Isaac Michael VanBibber

     Isaac Michael VanBibber was born in 1725 at Cecil County, Maryland Colony, America. He was the son of Peter VanBibber and Anna Gooding. Isaac Michael VanBibber married Sarah Davis. Isaac Michael VanBibber died on 10 October 1774 at Point Pleasant, Virginia Colony, America, at age 49 years.¹
     Isaac Michael VanBibber was known as Reverend professionally. The Battle of Point Pleasant took place in what is now Mason County West Virginia on 10 Oct. 1774. The battle site overlooks the Ohio River. The battle was between the English colonists and the Indians and was part of what is known as Dunmore's War. The main cause of Dunmore's War was basically the incursion of the white man into Indian lands and especially the Ohio Valley.

The Van Bibber family were early settlers in the Greenbrier and were, like most settlers on the frontier, seeking new and better land. Also, like most pioneers, the Van Bibbers were members of the malitia and were willing to fight for possession of this new land.

The battle was a temporary defeat for the white settlers but a great loss for the Van Bibber family who settled on the this primitive frontier.

Isaac Van Bibber (sometimes known as Michael) was one of the victims. There were one-hundred and forty whites killed including the commanding officer, Colonel Charles Lewis, but to the family of Isaac Van Bibber it was a loss that would change their entire world.

Isaac had several young children and his loss would cause the breakup of the family.

Isaac's wife remarried and his son Isaac Jr. would live with the famous Daniel Boone. Kanawha Co., VA records indicated that another son, Matthias, was raised by Isaac's brother Peter Van Bibber. Isaac Van Bibber's group sheet is listed below.

Isaac was not the only Van Bibber family member at the Battle of Point Pleasant. Various lists also include Captain John, Peter, and John Jesse Van Bibber as participants in the battle.

THE WANDERINGS OF ISAAC VAN BIBBER'S FAMILY
By Steve Smith e-mail: begood@centuryinter.net

I think the VAN BEBBER e-mail club would be a good idea and a good way to gather new information and find new unexplored branches of the family. I would support this with giving you information on the family. Most of the research I have (about 50 3' binders) is based on descendants of Isaac VAN BIBBER, I., of Point Pleasant battle (Oct 10, 1774). He and wife, Sarah DAVIS, had seven children. I can document the name of six of those children. Five of the six children I document went to CLAIBORNE County, Tennessee by 1796, and helped to establish Fort YOAKUM with brother-in-law, George YOAKUM, I., and remained in this area. John VAN BEBBER, Sr., one of the children of Isaac and Sarah, purchased 3250 acres in the newly established HENDERSON Grant of Powell Valley. He immediately began colonizing this land by selling farms to family and friends. This was still in Indian disputed territory at this time and was not recognized by U.S. Government until two years later.

John married Margaret CHRISMAN, oldest daughter of Isaac CHRISMAN, I., and Jean/Jenny SCOTT of Southwest Virginia. Isaac CHRISMAN was killed in Washington County Virginia by hostile Indians in 1776. Jean remarried to Nathaniel HIX. The VAN BEBBER's moved to the area around late 1785 or early 1786. With the party were: George YOAKUM, I., and bride, Martha (Patty/Patsy) VAN BIBBER; Peter VAN BEBBER, Sr., and new bride, Eleanor/Ellen/Nelly VAN BIBBER (first cousin, and daughter of Peter VAN BIBBER, II., and Margery BOUNDS); Robert HOWARD and wife, Nancy VAN BEBBER; John VAN BEBBER, and James VAN BEBBER. Younger brother, Isaac VAN BIBBER, II., stayed behind with mother, Sarah DAVIS/VAN BEBBER and her new husband, William GRIFFEY. He later was informally adopted (meaning he stayed in the family of) Col. Daniel BOONE. He migrated west into Kentucky with BOONE and later to Missouri where he became wealthy owning and operating a health spa with hotels and cabins. He married the grand daughter of BOONE, Elizabeth HAYS, the daughter of William HAYS and Susannah BOONE.

The area of the VAN BEBBER settlement was Washington County, Virginia when they moved there. They established Fort YOAKUM on the Powell River at present day Dryden, Wise County, Virginia. In early 1786 the area of far southwest Virginia was surveyed to become RUSSELL County, Virginia. The county seat was established in Lebanon, VA. John VAN BEBBER was appointed Lieutenant of the county Militia on the first court held for the county in May, 1786. While here in this area he married Margaret CHRISMAN and younger brother, James VAN BEBBER married Hannah HOOVER.

