logo

An American Family History

Temperance Fox

Loudoun County is part of Northern Neck of Virginia. Settling of the Loudoun area began between 1725 and 1730 while it was owned by Lord Fairfax. Permanent settlers came from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland. For more than two centuries, agriculture, especially growing tobacco, was the dominant way of life in Loudoun County.

Temperance Fox was born before 1765 in Loudoun County, Virginia. Her parents and maiden name are not known.

She married Bonham Fox before 1794. Their children and life together are described in the section on Bonham and Temperance Fox.

Her daughter, Mary Fox Green's obituary said that

on the way [to Ohio], her [Mary Fox's] father [Bonham] was taken sick and her mother [Temperance], unaided, managed the boat and took care of the young children and stock, landing below Cincinnati. In passing the site of that city, she was offered a hundred acres of land along the river, where the city is now built, for a barrel of whiskey, but declined the trade.

She became a widow when her husband died in September, 1825.  Temperance was the administratrix of her husband's estate.  According to the probate records she received the items in the lists below. Married women at that time could not own property in their own names.

Separate schedule of the property that is allowed  by law to the widow to wit       

2 bed and bedding  $20.00
All the yarn in possession 09.00 2
pots or kettles 02.00 6?
Sheep  06.00
His wear Apearel 02.00 2
wheels  02.00
One cow  10.00
One year provison 51.00
Two hoggs 04.50
One hefer for Beef 05.00
One seventy five busel of corn 09.37 3/1
[Total] 69.87 2/1


A Separate Schedule of the fifteen Dollars
allowed the widow by law to wit
                        
One pot $.50
One skillet 0.37 3/1
One teakittle 0.37 3/1
Cowherd Afoirs?? 2.00
One old axe  0.50
One smooing (sic) iron 0.25
One pair of sheepshears 0.25
One coffy pot 0.12 3/1
One tin bucket 0.12  3/1
Five chairs 0.37 2/1
One trunk 1.00
One table 2.00
Two barrels 0.50
One saddle 0.50
One trammel [A trammel is a shackle used to teach a horse to amble] 1.00
One shovel 0.25
One pair of gears 0.75
One tub 0.21
[total] $11.06 2/1
Samuel Johnson
John Walker Mark
John Y. Eckles

She was listed in the 1830 Federal Census of Ohio in Rossville, St. Clair Township, Butler County. She was between 60 and 70. She died before the 1840 census.

Children of Temperance
and Bonham Fox
  • Levi Fox, Sr.
  • Mary Fox Green
  • Christina Fox Riley
  • David Fox
  • Jonathan Fox
  • Isaac P. Fox
  • During the 17th and 18th centuries an adult unmarried woman was considered to have the legal status of feme sole, while a married woman had the status of feme covert. A feme sole could own property and sign contracts. A feme covert was not recognized as having legal rights and obligations distinct from those of her husband and could not own any property. When a woman became a widow she became a feme sole again.

    For family trees and all source information, link to my RootsWeb File

    ©Roberta Tuller 2010
    robertanne@socal.rr.com
    Search this site: