John Floyd: Kentucky Surveyor, Family Legacy, and Untold Stories
John Floyd (1750-1783) was a prominent surveyor who carved out a reputation for himself in the rugged wilderness of Kentucky during the late 1700s. His life intersected with the Stewart family through the marriages of two of his children, making him a key figure in any genealogical exploration of the Stewart line. Floyd’s remarkable life story, coupled with his complex family dynamics, provides a fascinating glimpse into early American history.
Early Life and First Marriage
In 1768, at the age of 18, John Floyd married his first wife, Matilda Burford, daughter of Daniel Burford and Mary Taylor. Their union was tragically short-lived, as Matilda died in childbirth, leaving behind their only child, a daughter named Mourning (b. 1768). Mourning would later marry into the Stewart family, continuing the intertwined legacies of the Burfords, Floyds, and Stewarts.
However, Matilda wasn’t the only Burford sister to play a significant role in John Floyd’s life. Shortly after her death, Matilda’s younger sister, Virginia Burford, gave birth to a son, John Floyd Burford, in 1771. While no direct evidence exists to confirm that John Floyd was the father, the naming of the child strongly suggests a paternal link. By adulthood, this son chose to change his name to John Burford Floyd, solidifying the likelihood of his connection to John Floyd.
The Burford Family Will and Connections to the Stewarts
The Burford family’s 1787 will offers further insight into these relationships. Daniel Burford, the patriarch, left 250 acres of land to his daughter Virginia Taylor and her “natural son” John Floyd Burford, a term used to describe children born out of wedlock. Additionally, he provided a negro boy named Shepherd to John Floyd Burford and left three enslaved individuals—Phillys, Nancy, and Dick—to his granddaughter Mourning Burford Stewart, now married into the Stewart family.
I lend to my daughter Virginia Taylor and her natural son John Floyd Burford 250 acres of land etc.I give to my grandson, John Floyd Burford, natural son of my daughter Virginia Taylor, my negro boy named Shepherd, etc.I give to my granddaughter Mourning Burford Stewart my three negros Phillys, Nancy, and Dick….Residue of my estate to be equally divided between my grandaughter, Mourning Burford Stewart and my sons John Burford, Daniel Burford, and my daughter Millie Crews.
Mourning’s marriage to John Stewart III, and her half-brother John Burford Floyd’s marriage to Ann Haw Stewart (John Stewart III’s sister), firmly linked the Floyd and Stewart families. In fact, family legend suggests that Ann Haw Stewart’s own grandfather, John Stewart Sr., may have been a natural-born son of the Duke of Berwick, adding another layer of intrigue to the Stewart family history.
John Floyd’s Later Life and Heroic Tales
Following his marriage to Matilda, John Floyd married Jane Buchanan in 1778 and relocated from Amherst County, Virginia, to Kentucky. His children with the Burford sisters, Mourning and John Burford Floyd, remained behind, raised by their Burford grandparents.
Floyd’s adventures during this period further cemented his place in history. In 1776, he joined a rescue mission that saved three teenage girls, including Jemimah Boone, the daughter of the famous frontiersman Daniel Boone, from their Shawnee captors. This daring feat earned Floyd a place in Kentucky’s folklore.
In 1777, Floyd’s life took another dramatic turn when he served aboard a privateer ship named the Phoenix, part of a revolutionary syndicate. During his service, he was captured by the British and imprisoned in England. However, Floyd managed a bold escape, fleeing to Paris, where he received assistance from Benjamin Franklin. While in France, Floyd purchased a distinctive scarlet coat—a symbol of his adventurous spirit.
Tragic Death and Enduring Legacy
In 1783, John Floyd’s life came to a tragic end. While wearing the scarlet coat he had brought back from Paris, he was ambushed and shot by Native Americans. He succumbed to his injuries a few days later. His wife, Jane, preserved the coat, which would later be buried with her when she passed in 1812.
John Floyd’s legacy, both as a frontiersman and as a key figure in the family histories of the Burfords and Stewarts, remains an integral part of American genealogical research. His story highlights the resilience, complexity, and interconnectedness of early American families, and his adventurous spirit continues to inspire those who trace their roots back to this remarkable time.
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