DIBRELL GENEALOGY
Compiled by Henry H. Barroll, Washington, D. C.
January, 1915.
FOREWORD
The following account does not attempt to give more than a starting point
for the construction of a genealogical tree.
The data here given is compiled from correspondence with various members
of the Dibrell family--a correspondence which has extended over a period
of more than 25 years, and has been supplemented by consultation of
various books of genealogy (by myself and others) investigation of deeds,
wills, land-grants, etc.
Quite a number of the collectors who are responsible for the gathering
together of this data are now dead; among these may be mentioned especially
Mr. Charles Lee Dibrell (lst) Mr. Robert Stockwell Hatcher, and Mr. John
Meriwether McAllister.
Owing to the constant reception of new data, the news of recent marriages
or deaths, births etc., this list has been subjected to a continual
change; and the present one represents as nearly as possible what I have
been able to arrange at this date. It is suggested that should any col-
lector of this data meet different copies of this list he will consider
the one of the latest date the most accurate.
The most difficult affair in the collection of genealogical data is to in-
duce the various members of a family to give the account of the living
members of their respective families. There seems to be a certain fasci-
nation in our delving in the past, and searching out the ancient members
of the family, while neglecting to furnish the requisite information re-
garding our living relatives.
This trait shows itself especially as regards even the collectors them-
elves, and attention is called to it here with the idea of perfecting
this list in respect to the more recent members of the Dibrell family,
rather than the search for more information regarding our ancient ances-
tor. It is now believed that all concerning the earliest history of the
Dibrell (DuBreuil) family has been obtained that can be trustworthily
connected with the Dibrells of America; it is earnestly requested, however,
that any one receiving this list whether heretofore one of the collectors
who has helped to makes it, or one who has now only seen it for the first
time, will send any corrections or additions that may help to make it
more complete as to the past, and more up-to-date as to the recent changes.
It is well understood that there must be numerous errors, but in the main
the list is substantially correct. A mass of information has been col-
lected with regard to the earlier history of the DuBreuil family,--little
in regard to those in Europe, but much concerning the earlier members in
America--and while there is in this article no place for this history in
detail, I think that nevertheless a brief account of what has already been
learned of the earlier history of the DuBreuils should be here given for
the benefit of those who have not been interested in genealogy.
2. Dibrell Genealogy FOREWORD
The earliest record which came into our possession with regard to the
Dibrells in America was that written by Mr. Charles Lee Dibrell, in 1860,
the first child of Anthony Dibrell and Wilmuth Watson. Since that account
was written research has been made among historical records, wills, libra-
ries, pensions, land grants, etc., with the result that much clearer
knowledge has been obtained than existed in that account, not only in re-
gard to the early life of Jean Antoine DuBreuil, and his father Dr.
Christoffe DuBreuil, but also additional information as to the family of
Elizabeth Lee and other families which have intermarried with the Dibrell
family.
All of the Information would have been lost, or at least been much harder
to obtain, had it not been for the forethought of Mr. Charles Lee Dibrell,
who in 1860, then an old man, at the request of some of his relatives,
wrote this first account of the Dibrell family. To him, therefore, the
greatest credit of this list is due; for it was his remarkably accurate
account of the various branches of the family, stated only from memory,
that has furnished to others the groundwork for research.
Also it is proper to state here so that so far as his account from memory
proceeded, almost everything in his statement has been verified by docu-
mentary evidence.
To attempt to give a complete history of the various members of the Dibrell
family, who have been important men and women in their several communities
cannot here be attempted--I have some quite extended articles concerning
several of the descendants of Christoffe DuBreuil, but must content myself
with briefly recapitulating the early history of the DuBreuil family, and
that of Elizabeth Lee, for the benefit of those members of the family who
have not been interested in collecting this data
EARLY HISTORY
The DuBreuils are of French extraction. The name still appears in France,
and certain members of that family are still entitled to bear cost-of-arms, etc.
They have generally been of Protestant Faith, since the times of the Refor-
mation. Owing to the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, there was a gen-
eral exodus of Huguenots from France first to Holland and then to England,
and later from these countries also to America--principally to the colonies
of New York and Virginia.
