The Enigmatic Rebecca

Picture - Early Elkton


I don't think I would be far off in saying that we all feel a great closeness to our progenitor, Rebecca Bradford Miller, and yet she is one of the persons we know so little about! To my knowledge, she is named in only one semi-primary source - a transcription of Elkton, Cecil County, Maryland marriage licences.

That she was William Miller's wife is also mentioned in a few DAR sources. And we are indebted to her grandson George Washington Allen for listing the basics, birth, marriage & death info, as well as children's names in The Allen Family Record.

But there is precious little information to "flesh out" her life story...except for one nugget contained in an intriguing old email from a Mike Miller (is anyone still in touch with Mike?):

"You will notice the difference in ages of William Miller and his wife [Rebecca Bradford]. I have heard Mother say it was told her, he used to visit the Bradford family when Rebecca was a baby in the cradle and would say he was going to have her for his wife when she grew up, as so he did. -written by Sallie Allen, l904." [if anyone has further details about this story, we would love to hear from you].


From these bits and snatches, I will try to piece together Rebecca's life story in the next few posts. If you have more information about Rebecca, please leave it in the Comments section below or email it to me, and I will include it in these write-up's. I feel a great love for this good lady, and I hope we learn even more about her in the future.

Dragon Swamp - Part 3

Pictured at left: Dragon Run Creek (courtesy of wildcanoersteve at flickr.com)

Eureka! In our last post I suggested that you look up the Dragon Creek area near Delaware City, DE, on Mapquest, with the notation that I felt very strongly that our great, great...grandfather, Samuel Bradford's property named Dragon Swamp could be pin-pointed at the north side of the creek and swamp. This, however, was only a hunch. I had no proof.

So I looked up land records of previous owners of this parcel in hopes of getting a more complete description of precisely where this land was, and sure indeed Dragon Swamp was the property bordered on the south by the actual swamp, which means that the farmland still exists intact! (see Mapquest).

Here is the reference: "Deed. On 11 May 1719 Cornelius Walrason [changed to Walraven in later years] of Dragon Swamp, yeoman & Barbara his wife to Elias Everson of the same place, merchant. Cornelius Walrason and Barbara his wife for L75 granted to Elias Everson a tract of land on the north side of Dragon Swamp bounded by Dragon Swamp, a marsh...containing 215 acres part of a greater tract of 600 acres...by deed dated 20 Oct 1686..." ("New Castle County, Delaware Land Records, 1715 - 1728" by Carol Bryant; bold added).

If you go to MapQuest, you will see the fields on the north side of the swamp are still being farmed to this day! Though over two and a half centuries have elapsed, it no doubt looks much as it did then. I believe the fact that those farmlands aren't covered by malls, subdivisions or landfills is truly a miracle!

Also, the picture above verifies that the creek was just large enough for a small boat to make its way the half mile or so to the Delaware River, a feature small plantation owners such as Samuel would have very much desired for their cash crops.

The question remains, did he actually live on the land, or did he have a homestead elsewhere in Red Lion Hundred? I believe there is strong evidence to suggest that he live at Dragon Swamp. If you read #1 below, it establishes that there was a homestead on this property, as poor old Mrs. Walraven, a previous owner [no known relation to our Bradford's] lived out her life there. Thus, when Samuel and his wife Margret acquired these 113 acres in 1740, there would have been an existing home on the site.

Our other clue is contained in Samuel's will. While it does not specify the name or size of his property, later land records show that his son, William, executor of his estate, handled transactions for a 113-acres parcel that had belonged to his father! We know this was the size of Dragon Swamp (see previous posts), and there is no other record of any parcels for which son William was executor. Thus, it appears that Samuel did not just own this for agricultural purposes, but that he and his family did actually lived there.



I believe that the homestead known as Dragon Swamp was indeed where our dear Samuel, his wife Margret, and their children (including Rebecca's mother, Sarah) lived. Perhaps one of us will be blessed enough to travel there someday and walk the very soil they trod.

