Oliphants in the Southern USA-VA, NC, SC, GA, KY, TN

As the Oliphants spread in Colonial times, there were clusters of them in various parts of the country. Discuss your Oliphants from the southern regions here.

Descendants of Wm. Oliphant of NC: shows libraries holding this book

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by vandra on October 20, 2009 at 1:24pm

Oliphant; James 1774 1849 Rutherford Co., Tn. m. Mary (Polly) Compton, 1 Sep, 1797, son-Presley Ward, son-Silas from Burns, Dickson Co., Tn.
Was David father of James? Where did David come from?

Permalink Reply by Richie C. on October 20, 2009 at 2:41pm

Vandra,
I think the first question is who is the father of Presley Ward Oliphant? I found him on the 1850 Census, and also on the 1850 Slave Schedules...where his name was transcribed as Oliphint. On the 1840 Census, all the Oliphants in Rutherford County, TN were spelled "Oliphint". Though in Greene County, TN, they were still Oliphant.

In 1840 in Rutherford Co., there were:

Andrew J. Oliphint, aged 20-30. In his household were 1 female, aged 10-15, 3 females under 5 and 1 male 5-10 yo.

Isaac Oliphint, aged 20-30. In his household were 1 female 20-30, and one female under 5.

Isaac N. Oliphint, aged 20-30. In his household were 1 female 20-30, and one female under 5.

James Oliphint, Sr. aged 60-70. Males in his household: one 40-50; one 20-30; one 15-20; one 5-10; one under 5. Females in his household: one 50-60; one 30-40; one 15-20; one 10-15.

James Oliphant, Jr. aged 20-30. Females in his household: one `15-20, one under 5.

In nearby Maury County and Warren County, there were:
JD Oliphant
Samual Oliphant

Phil W. Oliphant

Greene County is at the other end of the state.

So with that all said, it makes me wonder if Presley Ward Oliphant isn't the 20-30 year old son of James Oliphint, Sr. in Rutherford. We know Presley was born around 1810, so he'd be about 30 in 1840.

-Rich

Permalink Reply by Richie C. on October 20, 2009 at 4:13pm

Well, I now see that John Scott--who is a member of this group--has worked through all of this with excellent source detail! See his site:

Tennessee Heritage

Permalink Reply by Roddy Oliphant on November 13, 2009 at 7:01pm

Hi Vandra,

So far we do not have a father for James. The DNA of a male descendant from James is identical to the DNA of descendants of Robert Oliphant and Abigail Davenport. Clearly they are closely related. There were a few other people who may have been siblings to either Robert or James and they include:-

Samuel Oliphant born in SC
Philemon W Oliphant born in SC
Another James Oliphant born in SC
Aaron P Oliphant born in SC

There are others besides. At the moment we only have an hunch as to James's origins.

Yours aye,

Roddy.

Permalink Reply by Richie C. on October 15, 2009 at 7:13pm

Sorry Vandra, we're not eighth cousins after all!

Permalink Reply by Richie C. on October 8, 2009 at 10:02am

Oliphant Marriages in TN, Early 1800s

Permalink Reply by Roddy Oliphant on October 16, 2009 at 7:35am

No Richie, I "leave it to" you to create sites like this so that these issues can be discussed.

I am just in a unique position of being at the cutting edge where a lot of the research is being done and so I am able to pull a lot of threads together. We need each other, just as the research which I am able to tell people about is dependent on researchers and also the administrators of the DNA project. I need you all to help me help as many Oliphants as I can.

Thank you for creating this site.

Permalink Reply by Roddy Oliphant on October 17, 2009 at 7:33pm

Jeanie,

I asked someone who does a lot of the research what he knew about your family. Straight away he said that this one of the people who has had their DNA tested is descended from James and Temperence. You are part of the Maryland Oliphants. They actually arrived in Virginia before Duncan appeared in America, so you are part of the oldest Oliphant dynasty in the States.

There are two pulications about this family (whose DNA proves that they are related):-

"Wiliiam Oliphant of NC" by Nancy Stein and
The "Oliphant Rauch Doty" book by Eva Doty.

If you want to know where to get copies of these books then e-mail me. Likewise, I can put you in touch with the researcher who can probably give you chapter and verse on your family, as well as put you in touch with your family.

rodoliphant@yahoo.co.uk

Yours aye,

Roddy.

Permalink Reply by Richie C. on October 17, 2009 at 8:16pm

Roddy,
I really need to learn more about these Maryland Oliphants. I think a couple of times now, my hypotheses have been thwarted and the MD Ollies have been the culprit! I will look to those books for some edification. I know just a little of Wm. of NC, from my early years of researching.

Cheers,
Rich

Permalink Reply by Roddy Oliphant on November 16, 2009 at 6:21pm

Rich,

The MD Oliphants are a larger group than they even know. It is curious how the Duncan Oliphant descendants have researched and researched and yet have no real books (yet) to speak of about themselves and the MD Oliphants have not got such co-ordinated research and yet have two books about them.

We are working on the whole Carolinas descent of Oliphants and the MD Oliphants feature large within that area. Certainly, the John Oliphant Sr. mentioned in the Carolina Cradle is related to Matthew Oliphant, whose descendants' DNA is the same as that of the descendants of William Oliphant of NC. In other words, William and Matthew Oliphant are both MD Oliphants and so therefore is John (Rowan County/Iredell County).

The MD Oliphants also populated Guilford County in NC. However, this is also a "trap" as there are other Oliphants who appear to come from Guilford Co, NC who are not related. We are carefully "combing out the knots and tangles of the diverse genealogical threads".

Much more still to come.

Rod.

Permalink Reply by Jeanie McCully on November 15, 2009 at 3:55pm