I have a quickie since I’m working on two big posts — one on the life of Jennings Beckwith and one of Martha (Patsy) Moon’s brothers and their participation in the American Revolution as Free Quakers.
I’ve never mentioned the Madison connection. My great (x6) grandmother is the aunt of President James Madison, Jr. She was born on Montpelier (Mount Pleasant) herself and the branches of the Madison family tree had close ties for a couple of generations.
My great (x7) grandfather was Ambrose Madison. I’d recommend reading a bit about him. Three of his slaves allegedly poisoned him. One was executed for the crime and two were punished for the involvement. I am not even getting into Ambrose’s death. All of the histories I have read seem to have quite the tilt one way or another.
Frances’ was George Hite, Pres. James Madison Jr.’s first cousin and contemporary. George had a daughter named Sarah Eleanor Madison Hite.
Sarah married Laurence Butler Beckwith and the names start to get familiar. They had Laurence Ranson Beckwith, of hand cut off at Trevilian Station then moved to Orangeburg fame. L. R. Beckwith has a bunch of kids, including my great grandfather, William Felder Beckwith.