Individual Details

I have an autosomal DNA match to a descendant of Kaziah and William Keyser. However, attached to the page of her mother Jane (Winn) Snead is the following which sheds doubt on the relationship to the Poindexter family.

KEZI AH SNEAD KEYSER b. 1765 d. 1849 ALLEGHENY COUNTY VA
WIFE OF WILLIAM KEYSER b. 1755 d. 1837 BATH COUNTY VA
For me, it is speculation that Keziah‘s father was a Snead, as I can find no document giving corroborated proof of Keziah’s father.
Here is the record I have gathered, giving reason to the possibility that Keziah’s father is a “Snead”.
1) James Fleming Keyser at the age of 91 wrote a letter to L. R. Beckner dated 15 Aug 1932 stating most of the general facts concerning the life of William Keyser, his grandfather. The glaring inconsistency in the letter is James reference to his grandfather as John instead of William. James never knew his grandfather and probably little of his grandmother considering their dates of death. In the letter James claims that his grandfather’s ”wife name was Sneed”. Information similar to this is presented in “Keyser-Keysor Cousins” by Mary Keysor Meyer. Whether the name is “John William” or “William”, our progenitor went by “William”.
2) James’ sister’s name is Elmira Snead Keyser, and their father is Fleming Keyser, son of William. Fleming represented Keziah in her pension application after William’s death.
3) James’ and Elmira’s cousin is William Snead Keyser b. 23 Sep 1829 d. 30 Jan 1914 Bath County VA, grandson of William and son of William Jr.
4) The relationship between William Keyser and Richard Snead appears stronger than friendship. I will not give all of the record here, but there are various recorded transactions and legal dealings in Bath County involving both. As close as these two families were, I can find no record of marriages between their children. This fact of non-marriage gives some weight that they were related by blood.
On Nov 7, 1783 John Snead Jr (actually the III) and his wife Rebecca Pettus transfer to William Keyser 100 acres on Stoney Run in Hanover County.
On Jan 21, 1788 William and Kussey Keyser transfer to John Bowles this 100 acres.
On Sept 4, 1788 John Snead transfers to Richard Snead a similar 100 acres on Stoney Run in Hanover County.
This land originally was owned by John Sr or John Jr and given to John Jr or John III. It is difficult to determine from the records and the 1783 land transaction above. It would seem reasonable that some inheritance was being dealt with at Stoney Run for Keziah Snead Keyser and Richard Snead. Some researchers have Keziah and Richard and John Jr as children of John Sr and Jane Jackson. (See “The Johns and their many wives” below). John Sr is believed to have died before 1782 and before the transfers above.

Richard appears to be the only Snead to venture to Bath County, a considerable distance, and he and his family are neighbors to William and Keziah Keyser. In the pension application proceedings of Keziah Keyser, Fleming Keyser presents a piece of paper in proof of relationships. On this paper are the names of the children of both William Keyser and Richard Snead and their birthdates. In other papers submitted, Fleming refers to Richard and William only as “neighbors”.
Below is information less speculative concerning the Snead family and correction of various misinformation concerning William and Keziah Snead Keyser.
1) The family of John Snead Jr b. 1835 d. 1809-1812 is documented by his will dated 10 Sep 1793 and the chancery suit over his estate 24 July 1812 in Hanover County Court. On page 109 of “The Sneads of Fluvanna” this John Jr is referred to in the following paragraph. “The property of John Snead, a tidewater farmer of well above average land holdings, passed to his son and namesake, John Jr., who in 1782 was taxed for sixteen slaves, five horses and twenty one head of cattle.”
2) The Keziah Snead b. 1761 daughter to John Snead Jr., married William Harris. They settled in Kentucky and their pension applications are sufficient to limit any doubt that this Keziah and the Keziah Harris named in the will of John Snead Jr. are one in the same. Many on-line family trees have our Keziah Snead Keyser in place of Keziah Snead Harris. This is obviously in error and I can find no source for the name William “Harris” Keyser.
3) The Richard Snead that is presented in John Snead Jr., will and Snead family suit is accepted as the same Richard involved in the Stoney Run property transaction and the same Richard living as neighbor of William and Keziah Keyser. Under my speculation that would make Keziah, Richard’s aunt. Some researchers record another Richard though, son of John Sr and brother to Keziah, with their mother being Jane Jackson.

Birth	1765	Bath County, Virginia
Death	20 Jul 1849	Allegheny County, Virginia/West Virginia

Father	John Snead (1735 - 1812)
Mother	Jane Winn (1742 - 1812)