, Jean, Bob, Hercules, Jessie and Agg. - FSL #7849140 image 63. 
DeedOn 22 May 1782, Michael Rowland sells 554 acres to John Barksdale. - Henry County Deed Book 2, page 333. FSL #7898570 image 376. 
Tax Rolls1784 - Michael Rowland is listed as a tax payer in Henry County, Virginia. Slaves - 6. He is listed next to Baldwin Rowland and Mary Rowland (widow of John Rowland). - FSL #7849140 image 119.
Tax Rolls1785 - Michael Rowland is listed as a tax payers in Henry County, Virginia. - FSL #7849140 image 192.
Deed*13 August 1787 - Deed of Trust is recorded stating "Michael Rowland of Henry County being indebted to George Hairston in amount of 150 pounds offers security 6 negros, Ned, a mulatto man, Bob, Cloe, Jesse a yellow boy, the girl Aggy, one horse, all stocks, cattle, hogs, kitchen furniture, three feather beds, and furniture, chairs, tables, desk, pewter pots, skillets. All crops now growing. This indebtedness may be redemed until December 25, 1788." Witnessed by Samuel Hairston, John Staples and Jacob McCraw. - Henry County, Virginia Deed Book 3, pages 332-33. FSL #7898570, image 647.1
Deed"There is also a deed of record in Henry County dated 8th September 1788 pages 452-453 which reads.: George Hairston and Elizabeth his wife of Henry County to John Redd of the same for the sum of 400 pounds conveys land on Ready Creek being a branch of Smith River containing 570 acres, the land conveyed from Peter Copeland to Michael Rowland, bought by Brady Meredith from Copeland 8 Sept 1788. Signed: George Hairston, Elizabeth Hairston." - Henry County Deed Book 3, page 452. FSL #7898570 image 710.1
Court Record1789 - Henry County Chancery Causes #1789-004, Michael Rowland vs Julius Scruggs relating to the purchase of slaves.16 
DeedOn 20 October 1789, Michael Rowland of Henry County sells 100 acres in Cumberland County to James Isham. Adjacent landowners were Drury Woodson, Samuel Taylor and Thomas Wilkinson. This land was formerly occupied by James Gillian. - Cumberland County Deed Book 6, page 567. FSL #7893766 image 569.
Tax Rolls1791 - Michael Rowland is listed as a tax payer in Henry County, Virginia. 1 white, 1 black. - FSL #7849140 image 378. 
Tax Rolls1792 - Michael Rowland is listed as a tax payer in Henry County, Virginia. 1 white, 2 black, 1 horse. - FSL #7849140 image 391. 
County Name*1792 - Lee County formed from Russell County. 
Tax Rolls1793 - Michael Rowland is listed as a tax payer in Henry County, Virginia. 1 white, 2 black, 2 horses. - FSL #7849140 image 404. 
Court Record1793 - Henry County Chancery Causes #1793-009, Michael Rowland vs Herman Cook relating to the purchase of slaves.16 
Court Record*1795 - Chancery Causes: Michael Rowland vs George Rowland. John Smith, John Stewart and John Case are mentioned. - Case #1795-004, Henry County, Chancery Court Records, Library of Virginia.17,16 
Court Record1800 - Henry County Chancery Causes #1800-010, John Wells vs Michael Rowland.16 
Court Record1800 - Chancery Causes: John Wells vs Michael Rowland, 1800-010, Henry County. Covers 1798-1800. Chancery Court Records, Library of Virginia.17 
Court RecordMichael Rowland vs Alexander McGraw in Henry County Court, 1801. It pertains to a loan from Alexander McGraw to Michael Rowland and George Hairston on 17 March 1799 for thirty pounds. Case #1801-001 Henry County, Chancery Court.17 
Court Record1801 - Henry County Chancery Causes #1801-001, Michael Rowland vs Alexander McGraw etc..16 
DeedOn 16 December 1801, Michael Rowland sells to George Hairston the following items; 5 horses, 1 wagon, 3 feather beds, furniture, pewter and pots. Witnessed by John Rowland Jr. and George Hairston Jr.. - Henry County Deed Book 6, p. 356. FSL #7898571 image 192. 
DeedOn 16 December 1801, Michael and Elizabeth Rowland sell to George Hairston a tract of land in Franklin County that was willed to Michael and Elizabeth Rowland by Elizabeth's father Robert Hairston. John Rowland and George Hairston Jr. witnessed the deed. - Franklin County Deed Book 5, page 63. FSL #7898085 image 44.
Tax RollsMichael Rowland is listed on the 1802 to 1807 Lee County Tax personal property tax rolls. FSL #7849145 - 1802 #186, 1803 #207, 1804 #225, 1805 #243, 1806 #263, 1807 #286. 
Tax RollsMichael Rowland is listed on the 1809 to 1813 Lee County personal property tax rolls. Lee County personal property tax rolls do not exist for 1815-1826.
FSL #7849145 images: 1809 #310, 1810 #330, 1811 #349, 1812 #368, 1813 #390.
Tax RollsMichael Rowland was listed on the January 1815 land tax rolls for Lee County. FSL #8360624 image 20.
PropertyMichael Rowland is listed in the April 1815 Lee County list of land owners. FSL #8360624 image 43.
Census 1820*Michael ROWLAND appeared on the census of 1820 in Lee, Virginia, Roland, Michal - males: 16-25 1, 45+ 1, females: 45+ 1, slaves 2. George Roland is listed on same census page in alpabetical order.18
DeedOn 30 May 1820, Michael Rowland purchases 30 acres from John and Mary Ball. - Lee County Deed Book 3, page 449. FSL #7897235 image 715.
Deed*On 30 May 1820, Michael Rowland purchases 30 acres of land in Lee County from John and Mary Ball. - Lee County Deed Book 3, pages 449-450. FSL #7897235, image 715.
Deed*25 November 1820 - Michael and Elizabeth Rowland give and grant to their daughter Jenny Litteral a slave named Charlotte. - Lee County Deed Book 3, pages 434-435. FSL #7897235, image 707-708.19
Death*He died between 1821 and 1825 in Lee, Virginia. On 21 November 1820, Michael is listed as living in a Lee County court record. He is listed as deceased in a 27 May 1825 court record, when his son George Rowland sold land that Michael had owned.19 
DeedHe witnessed the deed of George ROWLAND and Elizabeth Betsy COTTRELL on 27 May 1825 in Lee, Virginia; George Rowland and his wife Elizabeth, signed a deed for land to John Willis on 27 May 1825 in Lee County. This land was owned by Michael Rowland, dec'd. - Lee County Deed Book 5, pages 294-295. FSL 7645439, images 422-423.
NOTE*NOTES:

