The first Justice families into eastern Kentucky were all related and were descendants of John Justice and Mary Moore, who were married 1 August 1728 in Scituate , Plymouth County, Mass. Church records in Scituate state that Mary More/Moor/Moore was from Ireland and that John Justice was from Hanover, Plymouth County, Mass. John and Mary Justice made their home in the town of Halifax, Plymouth County, Mass. Halifax is near Hanover. Church records in Halifax, Mass. and recorded into the book, "Vital Records of the Town of Halifax", published by the Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants Boston, Massachusetts in 1905 list the following ;" The Children of John Justice and Mary his wife, Mary Justice was born July the 27th 1729, John Justice was born June the 21 1731, Simeon Justice was born January the 15th 1735, Thomas Justice was born May the 3rd 1737, Elce Justice was born May the 31st 1739, Elizabeth Justice was born April the 8th 1741." Research has shown that John and Mary Justice lived in the town of Halifax, Mass. until 1743. I found a church record stating that William Justice ,next to youngest son of John and Mary More Justice, was baptized on 3 March 1743. Judging from the birth dates and baptismal dates of the other children, William was probably born around January that year. William died on Grapevine Creek in present day Pike County in 1813. He became the ancestor of most Pike County Justices.  Records concerning the Massachusetts Land Bank of 1740, and on file with the Mass. Archives Center make six different references to John and Mary Justice of Halifax, Mass. John and Mary were still in Halifax, Mass at least until 1742. This fact is shown by church records concerning Mary and John that I have seen. I have not reviewed the records about the Land Bank, personally.  Examination of land records in Virginia show that John Justice settled in what was in 1743, Brunswick County, Virginia in an area known as Mirey Creek. There is good reason to believe that they came there to join his wife, Mary's, family, who had earlier arrived there from Ireland. The initial 2400 acres claimed by John Justice was bordered on three sides by John Moore, William Moore, and Patrick Moore. When John Justice married Mary More in Scituate, MA, the record spelled her name More, but most likely should have been Moore. The Mirey Creek portion of Brunswick County became Lunenburg County in 1746 and in 1752 became part of Halifax County. John Justice and younger family members moved from their home on Mirey Creek in Halifax County to an area called Harpin Creek where John Justice died in July 1766. Harpin Creek became part of Pittsylvania County when it was formed the next year in 1767. Because the Justice records are contained in four different counties of Virginia, made it hard to track down everything.  Most of the records for our Justice ancestors are to be found in Halifax and Pittsylvania Counties. John Justice settled acreage on all his children while he was alive except for Ezra Justice, the youngest boy who inherited the home place with a grist mill and 300 acres by John's will. John transferred blocks of land to John JR. and Simeon in the following deeds. I will guess that John Justice settled land on his two daughters as well, because their husbands are on record as owning parcels adjoining Justice land.  Following is one such block:

"HALIFAX COUNTY PROCESSIONERS RETURNS 1737-1770. 26 JULY 1756, JOHN JUSTICE SENR. 400 ACRES ON THE BRANCHES OF THE MIREY CREEK ADJOINING THE 400 ACRES TRACT THAT HE NOW LIVES ON EXTENDING SOUTHERLY AND JOINS GEORGE GREEN. ALSO 400 ON THE BRANCHES OF JOHN MOORE'S CREEK BEGINNING AT A PINE MARKED I THENCE SOUTHERLY."

