Comments: We really don't know the origins of our Furnis/Furnace/Furnish family. This was not a wealthy or powerful family and so records are sparse. It's unbelieveable that John Furnish Jr. died possessed of a good deal of wealth, judging by the inventory. This is in contrast to the fortunes of his brothers, who did not own land until they moved to KY.
Ed. comment: The Furnish family is associated with Stephen Shiflett and the Powells. Stephen d. 1776/7 intestate (no will). He was m. to Elizabeth Powell, d/o John & Ann Powell. Stephen and John Furnish were neighbors.
From Chalkey's: Augusta Co. Delinquent Tax List 1755 Jno.Farnish twice listed p. 414-5
Sam'l Farnish, not found
Wm. Fraizer, thrice returned
Robt. Fraizer, not found
1767 Nov A List in my Bounds and Number of Tithe pr me Jeremh. Bryan (list is in the order taken)
Jon. Page 6
Henery Shorter 1 Stephen Shiflit 2
Jon. Furnis 2
Nathanel Geare 1
Jas Powell 1
1768 Jeremiah Bryan his List of Sucker hunting tithe:
Lenard Davis 1 John Furnis 3
Steaven Shifflet 1
Henry Harvey 1
Honourias Powell 2
1769 Second list of Jeremiah White
James Powell 1
Nathaniel Gear 1
Abner Breden 1 Steaven Shiflet 1
John Furnis 4
Joseph Parrish 9
Nov 25 1776 Will of James Powell of the Parish of Sat. Thomas in the County
of Orange dated 15 July 1776. (see full text)
My wife Mary Powell and my son James Powell and my friend Andrew Shipperd and my friend John Goodall Sener executors.
John Powell
Wit: John Kendall, James Duncom, John (X) Firnes.
25 Nov 1776 Proved by John Kendall and John Furnes. Executors therin named refused to act. Adminstration is granted Zachary Burnley, Gent., he giving bond in the sum of £600. Orange County Wills, pp. 502-503
John Furnis Sr. was deceased by 1777. He had been in Hogg's Rangers, in the
French and Indian War, in the latter 1750's. He had received bounty land for
this participation. We believe his wife was Jane Green, whom he married in
1744/45 in Baltimore Co., MD.
The following is all I have on the death of John Furnish Sr.:
John Fornish. Inventory. 9 Feb. 1777. Total valuation £80.15.6.
Charles Walker
John Kedall
Thomas White 22 May 1777 . Returned. (p. 509) Orange County, Virginia Will Book 2 1744-1778, abstracted and compiled by
John Frederick Dorman, 1961 p. 110
Comments: With £ 80. he must have been a small farmer. Perhaps he was a tenant
on Pickett or Walker land.
John Furnish Jr.
John Furnish (Jr.) was the son of the John Furnis (Sr.), listed in the tax 1767-1769. We are very happy to have this tax list. We have some information on the Furnish clan but apparently there is a good deal more out there.
It seems likely that John Furnis(h) Jr. was the eldest of the sons and may
have been born in Augusta Co., Va. The first documents in VA. for John
Furnis were in Augusta Co., VA - a work team building a road up to the
Swift Run Gap. This was in the early 1750's. A younger son, Thomas, was born
1760 in Augusta Co., VA according to his Rev. War pension application. The
youngest son, James (my ancestor), was born in Orange Co., Va in 1763
according to his Rev. War pension application. Any subsequent documents for
this family seem to be in Orange Co., VA.
My James was only ten years older than his nephew, James, son of John
Furnish Jr. It seems likely that John Jr. was born by 1750, probably
earlier. We do not know who John Jr. married - it could have been a Powell,
a Shiflett, or one of the other names on the tax list. One of the sons of
John Furnis married a daughter of John Page. Another son married a Duncomb.
And you can see from the following, the Kendalls and Walkers must have been
close to Furnish clan:
Will of JOHN FURNISH. .. debts to be paid by my executor, Charles Walker.. I
lend unto my wife, Lise, the tract of land on which I live containing about
1 hundred acres.. (if deceased or remarried).., my son, James Furnish, shall
take possession at age of one and twenty years.. upper part of my land being
on Sadle Back Mountain, like wis my Entry Living at the white oace springs
shall be sold and equally divided between my 3 gals, Mary, Franky and
Saley.. this 5th day of April 1780.
John (his x mark) Furnish
Witnesses
Jacob Furnish, Thomas Walker, Charles Walker, Samuel (his mark) Furnish
At a court held.. 25th May 1780.. presented by Charles Walker.. proved by
Jacob and Samuel Furnish.. Mace Pickett, security. Bond in amount of five
thousand dollars
Appraisal of the estate of JOHN FURNISH, 19th June 1780.. value L1858.15.0.. appraisers Thomas Fortson, Thomas White, John Kendoll. Returned into court 22 June 1780. (Will Abstracts of Orange Co., Va, by Sparacio p. 18-20)
[Note: SADDLEBACK MOUNTAIN : summit : Greene : 382154N 0783014W : Swift Run Gap]
Comments: I have copies of the two Orange County lists from the reconstructed 1790
census. One is 1782 and the other 1785. My James Furnish was not listed -
too young for the 1782, and gone to Kentucky in 1784 (Bourbon Co, KY). His
elder brothers, Samuel, Jacob and Thomas are however found in Orange Co.
documents of this period. They did not come out to Bourbon/Harrison Co., KY
until a few years later (as well as nephew, James Jr.). Some stayed in
Harrison Co. and most went up to Gallatin Co., KY in the early 1800's.
1782 Virginia Tax List (Tithes) ; Two Items: Whites, Blacks
Orange Co. Tax List of Zack Burney
List in order taken (Whites, Blacks)
Taylor, Charles 8, 0
Roach, David 4, 0 Furnis, Eliza 3, 0
Walker, Charles 9, 6
Taylor, James (son of Charles) 5, 0
Collins, William 6,13
Powell, Mary 7,1 Sheflett, Eliza 5, 0
Cross, Abner 8, 0. . . several omitted
Walker, Thomas 1, 6
Underwood, Margaret 8, 0
Taylor, James 5, 0
Taylor, William 1, 0
Powell, Francis 8, 4
Duncan, James 8, 0 Furnis, Eliza 7, 0
Eddens, Joseph 3, 18
Rucker, John 2, 0
Stanards, Wm 0, 52
Pickett, Mace 3, 3
Virginia 1790 Census
showing neighbors and listing order
Page 97
Name of head of family: Shifflett , Elizabeth
White: 5
Black: 1
Name of head of family: Powell, Thomas
White: 9
Black: 1
Name of head of family: Duncomb, James
White: 9
Black: 1
Name of head of family: Furnish, Samuel
White: 6
Black: 1
Name of head of family: Kalker (prob. Walker), Charles
White: 7
Black: 1
Pickett, Mace 5 1 1
1790 Census Listings
Submitted by Talmadge Shifflett talshiff@aol.com 14 Apr 2000:
Furnish listings found on the 1790 MD, PA, SC or NH census:
(no MD Furnis found)
Name - State - Co - White males - White males und. 16 - females
Furnis, John NH Strafford 1 - 1 - 3
Furnifs, Robert NH Rockingham 3 - 2 - 7
Furnifs, John PA Bucks 1 - 1 - 2
Furnis, John SC Newberry 2 - 0 - 1
