Individual Details
John "Stray" Poindexter
(Abt 1779 - 1829)
From: Kim Spangrude
Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 09:31:05 -0600
I am a direct descendant of John "Stray" Poindexter and can tell
you what I know about him. He was my 4X great grandfather, born 1776
and died 1829. He was married Sept. 18, 1799 in [Surry Co] North Carolina to
Mary "Polly" Kerr. She was born 1779 and died 1850. John "Stray"
Poindexter was probably born in Louisa County, Virginia to Bond Veale
Poindexter, mother was Susanna(?). Here are some notes I have that were
on the Poindexter list serve in the past:
"Thomas Henderson Poindexter was the son of John "Stray" Poindexter.
John was raised by his uncle, Capt. Thomas Poindexter (that third Thomas I was
having trouble with earlier today and whose line I come down, twice) An
orphan bond has been located that shows Capt. Thomas Poindexter accepted
guardianship of John "Stray" Poindexter. We believe Stray was a nickname his
uncle gave him,because he was the "Stray" child in the family. This is only
conjecture though.
Since Bond Veale Poindexter, John's father, was still alive, it has
taken a long time and a lot of work to connect John with his father. What
appears to have happened is John's mother died. Bond Veale Poindexter remarried
and moved to Tennessee, not necessarily in that order. He left John in the
care of his (Bond Veale's) brother, Thomas. Either John was not interested in
moving to Tennessee with his father or maybe Bond Veale had intended to establish
himself and then send for John. Whatever the case may be, John remained in North
Carolina. That would have been the reason for the Orphan's Bond that proves
Capt. Thomas accepted guardianship of John "Stray" Poindexter.
John“Stray” Poindexter moved to Yadkin County, NC with Captain
Thomas Poindexter who was his uncle."
14 Dec 1795 Louisa Co, VA - Orphan Bond of John Poindexter
Know all men by these present that we THOMAS POINDEXTER and JAMES POINDEXTER
are held and firmly bound unto William Phillips, Chas. Yancey, R .Maneay & Wm. Nash
Gentlemen Justices of the Court of Louisa County now sitting in the sum of one hundred
pounds Current money of Virginia to the payment whereof Well and truly to be made
to the said Justices or their successors we bind ourselves our heirs Executors & administrators Jointly and Severally firmly by these presents sealed with our seals and dated this 14th day of December 1795. The Condition of the above obligation is such that if the above bound THOS. POINDEXTER GUARDIAN to JOHN POINDEXTER ORPHAN of BOND V. POINDEXTER do well and truly pay and deliver or cause to be paid and delivered unto the said Orphan all such estate or estates as now is or here= =after shall become due and payable to the said orphan when he Shall attain to lawfully age to demand the same, or when thereto required by the said Justices or
their successors, and also save harmless and indemnity to the said Justices from all trouble
and damages that shall or may arise about the Said Estate or estates, then this obligation to be void or else remain in full force & virtue.
Signed Sealed & delivered in Presence of} Thos. Poindexter SEAL
} James Poindexter SEAL
At a court held for Louisa County on the 14th day of 1797
This bond was this day in open Court acknowledged by THOMAS POINDEXTER
and JAMES POINDEXTER to be their act & Deed and by the Court is ordered to be recorded.
Thomas Poindexter [thought to be Capt Thomas of Surry, as no other Thomas Poindexter of adult age was living in 1797] was named as guardian of John, orphan of Bond V. Poindexter. James Poindexter was security; [No one seems to know who this James was - I believe he was the son of a David Poindexter of Surry NC who has never been attached to the Poindexter family]
An ophan was anyone under age 21 who had no father to handle the affairs of his property. Apparently John's father was gone with no intention of returning. John married in 1799 and appears on a poll tax list in 1800 in Surry NC for the first time, so he was likely born about 1779. He apparently moved to Surry Co NC - perhaps after the above Bond was signed.
The marriage bond in Surry, NC is dated 18 Sep 1799, Surry Co NC. Her surname is spelled "Carr" on the bond.