The George Green mentioned above is John and Mary's son-in-law, married to their daughter Mary Justice. Official records reveal that John Justices land , 1200 acres in total, was joined by three different Moore families. I am speculating that these Moore families were related to Mary More/Moore. In Mass., John and Mary belonged to the Episcopal or Anglican church and in Halifax County, Virginia they became members of the Episcopal Church Antrim Parish. In 1766, they became part of Camden Parish, when Pittsylvania was formed from Halifax, County. But, alas, John Justice senr. died just before Pittsylvania became a county. Their homeplace, containing a grist mill was at the mouth of Harpin Creek on the Pigg River. John Senior settled large tracts of land on his three oldest boys, an example of witch is the following. "HALIFAX COUNTY DEED BOOK I pp 374-376 16 MARCH 1758 JOHN JUSTICE SENIOR, ANTRIM PARISH, HALIFAX COUNTY TO JOHN JUSTICE JUNIOR, ANTRIM PARISH, HALIFAX COUNTY FOR 5 L -200 ACRES BOTH SIDES ECHOL'S FORK PARALLEL TO ROBERT MOORE'S LINE TO SD. ECHOL'S FORK THENCE ALONG A BOUNDS EXPREST IN SC. JOHN JUSTICE'S PATENT NORTH 35 DEGREES WEST SO FAR AS TO INCLUDE SD. 200 ACRES OF LAND." There are several deeds on file in Halifax County. One more is; "HALIFAX COUNTY DEED BOOK 1 pp 376-378 15 MARCH 1758 JOHN JUSTICE SENIOR, TO SIMEON JUSTICE, BOTH OF ANTRIM PARISH FOR 5 L -200 ACRES ON BOTH SIDES OF ECHOL'S FORK BEGINNING AT HIS BROTHER JOHN JUSTICE'S CORNER STANDING IN THE OLD LINE ON NORTH SIDE ECHOL'S FORK SD. BROTHER JOHN'S LINE TO OLD LINE ON SOUTH SIDE." There are several more records concerning land transfers and court actions available on the family there in Halifax County until Pittsylvania County is formed in 1767. But, as we all must, John Justice Senior died in July 1766. His approximate age was 71. His wife brought his will to be probated on 17 July 1766.

"HALIFAX COUNTY WILL BOOK 0 pp 206 17 JULY 1766 HALIFAX COUNTY IN THE PROVINCE OF VIRGINIA MARCH THE 11TH 1765 IN THE NAME OF GOD THE LAST WILL OF JOHN JUSTICE SENR. BEING IN HEALTH AND OF SOUND MEMORY THANKS BE TO GOD ALMIGHTY AND CALLING TO REMEMBERENCE THE ONSARTIN ASTATE OF THIS TRANSATORY LIFE AND THAT ALL FLESH MUST YIELD TO DAYTH I DO DECLARE THIS TO BE MY LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT IN FORM AND MANNER REVOKING AND ANNULLING BY THESE PRESENTS ALL AND EVERY TESTEMENT AND TESTEMENTS AND WILL & WILLS HERETOFORE BY ME MADE & DECLARED EITHER BY WORD OR IN WRITING AND THIS IS TO BE TAKEN BY THESE PRESENTS THAT I JOHN JUSTICE SENIOR GIVE AND BEQUAVATH UNTO MY BELOVED WIFE MARY ALL MY GOODS AND CHATTELS AND ALL MOVABLES THAT I AM IN POSSESSION OF ON HARPIN CREEK AS LONG AS SHE REMAINS MY WIDOW LIKEWISE UNTO MY SON EZRA JUSTICE THREE HUNDRED ACRES OF LAND AND A MILL ON IT WHICH IS THE HOME PLAS. LIKEWISE TO MY SON WILLIAM JUSTICE ONE HUNDRED ACRES OF LAND LYING ON PIGG RIVER LIKEWISE UNTO MY SON JOHN JUSTICE FIVE SHILLINGS UNTO MY SON SIMEON JUSTICE FIVE SHILLINGS AND UNTO MY SON THOMAS JUSTICE FIVE SHILLINGS AND UNTO MY DAUGHTER MARY WIFE OF GEORGE GREEN FIVE SHILLINGS LIKEWISE TO MY DAUGHTER ALICE WIFE TO THOMAS WATSON FIVE SHILLINGS. SIGNED JOHN JUSTICE. SIGNED SEALED AND DELIVERED IN THE PRESENCE OF WILLIAM WILCHEN, WILLIAM (HIS X ) ADKINSON, JOHN WILCHEN"

As one can plainly see from reading this will and the Halifax, Mass. records, this family in one and the same. For a long time, I accepted the previous research of other Justice genealogist that this John Justice was a grandson of William Justice 1625-1664 and Mary Frame of Charles City, Virginia. And indeed, they had two grandsons named John Justice. But neither was this particular John Justice, ancestor of all our east KY Justices. No one has ever offered any kind of proof to tie Halifax John to the Charles City Justices. When I first ran across the Halifax, Mass. references in the book published in 1905 by the Mayflower society, I wrongly assumed that the author somehow confused some data from Halifax County, VA with data from the town of Halifax, Mass. It was not until having the Mass. marriage record brought to my attention by Terry Anderson of Maysville, KY, an excellent genealogist, that I looked for and found various references to John and Mary Justice of Halifax, Mass. , that I realized they had to be the same. An additional bit of reasoning is the fact that the surname Justice disappears in Mass from 1745 to about 1850. If John Justice's family had remained in Mass. there would have been more Justices in Plymouth County Mass. than there is today in Pike County, KY.