1. BROTHER & SISTERS: The brothers and sisters appear to be named in the 1780 will of John Rowland (6592). He listed Michael, George, Gilbert, Obedience Ryan, Sarah Bowles and Mary Isham. He also lists Garland Akin, who might be the son of a deceased daughter not mentioned. He did not mention Baldwin Rowland in his will, but Baldwin was a witness when John signed it.

2. PARENTS OF THE BROTHERS AND SISTERS: I have not seen any sources for those that say Andrew Rowland was their father. The book "A History of Henry County, Virginia" states: "The name Rowland is of Norman origin and was brought to England in the train of William the Conqueror. From England branches of the family spread to Wales and Scotland and is identified with the literature of Europe. Thomas Rowland, of Baconstrope, England, had a son, John Rowland, who married Scolis Pemberton, and their son John, Jr., emigrated to America in 1635, on the ship Dorset, John Flower, Master, and settled in Virginia. Andrew Rowland was a descendant of John Rowland, Jr., who was native of Egham, England. His children were, John, Michael, and Baldwin." (p.252)

I believe the above information probably came from Dunbar Rowland, the first director of the Mississippi State Archives and a grandson of Michael Rowland. I visited the archives a few years ago and was unable to find any sources that Andrew and Ruth Rowland were the parents of Michael, other than Dunbar Rowland's notes.

3. MICHAEL ROWLAND OF CUMBERLAND CO., VA: This Michael Rowland (8836) left a will on 30 March 1757. There are records of a John Rowland and Michael Rowland in Cumberland County, Virginia. There was also a John Rowland who died in Washington County in 1822. His wife was Eleanor and children were Michael, Catherine, Ryland, John, Armsted, Sanford, Remembrance and Daniel. FSL #7642307 image 34.

