Sunday, August 22, 2010

Nace Family Introduction

The earliest ancestor whose picture I have is my great-great grandfather, John Christian Nace, who died just short of his 100th birthday. 


His obituary appeared in the February 18, 1928 Roanoke Times: 
Lithia, Feb. 17 (Special) John C Nace, 99, last Confederate Veteran in this part of the county, died this morning at 8 o'clock at the home of his daughter, Mrs Will DeLong, here. Death was attributed to heart failure. He had been confined to his bed only a few days. 
Mr Nace who served throughout the four years of the Civil War, is survived by a son William R Nace of Lithia, in addition to his daughter, Mrs DeLong.
He is also survived by thirteen grandchildren and three great grand  children. He was a member of the Lithia Baptist Church.
 Funeral services will be held at his daughters residence Sunday morning at 11 o'clock. The service will be conducted by the Rev. G. H. Broyles.
John C. Nace, who served as private in Co. 1, 22nd Virginia infantry, CSA, was born November 27, 1828 and died February 17, 1928. He is buried beside his wife Mary Ann Noffsinger Nace in the NOFTSINGER/STYNE/PICO CEMETERY off State Route 625 in Buchanan, VA (Botetourt County)—at least his Confederate tombstone is beside her grave. [NOTE: It is likely that he is actually buried at Lithia Baptist Church, where he also has another  stone.]


Her parents, Elizabeth Ferrell (Ferrill?) Nofsinger (September, 27,1802-July 6, 1877) and Abraham Noffsinger (May 6, 1797-February 19, 1887) are buried nearby. (Noffsinger is also spelled Noftsinger and Nofsinger.)


His grave is on the right; his wife's is in the center (back row).

Another view of the Pico Cemetery

While the 22nd Virginia was involved in the Battle of Gettysburg, John Nace was at home settling the estate of his ailing—and soon deceased—father, William Nace, and missed the battle. William Nace had been overseer at Mount Joy Plantation in Buchanan (Botetourt County, VA). 


This is how Mount Joy looked a few years ago. The original house was burned in Hunter's Raid.


As near as I can tell, my Botetourt County Nace ancestors came from Maryland. From RootsWeb, I learned that a William Nace was born Feb. 6, 1797, in Lancaster Maryland. William’s parents were John Christian Nace (b. 1760? in Maryland) and Catherine Filston (b. June 28, 1764, in Maryland). This John Christian Nace (son of George Nace and Mary ? of Maryland, died on August 1, 1855, in Botetourt County, Virginia. (If he indeed was born in 1760, he lived to be 95!)

The children of John and Catherine were Polly, b: 23 Apr 1790 in Maryland; William, b: 6 Feb 1797 in Lancaster, Maryland; Margaret, b: 1798 in Botetourt, Virginia; Peter F. b: abt. 1798 in, Maryland; Elizabeth, b: abt. 1802 in Botetourt; and Robert F, b: 25 Dec 1802 in Botetourt.

William married Hester C. Fringer (b. about 1801) on December 28, 1823, in Botetourt County. She was the daughter of Christopher Fringer and Susanna Zirkle (or Circle).

So, John Christian Nace (b. 1760) had a son William (b. 1797) who had a son named John Christian (b. 1828) who had a son named William (b. 1854). The last William—William Robert Nace—is my great grandfather. Here's his picture:


William Robert Nace was married to Sulmana Frances Spence (her name is spelled Sulmenia in the family bible and Sulmena in a few other places) whose family possibly lived in the Big Island area of Bedford County, Virginia, before moving to Buchanan.
~

11 comments:

  1. You have some awson pictures of your family I really enjoyed looking at them, I have old pictures of my family too they are so much fun have a blessed day

    karen conway

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  2. I see the last posting was in 2011. I am told my family is from botetourt county.
    do you have any more information? I am interested in how they came to America.

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  3. I trace my ancestors to Elizabeth Fringer who was Hester's sister. She married Jacob Clyce and their daughter Mary married Samuel Gillock who was the editor of a newspaper in Lexington. But anyway, I liked your photos and now I know about the Nace family!

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  4. Are these the first Naces ? Because we seem to be everywhere I seem names mostly in Pennsylvania and there is a guy that was writing NACE on boxcars' in Pittsburgh

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  5. I'm not sure where the first Naces in America were—possibly Pennsylvania (where the Noftsings/Noffsingers were before they came to VA) or Maryland.

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  6. My Grandfather was from Big Island, Archie Linwood Nace.

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  7. The only thing I read that's wrong is that Mathias is not buried in Little Zion Lutheran I already spoke to the people there

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  8. I am descended from Peter F. Nace son of John and Catherine.
    Still trying to get concrete evidence of where George Nace of Maryland originated from. But I have connected Catharine Nace to Mary Nace who married a Erasmus Uhler and lived in Baltimore City. She had Catharine stand up for her daughter's baptism and this was just prior to the birth of William in 1797. 1798 John and Catharine were in Botetourt. 1812 George Sr. dies and in his will he mentions John, but indicates to get his share he has to return to Maryland to get it. After that I see an legal argument with John Nace & Erasmus Uhler against John's brother William who took over the assets.

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  9. I am descended from Peter F. Nace son of John and Catherine.
    Still trying to get concrete evidence of where George Nace of Maryland originated from. But I have connected Catharine Nace to Mary Nace who married a Erasmus Uhler and lived in Baltimore City. She had Catharine stand up for her daughter's baptism and this was just prior to the birth of William in 1797. 1798 John and Catharine were in Botetourt. 1812 George Sr. dies and in his will he mentions John, but indicates to get his share he has to return to Maryland to get it. After that I see a legal argument with John Nace & Erasmus Uhler against John's brother William who took over the assets.

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  10. My name is Philip Nace and I go back to Matthias who came here in 1731 most of them are buried in Pennsylvania Montgomery County

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  11. UPDATE: First Nace in America (in my line) was Matthias Nehs and family in Philadelphia: See blog-post https://nacelithia.blogspot.com/2018/01/matthias-nehs.html

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