After the death of their father, his sons began to drift away, with only William remaining to be the last one to sell out and as you will see, come to Floyd County to settle at the mouth of Grapevine Creek, on the Levisa , just south of Pikeville. John Justice was the first to leave the homestead. John Justice Junior was married to Mary Sloan. I have a copy of a Halifax County will where John Sloan states in his will that his daughter Mary Sloan is married to John Justice. I only know of three of their children for sure. Two sons were the famous John and Simeon Justice of Revolutionary War fame, where Simeon was a drummer boy and John was a piper at Fort Rutledge, SC. In 1775 John and Mary Sloan Justice and their family left Pittsylvania County to live in Rutherford County, NC. However in 1777, John and his sons John (17 years old) and Simeon (12 years old) joined the Army for a period of three years. His wife Mary and daughter Nancy remained with them at the fort. In 1780 Fort Rutledge was captured by the British commanded by Captain Joseph Smith. Our Justice kin were on detached duty at Augusta, Georgia when this happened and were taken prisoner when they returned. Capt. Smith gave them parole on condition that Captain Tutt, their commanding officer, give them a discharge from the army. As a matter of interest, Fort Rutledge stood on today's Clemson University. It is in this setting where our John and Simeon and sister Nancy found their mates. John Justice wed Amy Neal, Simeon Justice married Susannah Wade and Nancy married Edward Wade. Their Parents John and Mary Sloan Justice settled nearby at today's Traveler's Rest, SC. It is thought that John died about 1807 there and his wife Mary Sloan Justice can be found until after the 1720 SC census living with her daughter Nancy Wade in Pendleton District (Greenville County) of SC. John and Amy Neal Justice moved to Green County , Georgia with some of their in-laws , Neals and Wades. They can be found there on a Green county tax payers list and on the 1790 Georgia census. And on the Floyd County, KY census three of their children claim to have been born in GA. Sometime around 1794, John and Amy , along with Simeon and Susannah, moved to Green County, Tenn. For whatever reason, they only remained there for about five years before selling out to move to Buncombe County, NC , where their uncle Thomas Justice had settled .Both Simeon and John can be found on the 1800 census for Buncombe County. Again for some reason, I suspect free land to Revolutionary Veterans, they sold out again and moved to Beaver Creek in Floyd County, KY in 1807. And that is how the first of three pair of brothers came to Floyd County.

Next, we shall take up John and Mary Moore's second oldest son Simeon. From available Pittsylvania Court documents, we know that he was married to Elizabeth Turley. Of his children we only know of three brothers, John, Simeon and Thomas for sure and I suspect they had a daughter named Margaret, who married Adam Gearhart. Simeon Justice Senior died in Pittsylvania County in 1783 leaving a wife and several small children. From Court documents we know that sons John and Simeon were given to Elizabeth's brother Thomas Turley to raise. >From NC records we see that Thomas was given to his uncle Thomas to raise. The following is from Pittsylvania records:

"PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY ORDER BOOK 9 p. 230 17 FEBRUARY 1800. JOHN AND SIMEON JUSTICE ORPHANS OF SIMEON JUSTICE DECEASED CAME INTO COURT AND MADE CHOICE OF WILLIAM JUSTICE AS THEIR GUARDIAN WHO IS ACCORDINGLY APPOINTED IN ROOM OF THOMAS TURLEY THEIR FORMER GUARDIAN, THEREFORE THE SAID WILLIAM WITH JOHN _________?(unreadable) HIS SECURITY ENTERED INTO AND ACKNOWLEDGED THEIR BOND IN THE PENALTY OF ONE THOUSAND POUNDS FOR THAT PURPOSE AS THE LAW DIRECTS.