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For you history buffs, here are more records about previous owners of Dragon Swamp which hint at a dark and mysterious past:

#1: "Hendrick Walraven, although not named in either will, appears to be the eldest son of Walraven Jansen, perhaps by a prior marriage. By 1677 he was taxed at Appoquinimink Creek, where 225 acres were surveyed for him in 1678. Later, in 1689, he acquired 600 acres at Dragon Swamp. He died there c. 1715. Cornelius Walraven married Walborg Evertson (Swedish) by 1713. Initially he lived in Penns Neck, but took over his father's farm at Dragon Swamp by 1715. The last reference to him alive was on 1 May 1733 when, after being convicted by the Lancaster County court for counterfeiting seven silver dollars, he was sentenced to receive 21 lashes, stand in the pillary for one hour and have both of his ears cut off. He was survived by his wife, who remained at Dragon Swamp, and four children: John, Susannah, Elias and Elizabeth." (http://www.colonialswedes.org/Forefathers/Walraven.html)

#2: "A 1000-acre tract called the " Exchange," situated on the Delaware, south of the Red Lion creek, and extending to Dragon Swamp,was surveyed to John Moll in 1675. This tract, and another known as " Lowland," also south of Red Lion, came into the possession of Hans Hanson in 1685 ; and two other escheated tracts of 700 acres in all, were patented to his son Joseph Hanson in 1701. He devised it to his two sons Peter and Joseph, who thus became the owners of nearly the whole northeast part of the Hundred. These lands came afterwards through many hands to be principally owned by the Clarks and the Reybolds. State banks, piles, wharfs and sluices protect these lands also. In 1730 George Hadley, from New York, reputed immensely wealthy, leased 200 acres of this land, and suddenly died at Dover. Rumor had it that he secreted great treasure on the land, and it is said that the entire 200 acres were turned over in the eager search by dreamers digging for the fancied wealth, which was never found to anybody's knowledge, at any rate. About 500 acres of the Hanson land came by marriage into the Clark family, and some of it is still retained by them." (History of the State of Delaware by Henry Clay Cloud, Vol. 2, p. 532).

Dragon Swamp - Part 2

Picture: Dragon Run Creek, Delaware City, Delaware

To review the previous post, in late November of 1740, Rebecca's grandfather, Samuel Bradford (being approximately 30 years old at the time), purchased a large parcel of land called Dragon Swamp in Red Lion Hundred, Newcastle County, Delaware. But he apparently was already a landowner, as on close reading of the land document (see previous post dated February 1, 2010), it says the purchaser was "Samuel Bradford Red Lyon farmer." So it looks like Samuel was increasing his holdings. Was Dragon Swamp adjoining his original property? It could have been, but not necessarily. In was not uncommon in that era for "farmers" (as plantation owners were called) to buy additional plots of land in the area to increase their cash crop production.*

More interesting is the question--exactly where was this property with the intriguing name of Dragon Swamp and what did it look like? An intensive online search turned up an interesting clue: The only place in Red Lion Hundred with any record of an area containing the word Dragon in its name is Dragon Run Creek and marsh due west of Delaware City. Adjoining this area, is the city's Dragon Run Park.

[NOTE: If you type Delaware City, DE into Mapquest, then turn on the "aerial image' and close in on this area, you will see all this. It names the creeks, whereas Google Earth does not. It's the dark green swampy area on the western border of the city formed by a long creek that flows into it from the west, and which then leaves the swamp and flows northeast into the Delaware River. This is Dragon Creek, or Dragon Run Creek, or just "The Dragon" as a charming lady that I talked to by phone in Delaware City told me].

Remember the clues in the previous post: Scharf's History of Delaware says that Dragon Swamp was "near Red Lion Creek," and the Delaware Federal Writer's Project paper says that Dragon Run Creek flows east through Dragon Swamp, then flows into the Delaware River. An examination of this area on Google Earth confirms both of these points, though the rivers and creeks are not labeled. I had to look up lots of maps to confirm that Dragon Run Creek is the one that flows by Delaware City (see picture above), and Red Lion Creek is very nearby, just north of the oil refinery.

I submit that this is the precise spot where Samuel bought his 113-acre Dragon Swamp!

There wasn't a Delaware City, or an oil refinery, or even the canal back then; just meadows of rich soil, quiet waterways, birds of infinite variety in the marshlands, and occasionally a snapping turtle sunning on a log.

Next time: What else do we know about Samuel's life? Though our information is scanty, we will look at a couple more records and see if we can reconstruct more of his life.

