Individual Details

Marriage

Notes from Janet S -
WERE THERE TWO FRANCES BOURNES?
The question which has puzzled NEWMAN family researchers for generations is whether or not there were two Frances BOURNES born in Orange County Virginia during the mid-18th century who married brothers Alexander5 and Reuben5 (Thomas4, Alexander3, Thomas Jr2, Thomas immigrant1) NEWMAN.
OR, whether there was only one Frances and she married (or cohabited?) with Reuben, but it was his brother Alexander, together with his BOURNE and MORTON uncles who accepted responsibility for the seven sons and one daughter born to her: George6, Reuben6, Andrew6, Alexander6, Thomas6, Jane6, John6, and James6. Orange County Virginia has kept marriage records since 1747, yet to date there has been no record found for a marriage between Frances and Reuben, nor between Frances and Alexander, nor has any been found in nearby Culpepper County.
The theory of two Frances BOURNES:
Dolly Reed Gilmore Barman in the "Newman Excursus" portion of Gillmore-Carter and Allied Families argues in favour of the two Frances theory. It is her belief that Alexander married Frances, daughter of Andrew BOURNE and Jane NEWMAN whereas Reuben married Frances, daughter of Andrew BOURNE and Janet GORE. She does not however submit any evidence to support her claim.
The "Reuben the Scoundrel" theory:
Newman A. Hall, (511 Town Hill Road, New Hartford, CT 06057) a scholar of note favors the theory that Reuben (not Alexander) NEWMAN married Frances BOURNE (daughter of Ambrose BOURNE and Jane NEWMAN) and they produced eight children, mentioned above. However, he then deserted her and the children and left them to the mercy of other relatives including his brother Alexander. This is based on a letter written 21 July 1890 from William Boroughs Newman of Talladega AL to his cousin, James Milton BOURNE of Louisville KY. He writes:
"There seems no doubt that Alexander, Reuben’s brother never
married. Reuben abandoned his wife and children who were
reared by William Morton. I have just found out why my people
never spoke of Reuben. His will at Orange does not mention his
children. He leaves his property to Henry Hill who I find was his
natural [illegitimate] son. Hence his children tried to (and did) wipe
out his name and substituted that of his brother Alexander".
Apparently brother Alexander served as an Ensign with the Virginia Militia during the Revolution, providing later descendants with an ancestor with a well established record of service in order to claim DAR membership. Hence, the "father switch" was made a permanent part of genealogical record. Newman Hall concludes: "I believe that absolute proof of this is very unlikely to be found". Because of my great respect for his research and documentation, I am accepting Reuben as the father of Frances’ children.