4. Possible leads: An Andrew Rowland is listed as returning the appraisal of the estate of John Winterbeery to the Frederick County Court on 2 June 1752. FSL #7675997 image 37.3

Family

Elizabeth HAIRSTON d. a 1837
Children
ChartsDescendant Chart
Descendant Chart Box

Sources (www.HAIRSTON.org)

  1. [S3047] Meador, George H. - Dunbar Rowland et al. : Adams, Alexander, Beard, Brewer, Bryan, Burton, Clark, Cooper, Hairston, Hampton, Hatcher, Lewis, Moorman, Norman, Smith, Stovall, Reynolds, Taylor and Wade : Mississippi census of 1850, Rolen, Roland, Rolland and Rowland. Call #929.2/R883m, Mississippi Department of Archives & History, Jackson, Mississippi.
  2. [S3166] Wingfield, Marshall, Marriage Bonds of Franklin County, Virginia, 1786-1858 - 1939, West Tennessee Historical Society, Memphis, Tennessee, Family Search Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.
  3. [S3073] Hill, Judith Parks America, A History of Henry County, Virginia : With Biographical Sketches of Its Most Prominent Citizens and Genealogical Histories of Half a Hundred of Its Oldest Families, Press of Bulletin Printing and Publishing Company, Incorporated, 1925 - Henry County, Va. (THERE ARE MANY ERRORS IN THIS BOOK) Ancestry.com.
  4. [S3789] Pittsylvania County Virginia Deed Book 1 and 2, 1767-1772 - Family Search Library Film #7646004., Family Search Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.
  5. [S3183] Summers, L. Preston., Coale, C. B., Bickley, G. W. L. (1929). Annals of Southwest Virginia, 1769-1800. Abingdon, Va.: L. P. Summers., Ancestry.com.
  6. [S3046] Virginia Historical Society. The Virginia Magazine of History And Biography. Richmond: Virginia Historical Society, June 1902, Volume IX., Hathi Trust Digital Library.
  7. [S67] Dodd, Virginia Anderson, Henry County, Virginia, Marriage Bonds, 1778-1849, Southern Historical Press, Inc., Greenvile, S.C. 1955.
  8. [S152] Dodd, Jordan, comp.. Virginia Marriages to 1800. Electronic transcription of marriage records held by the individual counties in Virginia., Ancestry.com.
  9. [S3076] Virginia Marriage Records, From the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, the William and Mary College Quarterly, and Tyler's Quarterly; Indexed by Elizabeth Petty Bentley, Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore 1984, Ancestry.com.
  10. [S145] Pedigo, Virginia G. and Pedigo, Lewis Gravely. History of Patrick and Henry Counties, Virginia - Genealogical Publishing Co., 1933 available on ancestry.com - CAUTION - this book was written in 1933 and has many errors regarding the Hairston family., Personal Collection - printed book.
  11. [S22] Hairston, Elizabeth Seawell, The Hairstons and the Penns and Their Relations, Roanoke, Virginia 1940 https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=13164, Ancestry.com.
  12. [S3129] Adams, Lela C. Abstracts of Henry County, Virginia Deed Books I and II, 1776-1784. Easley, S.C: Southern Historical Press, 1983. Print., Personal Collection - printed book.
  13. [S3068] Will of John Rowland - 1780 - Henry County, Virginia Will Book 1, page 37-39. Family Search Library Film #7645134, images 29-30.,Family Search Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.
  14. [S3781] Henry County Virginia Will Book 1-3 1777-1831 - Family Search Library Film 7645134., Family Search Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.
  15. [S3737] Blunt, Charles P., Patrick Henry: The Henry County Years 1779-1784, 1976, Library of Virginia - http://www.lva.virginia.gov
  16. [S3787] Virginia Chancery Records Index, Library of Virginia - https://www.lva.virginia.gov/chancery/default.asp#res
  17. [S3070] Court Case, Chancery Records, Henry County, VA, Library of Virginia - http://www.lva.virginia.gov
  18. [S1820] 1820 Federal Census - National Archives and Records Administration - Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org.
  19. [S3329] Rowland, Michael and Elizabeth, Deed 25 Nov 1820, Lee County, Virginia, Deed Book 3, page 434. Virginia Historical Society, Richmond, Virginia.
Last Edited22 Feb 2025