The Edict of Nantes, granting freedom of worship to the French people, had
been granted by Henry IV (Henry of Navarre) in April, 1598. On October
22, 1685 (some 87 years after Its promulgation, and now about 230 years
ago), Louis XIV, influenced by his mistress, Mme de Maintenon, (who after-
wards became his wife) caused the revocation of this famous guarantee;
and then immediately recommended the religious persecution which had been
stopped by the issuance of the Edict of Nantes.
In the Library of Universal Knowledge will be found an account of the
burning at the stake of a Calvanist Minister, Pierre DuBreuil, which
3. Dibrell Genealogy FOREWORD
occurred in a small village named Lournay, in the market place. This
village is near the city of Louvain, in them present Belgium which city
(Louvain) has come into such prominence during the war of 1914-1915.
This burning of Pierre DuBreuil was due to the carrying out of the decree
of a Council of Doctors who assembled at Louvain in obedience to orders
from Charles V, which Council was to draw up a Confession of Faith, to
which all his subjects in the Netherlands were to subscribe under the
penalty of death. The burning of Pierre DuBreuil occurred in Feb. 1545.
Now that the Edict of Nantes had been revoked, and the religious perse-
cutions recommended, it is natural to suppose that some of the family of
that name would still have the determination of Character that had been
evinced by Pierre DuBreuil. The general exodus began in 1685, immediately
after the revocation of the decree of religious rights; and more than one
million of the wisest and best of the citizens of France were forced into
exile to escape death.
The following extract is taken from the family tree, of the Dupuys, a
family which came to Virginia at the same time with Dr. Christoffe DuBreuil
“On their safe arrival the guard dismissed; and crossing over
into Germany, they there sang the praises of God in the 40th
Psalm and offered up prayer and thanksgiving to their Great De-
liverer for their rescue from a cruel death. They. remained in
Germany for 14 year, then stayed 2 years in England, from
whence they came to America, in the year 1700 and settled in
Manakintown on James River, in King William Parish.”
--------
From the Church Register at King William Parish the following families
of Huguenot extraction appear:
Marye (Maury), Fontaine, DuPuy, Haris, Sublet, Watkins, Markam, Sully,
Chatain, DuVal, Bondurant, Flournoy, Pottu, Micheaux, Pimberton, Munforn,
Hatcher, Jacqueline, Bernard, Barraud, Latane, Moncure, Agis, Amouet,
Chadune, DuBreuil, (here spelled Dibrell) Farrar, Fuqua, Jeter, Jordan,
Jouette, LeGrand, Ligon, Maupin, Mayey, Pasteur, Perron, Thweatt,
Boiseau, Finche, Lanier, LeNeve.
--------
Many of these names are undoubtedly those of French persons who have in-
termarried with the Virginia colonists of English extraction; as for
example the Hatchers, who were undoubtedly of English origin. The Parish
then known as King William Parish was originally in Henrico County, but
is now in Powhatan County.
In this colony which came in 1700 Dr. Christoffe DuBreuil was the Surgeon.
He was born about the year 1680 in Lagny, a small village about thirty
miles above Paris on the Marne River and we now have proof that be must
have died in 1728. In the account of Mr. Charles Lee Dibrell he states
4. Dibrell Genealogy FOREWORD
that his grandfather (who we now know from his baptismal record was
named Jean Antoine DuBreuil) was born about a month after the death of
his father, Dr. DuBreuil.
The Register containing the baptisms made in this church of the French
refugees in Manakintown contains the following entry under the date of
May 15, 1728:
“Jean Antoine DuBreuil was born, son of Christoffe DuBreuil
and of Marianne, his wife.” It also states, “Was baptized the
1st August, following, by Mr. Mason, was presented by Antoine
Benie, and Elizabeth Dutoi was grandmother.
(Signed ) Jean Chastain, Clerk.
Whether this is to be taken as a mistake for God-mother, or to indicate
who was the grandmother of the child, cannot now be determined; but, as
the Protestant Church (with the exception of the Church of England) did
not have this custom of God-mothers, it may be possible that “Grand-
mother” for some reason was intended to be expressed.
