EARLS FAMILY CHRONICLES
© Christopher Earls Brennen
Datafile 2Z - American Traces
In the United States lists of arrivals have always been kept and are frequently consulted by those with genealogical interests. The following are some records of the arrival in the United States of individuals with the surname EARLS. Data in the following table is taken from ``Passenger and Immigration Lists Index'', first edition, edited by P. William Filby with Mary K. Meyer, Gale Research Company, Detroit Michigan plus the Supplements issued later.
Name: Year of Place of Source: Arrival: Arrival: Earles, William 1654 Virginia 6220, p.281 + 2772 Earls, Roberts 1835 Texas 4079, p.89 Earls, Mary 1835 Texas 4079, p.89 Earls, George 1851-57 Indiana 3434, p.39 Earls, Patrick 1813 Philadelphia 9294, p.3 Earls, Patrick 1860 Philadelphia 9294, p.2 Earls, William 1847 Philadelphia 9294, p.3 Earls, William 1850 Philadelphia 9294, p.3 Note that Roberts and Mary Earls, like many others of Ulster extraction, emigrated to Texas while that state was still part of Mexico. Nagodoches was the point of arrival for all overland immigrants. Indeed the Battle of the Alamo which marked the beginning of the struggle for independence in Texas was fought a year after their arrival in 1836. More Ulstermen died at the Alamo than natives of any other country or state including Texans.
Sources:
2772: ``Early Virginia immigrants, 1623-1666'' by George C. Greer, Baltimore Genealogical Publ. Co., 1960.
3434: ``An index to Indiana Naturalization Records found in various order books of the ninety-two local courts prior to 1907.'' Indianapolis, Indiana Historical Society, Family History Section, 1981.
4079: ``The Nacogdoches archives:1835 entrance certificates and citizen applications'' compiled by Nancy Krause, Stirpes 15:2 (June 1975).....
6220: ``Cavaliers and Pioneers, abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants, 1623-1666'', Volume 1, by N.M. Nugent, Baltimore Genealogical Publ. Co., 1969.
9294: Index to records of alien's declarations of intention and/or oaths of allegiance, 1789-1880 in U.S.Circuit Court, U.S. District Court, Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, Quarter Sessions Court, Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia, Volume 3. Compiled by U.S.Works Project Administration, Project No.20837. Sponsored by the Pennsylvania Historical Commission.
A number of Earls are listed in the 1790 U.S.Census. In the following the last column contains the (number of adult males in the household, the number of males under 16, the number of females).
One group of Earls occurs along the Hudson river in New York State:
Name: Town or District and County: State: Benjamin Earls Hillsdale Town, Columbia NY (2,2,5) Robert Earls Canaan Town, Columbia NY (2,5,3) Robert Earls Northeast Town, Dutchess NY (1,1,1) Gardner Earls New Cornwall T., Orange NY (2,1,5) John Earls Halfmoon Town, Albany NY (1,1,3) Nathaniel Earls Hoosick Town, Albany NY (1,0,0) A second group occurs along the wilderness frontier in the Carolinas:
Name: Town or District and County: State: Balis Earls 9th District, Spartanburgh SC (1,4,6) John Earls 9th District, Spartanburgh SC (1,0,2) Frjd Earls 6th Co.,Morgan D., Rutherford NC (1,2,2) Jesse Earls Fishing Creek D., Hillsborough D., Granville NC John Earls Ragland District, Hillsborough D., Granville NC John Earl(e)s, Sr. Ragland District, Hillsborough D., Granville NC And one more Earl(e)s in more prosperous, settled country in the Carolinas:
Name: Town or District and County: State: William Earl(e)s Salisbury D., Montgomery NC (4,3,5) + one slave The only others occuring in the 1790 Census are:
Name: Town or District and County: State: Thomas Earls Militia, Fairfield Town NJ Jacob Earles Boylston Town, Worcester MA (1,2,2)
Note that there are many others listed with the surnames Earl and Earle.In ``Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish settlement in Virginia'' by Lyman Chalkley (Baltimore Gen. Publ. Co., 1965), volume III on page 72 we find the following reference to an Earls:
Nov. 16, 1762. Samuel Young presented his accounts as administrator of Patrick Ingles. Recorded. Sale bill, viz: To John Jamison, Samuel Cloyd, Alice English, George Francisco, Robert Reed, William Earls, Andrew Greer, Samuel More. Paid Henry Murray, Edward Thompson, Robert Scott. Page 191 of Will Book No.3, Abstract of Willis of Augusta County, Virginia, Augusta County Court.In February 1836, John Earls of Muncy Creek Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, was tried and convicted at Williamsport of the murder of his wife Catherine Earls. Earls confessed to poisoning his wife the day after she gave birth. His reason was the usual other woman. He gave his reason for purchasing the poison as ``to kill minks and muskrats''. The story was written up in a book by reporters William F. Packer and A. Cummings.
Last updated 9/9/99.
Christopher E. Brennen