Since this took place in 1800 and the boys father Simeon had been dead since 1873, they must have been young adults when this action took place. Most likely this action was prompted by John pleading guilty to misappropriating two pigs, said to belong to Samuel Calland, with whom most of the Justice clan seems to have had an on going feud. There are various accounts of Samuel Calland bringing charges against the Justices , charges ranging from trespass to stealing a deer hide and even uttering an oath. Young John was allowed to pay an unspecified fine and dismissed. It is interesting to note that the judge hearing the case was one William Wilchen who was a witness to his grandfather's will. This adoption at this late stage was most likely part of a plan to effect closer supervision of the lads. Anyway, they were both soon married and in the company of their in-laws , on their way to Beaver Creek in Floyd County, KY. Simeon married Keziah Saulsbury and their oldest child was born in Virginia in 1802. They settled with the Saulsburys and Collins families near the Forks of Beaver Creek. John married a Nancy (Moore? Short?) and did not stay too many years on Beaver Creek before pushing on to Blaine Creek in present day Lawrence County. His first land was acquired there in 1814, while this area was still part of Floyd County. Simeon and Keziah remained on Beaver Creek until about 1836, when they moved to a very remote section of then Tazwell County , now Buchanan County, taking with them all their married sons and daughters. Simeon and Keziah Saulsbury are the ancestors of the majority of Buchanan County, VA Justice/Justus families. There was at one time several Justice families on Blaine Creek that were descendants of John and Nancy. But, most chose to move west in the 1840's and 50's. Some moved to Missouri and Kansas. It is unknown just exactly when their brother Thomas Justice came to Beaver Creek from North Carolina where he had been raised by his uncle Thomas. But, he married Elizabeth Blackburn 2 October 1812 on Beaver Creek and lived there until about 1836 when he joined his sons in Logan County, VA. His sons James and Simeon were running a large logging operation on the Tug River. The early Justices in Logan and Mingo , and for whom Justice, WVA is named , were members of this family.

The next Justices to Floyd County settled just south of Pikeville and became part of Pike County when Pike was formed in 1821. These were the mostly married sons and daughters of William and Margaret (?) Justice (my ggggg grandparents). Most Pike county researchers say that Margaret was a Johnson, but, I am not sure of that. Our William and Margaret started having children in the 1770's From all I can piece together William was born in Mass in 1743 and came to Floyd County, KY in 1805. William and Margaret brought nine children (all married except Peyton, the youngest son) with them to the mouth of Grapevine Creek on the  banks of the Levisa just south of Pikeville. These children were John Justice who Married Elizabeth Young 15 February 1798 in Pittsylvania County. After the death of his father William in 1813 , John and William JR. moved to Mud Creek near Betsy Layne and are on the 1830 Floyd County census. John and Elizabeth moved from Mud Creek to Pound, Virginia in 1836. Their children were John Jarrett Justice, Hiram Justice, Edmund Justice, Stella Justice, Anna Justice, Elizabeth Culpepper Justice, and Piety Justice. The 2nd child of William and Margaret was my gggg grandfather William Justice. Recent research has proved that his wife was Sarah Blackburn. William and Sarah moved after the death of his father, William, in 1813, along with brother John to Mud Creek, just inside what would become the Floyd County line.  William and Sarah lived on Mud Creek in Floyd County until 1836, when they too moved away to settle at the mouth of Big Lick Branch on Rock Castle Creek in Lawrence County, KY. As what seems to be a custom of the Justice families, all of William and Sarah's children moved with them. Their children were, William Justice ,James Justice, George Justice, Mary Justice, John Justice, Caleb Justice, Peyton Justice ,  and David Justice. All were married at the time of their move except  Peyton, and David. Their marriage records can be found in Lawrence County.

I will list Sarah Justice as third child of William and Margaret, She was married to Gabriel Parsons 2 November 1796 in Pittsylvania County and accompanied the rest to Floyd County. They settled down near Pikeville and had the following children; Simeon Parsons, Melenda Parsons, George Parsons, Gabriel Parsons, and Richard Parsons.

Next of William and Margaret's Children was George Justice who married Nancy Smith in Pittsylvania County 5 September 1803. This family too remained in Pike County all their lives and a lot of Justices in Pike County are descended from this couple. Their children includes, George Justice JR., Mary Justice, Peyton Justice, William Justice, Abner Justice, Nancy Justice and Lewis Justice and I think Alexander Justice. There were two more boys that I have not identified, because on the 1810 Floyd County census, George and Nancy had four boys under ten years of age. Of these listed children, only George Jr. was born prior to 1810. I have identified a few candidates for these missing children but nothing for sure.