The VAN BEBBER's remained here until 1796, when they moved further down Powell Valley to HAWKINS County, later GRAINGER County (June 1796) and finally CLAIBORNE County (1801). John VAN BEBBER was Justice of the Peace for the new organized county of GRAINGER. He was appointed to Captain of a company in Powell Valley in the State Militia by Governor John Sevier. He rode horse back about 50 miles to court meetings in Rutledge, Tennessee (the county seat.) He was instrumental in helping to organize CLAIBORNE County in 1801 and was appointed by Governor Archibald ROANE to be Justice of the Peace in the County at the organization of the county and sworn in at the first court. He held this position until 1815, when son John, Jr. was killed in War of 1812. He died in late 1818. Older brother died in late 1816 or early 1817. James VAN BEBBER died ca 1834. George YOAKUM died in 1800 in bear hunt. Widow Martha VAN BIBBER/YOAKUM remained at the Station until 1810 when she and several of the children moved to Illinois, eventually settling just Northwest of Springfield, where she died at Salisbury Township. She was mother to at least 12 children. John was father of at least 11 children.

Descendants of these families may be found in many states. Their history is full of very interesting accounts of adventure, strife, hardship, and victory.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Sources of information: Register of North Sassafras St. Stephen's Parish Church; William Penn and the Dutch Quaker Migration to Pennsylvania, by William I. Hull; The West Virginia Historical Magazine Quarterly, Vol. 2, No. 1, January 1902., research of Steve Smith, and Josephine Nell Letts.

Isaac Michael Vanbibber Sr., son of Peter Sr., was born in Cecil County, Maryland. His wife was, traditionally, from North Carolina. Isaac was killed at the famous Battle of Point Pleasant between the English colonists and Indians in Dunmore's War. After his death, his brother Peter adopted and raised one or more of his children.

Isaacs son, Peter Sr., married his first cousin, whom he lived with after his fathers death. Isaacs son, Isaac Jr., was adopted by famous frontiersman Daniel Boone. Isaac Jr. married Boones granddaughter, Elizabeth Hay, who is generally recognized as the first white child born in Kentucky. He became wealthy operating a health spa with hotels and cabins in Montgomery County, Missouri. During the Indian wars, at age 13, Isaac Jr. served as a scout against the Indians in Virginia and was appointed a Major of the militia under Colonel Boone during the Indian wars. During the War of 1812, he was a spy for Major Dodge. Isaac Jr. was an eccentric man. An interesting story about Isaac Jr. was told in the Missouri Historical Review: 'Isaac Van Bibber was very eccentric. He omitted no opportunity to declare and enforce his belief that every six thousand years there was a recurrence of the same events in the worlds history, and of course, in the history of its inhabitants. He was active and persistent in the defense of this peculiar philosophy. One morning three young Kentuckians, having spent the night at the tavern and having heard Van Bibber's philosophy boldly declared, concluded to subject his professed faith to a business test.

Accordingly, they said, Now, Mr. Van Bibber, you believe we will all be here again, just as we are now, six thousand years hence. To test your belief in this doctrine we propose to give you our joint note for the amount of our bills, at ten percent interest, payable six thousand years after date. For a moment Van Bibber was in an embarrassing dilemma, but soon recovering, he replied, You are smart young fellows all the way from old Kaintuck, and I would at once accept your note and let you keep on, but I remember that all three of you were here six thousand years ago and left without paying your bills, and now I am afraid to trust you. So you will have to shell out. And shell out they did.

The husband of Isaacs daughter, Martha, died in a bear hunt. Martha died in Salisbury Township in Sangamon County, Illinois. After Isaac Sr.'s death, his wife and five of children, including Peter, James, and John, moved to Claiborn County, Tennessee between 1785-1796 and helped establish Fort Yoakum on the Powell River in Washington County, Tennessee, in
present-day Dryden, Wise County, Tennessee. His wife remarried to William Griffey.

Isaac's son, John, owned 3250 acres in Claiborne County. His father-in-law was killed by Indians. John was a Lieutenant of the Russell County, Tennessee militia in 1786 and was appointed Captain of a company in Powell Valley in the state militia by the governor. He was instrumental in organizing Claiborne County in 1801 and was its first Justice of the Peace. He was also Justice of the Peace in Granger County.