[*Was Samuel a grower of tobacco? We may never know, but it is certainly a possibility, as this article shows: "In the latter part of the seventeenth century, Delaware colonists began to grow tobacco in great abundance. Since gold and silver were so scarce in America during the early colonial era, tobacco became a source of currency. Like other English colonies in the area, Delaware was bound to England's mercantile system. This economic arrangement allowed for England to receive raw goods from the American colonies, turn them into finished goods, and then sell the final product on the global market. However, the colonies were not allowed to enter into any production or trade agreements with other foreign countries.With England's insatiable appetite for colonial tobacco and the colonies' need for more supplies, Americans began to use this crop as a type of currency to buy goods from England as well as to buy items in the colonies. Tobacco was seen as the safest, most stable currency in the colonies of the Mid-Atlantic region. Not only was tobacco used to purchase goods, it was also used to pay court fines and taxes...In many instances, those individuals who were not farmers by trade - clergy, innkeepers, artisans, etc., would tend a small patch of tobacco in their spare time in order to pay for goods at the store or to pay taxes.Although tobacco was essential to the Delaware economy for many years, it started to be replaced by other crops by the mid-eighteenth century. Tobacco was extremely harsh on the land and exhausted the soil of its nutrients after only three years of harvesting. The land would need a fallow period of nearly twenty years to allow the soil to re-energize itself. Other crops such as wheat and corn did not have the same devastating effect on the soil. In addition, the quality of Delaware tobacco did not match that of other English colonies in the region, such as Maryland and Virginia. Therefore, it was less in demand by England and the rest of the global market. By the time of the America Revolution in 1775, most Delaware farmers had abandoned tobacco production and returned to growing grain and other crops." (http://archives.delaware.gov)]

Dragon Swamp - Part 1

Marshlands of Delaware

Information on "Red Lion Sam," Rebecca Bradford Miller's grandfather on her mother's side, is sketchy, but we know he lived in Red Lion Hundred, New Castle County, Delaware (spelled Red Lyon in earlier times). Probably the oldest record we have of him is a land document dated November 29, 1740. (Can you imagine...Delaware was still a colony of Britain!).

It says: "William Carpenter and Neomy his wife to Samuel Bradford Red Lyon farmer—Whereas Henry Walraven late decd yeoman, to Jacob Calvert late decd laborer part of tract 600a [acres] in Red Lion Hd, Dragon Swamp. Jacob Calvert died intestate leaving issue only a certain Jacob Calvert of Appoquimink Hd. – Whereas Nicholas Meers Administrator, Town of New Castle mariner by order Orphans Court sold to Richard Drake 100a and Jacob Calvert by deed by 5-1740 to William Carpenter 113 acres—Now William Carpenter and Neomy his wife for sum L75 to Samuel Bradford."

Dragon Swamp--now that's a great name and I would love to know its origins! Scharf's History of Delaware makes brief mention of this area, explaining that it is located near Red Lion Creek and the Delaware River. This would apparently be the origin of the "Swamp" part of the name, as the area assuredly must have had soggy spots. But what about "Dragon"? Probably named in the 1600's by earlier settlers, what was it about this area that conjured up in these 17th century minds thoughts of dragons?

A clue to the name might be found in a Delaware Federal Writers' Project paper: "The Road Crosses Dragon Run, flowing east through the large Dragon Swamp to the Delaware River. This almost bottomless swamp harbors snapping turtles of great size; but the name probably was given it by reason of the proximity of it to the village of St. Georges, thus carrying out some wit's fancy to perpetuate the legend of St. George and the Dragon." [I personally adhere to the turtle theory!].

Oh, to be able to transport ourselves back in time and walk the land with the old gentleman! What did it look like? What did he grow? Was this a working plantation? At 113 acres, we can assume that Dragon Swamp wasn't just marshlands, but was indeed a working farm rich with fertile river-bottom soil and lush growth. Corn and tobacco were the important crops in that era. Many small streams, that have since filled with silt, did in early times flow easily into the Delaware River and were navigable with small boats, making the marketing of crops easier. At 113 acres, Dragon Swamp would have definitely been in the category of a small plantation (by Southern standards). Can we surmise, though, that for Red Lion Hundred this was a good sized farm? As ever, more research is needed. This might not have been his only holding, either. It was very common for planters of that era to have multiple land holdings not necessarily adjoining.

In the next post, we will learn more about Dragon Swamp and our ancestor, Samuel Bradford, who spent much of his life there.