The family of Dutoi cannot be traced. It may have become so changed
after the manner of many of these French names, as for example D’Aubigne
for Dabney, Marye for Maury, etc., that it would not now be recognizable
except through close analysis.
Dr. Christoffe DuBreuil died, as before stated, in 1728, and “about a
month afterwards his son Anthony was born”, according to the account of
Mr. Charles Lee Dibrell. He had no other children.
His widow soon afterwards remarried---this time to a Huguenot named
“Suberraire” (pronounced Subraie or Subrier) and by him had sons, and
perhaps daughters, but no record of these can be traced. This is men-
tioned here because should these descendants exist they would be
ancestors of ourselves fully as much as those of Dr. DuBreuil. And it
is for this reason that this paper is considered only a record of the
descendants of Dr. DuBreuil through his wife Marianne, and not relating
at all to the descendants of our ancestor Marianne Dutoi (?) through her
second marriage.
It then follows that all of the Dibrell family in America and their de-
scendants through intermarriage are descended from this single child of
Dr. DuBreuil, who was born in Virginia in 1728, that he was a posthumus
child, his proper name being Jean Antoine, and that the name was spelled
“DuBreuil” and his given name was spelled “Antoine.”
After the second marriage of his mother Jean Antoine, or Anthony Dibrell
as he was now called, was at a very early age apprenticed to a man named
Benning, who is said to have treated him cruelly. He was allowed to
grow up on ignorance and in neglect. At one time, having been sent to
work on a plantation which Benning had bought recently on Slate River,
which was about seventy miles from Manakintown, Anthony became so
exaspirated at the treatment he received from two “African negroes” (two
negroes recently brought from Africa and who had charge of him at this
remote settlement) that he ran away when about the age of eleven and
5. Dibrell Genealogy FOREWORD
made his way back to Manakintown. His determination of character even
at the early age of eleven years is shown in the fact that he made this
long journey through a strange country bare-headed and bare-footed.
In spite of this Anthony was again delivered over to the ignorant Benning,
who now removed his family to this plantation on Slate River, which was
in Buckingham County, Virginia.
Anthony continued to labor for Benning, poorly clad and badly fed, and
with no chance for acquiring an education; and it is supposed that he was
held to this apprenticeship beyond the time he became of legal age---this
knowledge of the date of his birth was not known to him. He could not
read, and he could not therefore contest the claim to his services for
some time, until several of his neighbors, being convinced from his manly
appearance, his beard, etc., showed that he must be of legal age--21--
and suggested to him that he should claim his release from Benning, and
offered to assist him with money in case of a suit by Benning.
He therefore left the service of Benning and apparently was never sued
or threatened with suit.
Being an industrious man, he immediately went to work for himself and
having learned the use of implements, was competent to secure work as a
journeyman carpenter, and soon earned enough to clothe himself decently
and to give himself one year’s schooling, in which time he learned to
read and write and acquired some knowledge of arithmetic.
Mr. Charles Lee Dibrell, his grandson, thus, describes his personal appear-
ance: “In personal appearance my grandfather was about 5 feet seven
inches in height; weight about 140 pounds, dark complexion; dark eyes and
hair, aquiline none and prominent forehead and chin. My recollection of
him is very distinct, although I was little more than seven years old
when he died. He was an industrious man, scrupulously honest, faithful
and truthful; a kind neighbor, and possessed of the confidence and re-
spect of all who knew him.”
How long he worked at the carpenters trade is not known. He was quite
successful in his efforts, and soon became a landed proprietor.
I have given much space to this early struggle of Anthony Dibrell for
the reason that it so conclusively shows that the germ of Intellect which
is the only true Aristocracy, cannot be killed by either cruel treatment
or a want of education.
The germ of intelligence which Jean Antoine DuBreuil received through his
father, Dr. DuBrueil, survived and enabled him, a poor, neglected buy, to
raise and educate himself to such a degree that he was considered worthy
to marry into one of the finest families in Virginia. The germ was
always there.
