Britts - Johann-Adam - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Adam married Margaret Stover in the fall of 1768; to this union 2 boys and 6 girls were born in Penn. In 1793, along with several other German families, Adam and family moved to Botetourt County, VA to the area of Craig Creek. Adam purchased 500 acres of land along Craig Creek. This area became Craig County in 1851.

The oldest son John Britts, born March 16, 1773, married Susannah Ecles on May 17, 1797. In 1833, John and his family moved to the new Territory in Indiana and purchased several 80 acre tracts of land for $100 or $1.25 per acre, and founded the town of Ladoga, Indiana. John became the first blacksmith in Ladoga.

Henry Britts, the youngest son born in 1781, stayed in the area of Craig Creek. Henry married Mary C. Frantz on Sept 7, 1802. Her family also came to this area from Pennsylvania. To this union 6 children were born, 3 boys and 3 girls. Henry was a farmer as were his sons. Henry sons were William Britts born 1804, Adam Francis Britts born July 26, 1817 and Samuel Frantz Britts born 1820.

Samuel Britts ('photoshopped') from page 61 of

Craig County Virginia Heritage, © 2004,

Craig County Heritage Book Committee,

S.E. Grose and Assoc., Inc,.WV, 2004.

Samuel became the most prominent. On Oct. 28, 1861 Samuel was appointed as one of the Election Commisioners and Officer for the election to be held the first Wednesday in Novemer 1861, for members of the Congress in the Confederate States of America. On May 26, 1864 Samuel was elected Magistrate in and for the area of New Castle, VA. Samuel was very religious and the the Superintendent of the Mountain View Christian Church for a long time. This church was what is now (state Road 311), just a short way from Samuel's home, between New Castle and Catawba, VA. The Union Army under Brigadier General William W. Averell on the way to New Castle on Dec 17, 1863 was stopped because of the rapidly rising water of Craig's Creek. It had rained for days. They had lost four men trying to ford it. General Averell at sundown made camp noting in his record "drenched, muddy, hungry and in miserable condition too much to march on for us." The rain had turned to sleet. They set up camp on Samuel's farm, but over 3000 Yankee troops were probably spread out over the land, not just on Samuel's land.

The 3 sons and several descendants of Henry Britts served in the Confederate Army. Henry died in 1845 in New Castle, but there are still many descendants in and around Craig Coundy and the other counties in the area.

There is a small family Cemetery on the land that Samuel had, headstones show, Samuel Britts, Co. B, 28 Va Inf, CSA, Gertrude Britts Carper, 1871-1935, Daisy Carper, wife of Harry Damewood, Aug 22, 1896-Feb 18, 1919.

There appears to be other graves, but they are not marked with a headstone that can be read. These may be both of Samuel's wives, Elizabeth Elmore Britts and Mary Campbell Britts. Also there may the graves of Adam and Margaret Stover Britz. This property is now owned by Lanier Frantz, who is a descendent of the same family that Henry's wife, Mary C. Frantz, who was Samuel's mother.

pp. 60-61 Craig County Virginia Heritage: 2004 by the Craig County Heritage Book Committee and published by S.E. Grose and Assoc., Inc,.WV, 2004.

© NOTICE:

Johann Adam Britz

I discovered and first published the earliest information below on

Johann Adam Britz and family, based upon my original research

in primary sources (German and American), in my book

_Stover Brethren_, 2001.

I have not seen the Craig County Virginia Heritage book, so I

don't know whether John H. Britts properly credited my work.

Both the Stover and Stoner (and numerous related) families of Botetourt

County are covered and extensively documented with primary sources

in my two books:

STONER BRETHREN, 1993

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/GEN-BOOKS/2007-06/1182965069

and

STOVER BRETHREN, 2001

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/GEN-BOOKS/2007-06/1182965676