Onley Family

EVENTS

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This research began and is authored by Helen Hage of Australia. Helen ‘s documenting of these events was in an attempt to create a framework for examining Onley family relationships and to trace the descendants of Watt.   The surname Onley could also be spelled Only.

Watt, Sr., a slave emancipated by Rev. Edward Folkes, and his wife Betty, a slave who was emancipated by John Clarke.  As a result of Helen’s research, familial DNA testing reflected links to cousins in the United States, namely myself, Jacqueline. I am Helen’s fourth cousin.
Helen is a direct descendant of Charles Joseph Onley, as I am a direct descendant of Dicy. Both branches are descendants of Watt Sr. Charles Onley’s family tree will be presented in-depth later in writing.
In 1797, Betty was born according to the age supplied in her petition to the General Assembly.   If her father was a member of the Clarke family, most likely it would have been John Clarke.  There are some indications her mother might have been Amey. Dicy, Great-Great-Grandmother of Jacqueline is believed to be a descendant of Amey Green, as well.
it is believed that the mother of Dicy Rushing was from Betty’s lineage. The search continues for relevant data to support this information.

Per the Richard M. Bowman Center history, the Barrett’s moved from Charles City, Virginia to South Carolina. The Barrett family was one of the original enslavers of the Redfearn family. Dicy is the mother of Jerry, Albert, Lisby and Ned Redfearn. Please see history on Redfearn surname under the “Austin & Mary Dicy” page.

 HISTORY

The Only/Onleys of Charles City, Virginia were light-skinned mulattoes who lived in a difficult sort of limbo.  Most of them were freeborn.  However, they were subject to arrest and prosecution for remaining in the Commonwealth of Virginia because they were either emancipated or born of a female emancipated after 1806.  Although at least three family members were threatened with legal proceedings, only Betty was sold back into slavery.  They could not obtain Free Negro papers (except to leave the state) and they appear to have avoided census takers, at least a number who should appear in the 1850 Census of Virginia are nowhere to be found.   Documenting family relationships is made somewhat easier by two facts.  The Onley name is uncommon and there were few mulatto Onleys in the mid-19^th century in Virginia or anywhere else. 

The Onley men appear to have been of above average height.   A number were carpenters by trade and several had experience as seamen.   They appear to have been at least somewhat literate and able to write their own names.  Generally speaking, the men appear to have been strong characters.  Their biological children, for the most part, took the Onley surname.    The family survived, and even thrived, in very difficult circumstances.  Some members demonstrated substantial intellect and ambition.  The obituary of John Edward Onley suggests that family members knew about – and took pride in – ancestors who served in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 at least some of whom must have been Caucasian.  The use of given names in the Onley family suggests strong connections to the Folkes and Clarke families, no doubt generated by the emancipation of Watt and Betty/Betsy, but also because they likely shared a common kinship.

Emancipation: Religion stands behind this story of emancipation and failed attempts at emancipation.   John Clarke’s first wife, the widow Sarah Ladd, was a Quaker.  Ann Leonard, wife of both William and John Clarke was one of the early Methodists.  Indeed, a young woman who attended a Camp Meeting in Charles City in 1833 reported that “[T]here were four other ladies in the pulpit with her [–] three widows and an old maid [.]  [O]ur Mrs. Clarke was one of them [.]  She too delivered a long pray[er.]  [D]on’t you think they took a conspicuous station[?]  Rev. Edward Dancy was a founder of Salem Methodist Church.  Virginia Quakers were stalwart opponents of slavery and the Discipline of the early Methodist Church forbade the buying and selling of slaves.  When Gabriel Prosser’s planned slave insurrection was uncovered in Richmond in 1813, one person testified that the plan had been to kill all the whites “except the Quakers and the Methodists.”

In 1863 Charles City County Personal Property Tax list shows Watt Jr. as a titheable and shows Watt Only’s estate as including 2 cattle, 3 pigs, and household and kitchen furniture valued at $50. This indicates Watt Sr. died in Charles City in 1863. Note: this is the first time Watt, Sr. is listed in the Personal Property Tax Roll, even though he was listed as a resident in the 1860 Census with $40 in personal property. Henry no longer appears in the tax list indicating he and his family had moved out of the county.