6. Dibrell Genealogy FOREWORD
And while I respect and revere all my ancestors, I am most proud to
remember that I and mine are descended from that little bare-headed, bare-
footed boy of eleven years of age, fleeing from the custody of half-savage
negroes, and yet carrying with him the energy and determination of charact-
er imbedded in his frail little body, which would some day give to his
descendants the education and refinement that would bring them back to the
plane upon which his father’s family had stood; while those of his half-
brothers (they are known to have existed) have apparently left no trace
on this earth.
It is not sufficient to boast of our descent from an illustrious family,--
Aristocracy of birth has its duties as well as its prerogatives. The
higher estimation we have of the dignity of our birth the more we should
be compelled to protect and pursue the high virtue, the high enlightenment
and fine principles to which we so proudly refer as having been pursued
by our ancestors.
And thus, while we have so many examples of fine men and women who have
descended from Christoffe DuBreuil and Marianne, his wife, it is a duty
that we all owe to that little bare-footed boy to endeavor to carry on
his work and always try to elevate rather than depress his family, and
ours.
--------
ELIZABETH LEE
In 1756 Anthony Dibrell was married to Elizabeth Lee. In Mr. Charles
Lee Dibrell’s account he says:
“His first child, Charles Dibrell, was born in October 1757,
from which it is presumed that Anthony Dibrell was married
in 1756. Previous to this there came into the County of
Buckingham, whether on a visit or permanent residence is not
known, three young ladies by the name of Lee, from the town
of Urbanna, York County, Leeanna Lee, Elizabeth Lee and
Sallie Lee. They were highly respectable, educated and pious
ladies. John Fern married Leeanna Lee, and at the house of
John Fern, Anthony Dibrell afterwards married Elizabeth Lee,
and at the same house John Bates married Sallie Lee.”
These young ladies, Leeanna Lee, Sallie Lee and Elizabeth Lee were
daughters of Thomas Lee, a fact not mentioned in the account of Mr.
Charles Lee Dibrell, but later discovered through wills made by their
father, Thomas Lee, and his son, Thomas Lee the second, who was the
brother of Elizabeth Lee and the brother-in-law of Anthony Dibrell
(Jean Antoine.)
Although Elizabeth Lee is given second place in Mr. Charles Lee Dibrell’s
account of the “three young ladies by the name of Lee”, she seems to
have been the youngest, and perhaps like her husband, Anthony, a
posthumus child.
7. Dibrell Genealogy FOREWORD
The first Thomas Lee, who was a son of Charles Lee, made a will dated
June 16, 1733, in which, after making provision for his other children,
none of whom is named Elizabeth, calls attention to the fact that his
wife is at that time pregnant, and makes provision also for this unborn
child---”the child my wife now goes with”, etc.
That this child was undoubtedly the Elizabeth Lee who married Anthony
Dibrell, and was therefore born in the latter part of 1733, or the early
part of 1734, is clearly shown by the will of the second Thomas Lee, son
of the first Thomas Lee, and which was made in 1758, in which is a clause
regarding the disposal of certain money; and states that under certain
contingencies, “I give and bequeath to the oldest son of my sister
Elizabeth Dibrell, etc.” and Anthony Dibrell was in 1758 the only person
of that name (Dibrell) in the world, except his own son, Charles Dibrell,
who was at that time less than a year old, being born in 1757.
I have therefore give the birth of Elizabeth Lee as occurring in 1734.
As she was married to Anthony Dibrell in 1756 this would make it appear
that she was about 22 years of age at the time of her marriage.
Thomas Lee, the father of Elizabeth Lee, was the son of Charles Lee.
Charles Lee, the grandfather of Elizabeth Lee, was the son of Richard Lee
(known in this genealogy as the first Richard Lee, and also as “the
Emigrant”.)
Richard Lee, the great grandfather of Elizabeth Lee, was born in England,
and emigrated to American in 1641. He was a quite important man in the
affairs, not only of Virginia, but also in England before his emigration
to this country.
He was born toward the end of the 16th century, was a member of the Privy
Council of Charles I, and it was during this reign (1641) that he emi-
grated to America. He was the first Attorney General of Virginia, was
Secretary of the Colony under Sir William Berkeley, and was otherwise
conspicuous in Colonial affairs.