There's a record dated 5 Sep 1808 from Surry Co NC that John Poindexter was ordered to be jailed "until the end of the term". And the book goes on to state that John was raised by his cousin Thomas W. P. Poindexter and most often associated with him. Thomas W. P. was a son of Thomas & Elizabeth Pledge of Surry Co - and really wasn't quite old enough as he himself was born 1771 - perhaps the two cousins lived together as young men. There's quite a bit in the book about the children of this John. His wife was Mary Polly Kerr, daughter of Alexander Kerr Sr. They married Surry Co NC 18 Sep 1799. This John is the one often called John "Stray" Poindexter because he's been so difficult to identify.
Faye Moran & Elizabeth Harris have a
website of Poindexter descendants:
http://www.fmoran.com/poindexter.html
This shows John "Stray" Poindexter as having 4 siblings:
Children of Bond Veale Poindexter and 1) Susanna:
• Gabriele Poindexter m. Micha White;
• Mary "Polly" Poindexter m. John Berges;
• "Stray" John Poindexter (1776-1829) m. Mary "Polly" Kerr
(1779-1850), d/o Alexander Kerr, Sr. and Rebecca Gourley;
• Bond Veale (Bondaville) Poindexter m. Margaret McKannon;
• Betsey Poindexter m. John Crabtree;
NOTE: Bond Veale Poindexter moved to Tenn after the death of his first
wife. His son "Stray" John Poindexter moved to Yadkin Co., NC with
Captain Thomas Poindexter who was his uncle and his guardian.
Children of "Stray" and Mary 'Polly' Kerr are shown as:
• Archibald Tyrell Poindexter m. (1800-1865) m. Matilda Overby;
• Thomas Henderson Poindexter (1801-1869) m. Elizabeth Vest
• Elizabeth "Betsy" Poindexter (1803-1873) Did not marry
• John L. Poindexter (1806-1866) m. Mariah Mills
• Alexander "Alex" Poindexter (1808-1894) m. Sarah P. Douglas
• Rebecca Kerr "Becky" Poindexter (1812-1866) m. Andrew "Andy" Douglas
• William P. Poindexter (1813-1844) m. Phebe Farrington Dezern - a widow
• Richard R. Poindexter (1815 1896) m. Bathsheba "Sheba" White
• Peter A. Poindexter (1820-1891) m. Sarah Rebecca "Sally" Hauser, d/o
Joel Hauser and Margaretha Elizabeth Hauser
• Phebe Poindexter (1822-?) [Note: Some say she was a twin of Peter.]
• Simeon Poindexter (1828*-1894) m. Nancy Ann Woodlief [*Note:
Simeon's gravestone shows b 19 May 1819 - d 2 Jan 1894; Nancy's
gravestone shows b 4 July 1828 - d 21 Nov 1912] Buried Douglas Cemetery where her parents are buried.
John (Stray) Poindexter is on an 1812 Surry Co NC Tax List with only one poll, no land - along with several sons of Capt. Thomas _ John G., Robert, Archibald, Thomas W. P., a daughter Dorothy, and widow Elizabeth Poindexter.
John Stray and Mary are buried in the Douglas Cemetery near East Bend NC, said to have originally been the Poindexter Family Cemetery, near their home.
Events
| Birth | Abt 1779 | ||||
| Marriage | 18 Sep 1799 | Surry County, North Carolina - Mary Kerr | |||
| Death | 1829 |
Families
| Spouse | Mary Kerr ( - 1847) |
| Child | Thomas Henderson Poindexter (1802 - 1870) |
| Father | Bond Veale Poindexter (1735 - 1812) |
| Mother | Susannah [Poindexter] ( - 1798) |
| Sibling | Gabriel Poindexter ( - ) |
| Sibling | Mary "Polly" Poindexter ( - ) |
| Sibling | Bond Veale Poindexter Jr. (1781 - 1845) |
| Sibling | Betsy Poindexter ( - ) |
| Sibling | Susanna Poindexter ( - ) |
| Sibling | Lucy Poindexter ( - ) |
| Sibling | Frances Poindexter ( - ) |