He had six sons and two daughters. His children’s names were: John,
Richard, Francis, William, Hancock and Charles. His daughters were:
Elizabeth and Anne. Only three of his sons, viz: Richard, Hancock and
Charles, left descendants in Virginia. Their families are known res-
pectively from their estates, as the “Stratford Lees” the “Ditchley
Lees” and the “Cobbs-Hall Lees”, which latter was the name of the estate
bequethed to Charles Lee by his father Richard “the Emigrant”.
It is well to state here that the designation “Cobbs-Hall Lees” does not
indicate that the Dibrells descended from Elizabeth Lee of Cobbs-Hall
or are in any way related to the Cobbs of Cobbs-Hall, or the Cobb’s as
the name is now spelled. It is merely a designation from the estate
which they owned and there has not been found any reason for supposing
that they were related to the Cobbs of Cobbs-Hall, except the Meriwether
family, and those only after the marriage of Frances Dibrell of John
Meriwether McAllister.
8. Dibrell Genealogy FOREWORD
In the “Genealogies of the Lewis and Kindred Families”, published by
McAllister and Tandy, from which a part of this compilation has been
taken, the following is quoted:
“Two of the oldest and most distinguished families in Virginia,
Lee and Randolph, had each a branch which was known by the
name of Cobbs. These estates which they owned had either been
inherited from someone of the name, or the manors named in
honor of some intermarriage, the record of which has long since
been lost, and all of the events passed out of the memory of
all the families.
“Richard Lee came to Virginia in 1641, and Henry Randolph, the
head of that family in America, came to Virginia in 1643; so
that it is clear that the Cobbs family had become settled in
the colony before the Lee or the Randolph family came over.
the Cobbs-Hall Lees, and the Randolphs of Cobbs, were as dis-
tinctive designations as Smith of Purton, or Lewis of Warner
Hall.”
Finally I want to call attention to the fact that the name “Leeanna”
which so frequently occurs in the earlier generations of the Dibrell
family, is derived from the same source as is clearly shown in the
wills. The family name of the wife of Richard, “The Emigrant”, is not
known. It is known however that her name was Anna or Anne. In that
day Anna and Anne were used indifferently.
In the will of Charles Lee, the grandfather of Elizabeth (Lee) Dibrell,
which was made in 1700, this combination of “Lee Anna” is first found.
He mentions his daughter “Leeanna”. This combination of the two names
into one word, here first met with, seems apparently made from the
family name of Lee and the given name of the mother of Charles.
--------
Both Charles Dibrell and his brother Anthony Dibrell (2nd) were Revo-
lutionary soldiers. It has also been stated that their father Anthony
(Jean Antoine), although too old to carry a musket, yet served as a
fifer during the Revolution. This latter, however, has not been
definitely proven to my satisfaction.
There is appended to this list the Proof of Service of both Charles
Dibrell and Anthony Dibrell (2nd), which is sufficient proof for the
admission of any of the descendants of either of these branches of
the family into the Societies of the Sons of the American Revolution,
or the Daughters of the American Revolution.
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[Page 9]
Dibrell Genealogy
PROOF OF REVOLUTIONARY ARMY SERVICE
PROOF OF SERVICE OF CHARLES DIBRELL
Charles Dibrell, son of Anthony Dibrell and Elizabeth Lee, of
Buckingham County, Virginia, served as private of Militia 1775, and
as Minute-Man in the service in the Lewis and Christie North Carolina
Campaign of 1776--Ensign of Militia and Convention Guards 1777,
and under Lafayette in 1781; and present at the Surrender of York-
town. Later Captain of Kentucky troops under General Harmer in the
Expedition of 1790.
Charles Dibrell was born 1757 and died 1840. He received a
pension from the United States for his services in the Revolutionary
War. Date his pension was “Issued, 27 February 1834.”
--------
This data collected by Charles Dibrell Poston, Robert Stockwell
Hatcher and Henry H. Barroll.
[Page 10]
Dibrell Genealogy.
PROOF OF REVOLUTIONARY ARMY SERVICE
PROOF OF SERVICE OF ANTHONY DIBRELL (2nd)
Anthony Dibrell, son of Anthony Dibrell and Elizabeth Lee, of
Buckingham County, Virginia, served as Private for three months from
February 1778, in the Company of John Moseley, guarding prisoners at
Albemarle Barracks, Virginia. February 1781 entered service as
Private, served three months under Colonel John Holcomb, Captain not
named; marched from Buckingham County, Virginia to North Carolina,
and was in Battle of Guilford Courthouse. In May or June 1781
entered the service as Private under Colonel Cabell, removed military
stores from Scott's Ferry to New London, Bedford County, Virginia.
Was also at Cumberland, C. H. and in Prince Edward and Louisa Counties.
In September 1781 he went to Yorktown and remained until the Surren-
der of Cornwallis. Officers not named.
Pension was allowed upon proof of nine months actual service as
Private. He was born May 24, 1763. He married Wilmuth Watson in
1791. Anthony Dibrell died June 22, 1816.
Wilmuth Watson received a pension for services of Anthony Dibrell
in the Revolutionary War. Her pension was granted December 25, 1845.
--------
This data was collected by Robert Stockwell Hatcher in 1892.
Notes: From the above dates Anthony Dibrell entered the war at age 15.
[Page 11]
PROOF OF REVOLUTIONARY ARMY SERVICE
PROOF OF SERVICE OF MICHAEL JONES
WAR DEPARTMENT
The Adjutant General’s Office
Washington
February 8, 1932
Maben Jones
1207 Taylor Street
Columbia, South Carolina.
Dear Sir:
The records of this office show that one Michael Jones
served in the Revolutionary War as a Private in Captain Joseph
Mitchell's Company, 12th Virginia Regiment, commanded by Colonel
James Wood. He enlisted December 13, 1776, for the war. On the
Company pay roll for September, 1777, he was reported "missing
B. W. 11th September," and on the Company muster roll for October,
1777, "M at B wine 11th September," evidently missing at the
battle on that date. No further record found.
The collection of Revolutionary War records in this office
is far from complete, and it is suggested as a possibility that
additional information may be obtained from the Librarian, Virginia
State Library, Richmond, or from the Director of Pensions, Washing-
ton, D. C.
C. H. Bridges
Major General
The Adjutant General
By R D
[Page 12]
Proof of Service of
William Dibrell Jones
VETERANS ADMINISTRATION In the War of 1812.
Washington
Mr. Maben Jones
1207 Taylor Street
Columbia, South Carolina
Dear Sir:
Reference is made to your letter of recent date, relative to
William D. Jones, a soldier in the war of 1812.
The data which follow were obtained from the papers on file in
pension claim, W. C. 14373, of William D. Jones, based upon his mil-
itary service in the War of 1812.
He volunteered in Buckingham County, Virginia, and served from
August 29, 1814, to September 13, or 18, 1814, as a vidette in
Captain William Moseley's Company, in the First Regiment of Virginia
Militia.
It was stated that after his discharge from the above noted en-
listment, he was detailed by the Governor of Virginia as a courier
and acted as such, also as paymaster.
After the war soldier lived in New Store, Buckingham County,
Virginia, where he was still living in 1872.
He died June 30, 1874, in Buckingham County, Virginia, aged
ninety-one years, ten months and twenty-eight days; placed of birth
not stated.
William D. Jones married November 26, 1817, in Prince Edward
County, Virginia, Judith B. LeGrand, daughter of Baker LeGrand and
his wife, Mary. Neither the soldier nor his wife had been previous-
ly married. Their marriage license was witnessed by one W. P. LeGrand,
relationship to Judith B. not stated.
Soldier's widow, Judith B. Jones, was allowed pension on her
application executed April 24, 1878, at which time she was aged
seventy-nine years and a resident of New Store, Buckingham County,
Virginia. She died June 15, 1884.
In 1858, Louis D. Jones, soldier's son, was living in New Store,
Virginia, and in 1878 was a notary public in that place.
In 1885, one L. D. Jones, Jr., was postmaster at New Store,
Virginia; relationship to solder not stated.
There are no further family data on file.
Very truly yours,
A. D. Hiller
Assistant to Administrator.