Next in line was Simeon Justice who married Mary "Polly" Abshire in Franklin County, VA. Franklin County borders Pittsylvania and was formed from part of Pittsylvania. This couple remained in Pike County all their life and were the most prolific of William and Margaret's children . They had sixteen children that we know of. William named Simeon as executor and administrator of his estate along with wife Margaret. William's sons Simeon and John make up the three sets of brothers named Simeon and John that have caused much confusion to Justice researchers. This Simeon stayed in Pike County and was a Justice of the Peace and Magistrate with license to perform marriages. The Revolutionary War Drummer Boy who lived on Beaver Creek and was married to Susannah Wade also performed marriages in his role of Ordained Minister in the Baptist Church. That is why you see so many early Floyd County marriages performed by Simeon Justice . There were two marrying Simeons. The Children of Simeon and Polly Justice are said to be; Abshire Justice, Artilda Justice, Betty Justice, Booker Justice, Clayborne Justice, Florinna Justice, Harvey Justice, Hiram Justice, Simeon Justice, Joab Justice, Malinda Justice, Miriam Justice, Mahala Justice, Rhoda Justice, William Allen Justice and Mary Justice. The majority of these children raised families of their own and many Pike County Justices belong to this line.

I will list Ezra Justice next of William and Margaret's children. Ezra married Rhoda Blankenship or Blackburn, depending where you read it. This family lived at the mouth of Morgan's Creek and only had four known children which was a small family compared to the rest. Their known children were Mary Justice, Pricy Justice, Andrew Justice and Emilia "Milly" Justice. Ezra's son Andrew married Rachel Phillips and had fourteen children to add to the many Justice kin in Pike County.

Next of 'Old" William's children was Elizabeth Justice. She married David Polley on 21 March 1785 in Pittsylvania County and most of the east KY Polleys are descendants. I don't have a good list of their children but among them were David Polley Jr. and Nancy Polley. Maybe some kind reader will furnish me with a list of children.

Next came Mary Justice who Married James Sloan 17 October 1784 in Pittsylvania County and a lot of Sloans in Pike County are descended from this pair. I don't have a good list of their children either but among them were Archibald Sloan and William Sloan.

Last Came the baby of the family named Peyton Justice. Peyton seems to have first married Polly May and a few years later Polly Sloan. As far as I know, the following children were with Polly Sloan. Children were; Mary Elizabeth Justice, America Justice, Polly Justice, Pricy Justice , Green Justice, William Justice, James Epperson Justice, Hutson Justice and Sarah Justice. Peyton lived at the mouth of Peyton's Creek and met his death there at age 74 in 1864 when he was killed by marauding Union Scouts. After the war ended, his widow obtained an indictment of murder for eleven Union troops but no one was ever brought to trial. I will include here the will of William Justice 1742-1813. This will is on file at Prestonsburg and was first discovered by Terry Anderson of Maysville. Terry is three times a Justice and a very dedicated genealogist. I owe him a great deal in unraveling the different Justice relationships in Floyd and Pike County.

"IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN I WILLIAM JUSTUS OF FLOYD COUNTY AND STATE OF KENTUCKY BEING A MAN OF A CONSIDERABLE AGE AND CALLING TO MIND THE MORTALLITY OF MY BODY KNOWING THAT IT IS APPOINTED FOR ALL MEN TO DIE AND BEING IN PERFECT HEALTH AND MEMORY AT THIS TIME THANKS BE TO ALMIGHTY GOD FOR HIS MERCY I DO MAKE AND ORDAIN THIS MY LAST WILL AND TESTEMENT THAT IS TO SAY PRINSAPALLY AND FIRST OF ALL I RECOMMEND MY SOUL INTO THE HANDS OF GOD THAT GAVE IT TO ME AND MY BODY TO THE EARTH FROM WHENCE IT CAME TO BE BURIED IN A DECENT CHRISTIAN BURIAL AT THE DESCRETION OF MY EXCEUITORS NOTHING DOUBTING BUT AT THE GENERAL RESURRECTION. (next two lines unreadable) I GIVE AND BEQUEATH IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER: ITEM 1: FIRST OF ALL MY JUST DEBTS BE PAID OUT OF MY ESTATE. ITEM 2: I LEAVE MY SON WILLIAM JUSTUS HALF THE BOTTOM THAT HE LIVES IN NOW. ALSO I LEAVE MY SON EZRA JUSTUS THE OTHER HALF OF THE SAME BOTTOM. ALSO I LEAVE MY SON PATON JUSTUS THE LOER HALF THAT I NOWN LIVE ON. WILLIAM AND EZRA IS TO PAY THIRTY THREE POUNDS EIGHT SHILLINGS. PAYTON TO PAY SIXTY SIX ?? POUNDS THIRTEEN SHILLINGS AND PERMITS? JOHN JUSTUS, GEORGE JUSTUS, AND SIMEON JUSTUS TO BE EQUIL HEIRS OF THE LAND. ITEM 3: I LEAVE TO MY DAUGHTERS NO PART OF THE LAND. ITEM 4: I LEAVE TO MY BELOVED WIFE MARGARET JUSTUS TWO NEGROS NAMED SAM AND CHARRITY AND ONE HORS (HORSE) AND ALL THE CATTLE AND HADGS (HOGS) AND SHEAP AND THE HOWS (HOUSE) AND HOUSELFUNITURE AND AS MUCH OF THE CLEAR LAND THAT SHE WONTS IN DURING HER WIDOWHOOD. ITEM 5: I LEAVE TO MY DAUGHTER ELIZABETH ONE NEGRO GAL NAMED VILET. ITEM 6: I LEAVE TO MY DAUGHTER MARY ONE NEGRO GIRL NAMED CLAY. ITEM 7: I LEAVE TO MY DAUGHTER SARY ONE NEGRO GIRL NAMED YALLOR JIN HER LIFE TIME THEN TO HER CHILDREN. ITEM 8: I LEAVE TO MY SON WILLIAM ONE NEGRO BOY IN NAME PETER. ITEM 9: I LEAVE TO MY SON JOHN ONE NEGRO BOY NAMED HARRY. ITEM 10: I LEAVE TO MY SON EZRA ONE NEGRO GIRL NAMED BLACK SILLER? ITEM 11: I LEAVE TO MY SON GEORGE ONE NEGRO GIRL NAMED JIN BLACK. ITEM 12: I LEAVE TO MY SON SIMEON ONE NEGRO GARL NAMED CHARITY. ITEM 13: I LEAVE TO MY SON PATON ONE NEGRO BOY NAMED SAM. ALSO THOSE NINE NEGROS THAT I HAVE LEFT TO MY NINE CHILDREN IS TO BE VALLIED (VALUED) BY THSE GOOD MEN CHOSEN BY THE ESCEKITORS AND PAMENT TO BE MAID FROM THAT GITS THE HIEST INCRISE? TO THOSE THAT GETS THE LOIST INCRISE? EQUALLY. THOSE TWO NEGROS BEFORE MENTIED CHARRITY AND SAM IS TO BE LEFT TO MARGET JUSTUS HIR LIFETIME AND THARE INCRESETO FROM MY DECESE BOTH EM THAT THAAS LEFT TO. ALSO JOHN, EZRA, GEORGE, AND PATON IS TO HAVE A COW APEASE OUT OF THE CATTEL STOCK. AND ALL THE BALLANCE AND IN CREAS (INCREASE) OF MY ESTATE IS TO BE DIVIDED EQUALLY TO ALL MY CHILDREN WHILE MY DISCEASE. FERTHER MORE I DO CONSTITUTE AND ORDAIN MY WELL BELOVED WIFE MARGET JUSTUS AND SIMEON JUSTUS MY BELOVED SON TO BE MY TRUSTY EXECUITORS AND ADMINISTRATORS TO ACT AS I COULD DO AND TO HAVE THE POWER IN THE SAME CASE AS I COLD HAVE MYSELF AND I DO HEREBY UTTERLY DISALLOW REVOKE AND DISANNUL ALL AND EVRY OTHER FORMER TESTEMENT WILLS LEGACEES ESCECUTORS BY ME IN ANY WISE BEFORE METINED NAMED WILLED AND BEQUATHE RATTIFYING AND CONFIRMING THIS TO AND NO OTHER TO BE MY LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT WHAR UNTO I HAVE SET MY HAND SEAL THIS THIRD DAY OF JULY IN THE YEAR ONE THOUSON EIGHT HUNDRED AND TWELVE ASSIGNED SEALLED AND DELIVERED IN THE PRESENTS OF US.

ELIJAH ADKINSON

SARAY MAY

ANNEY ADKINS? AKINS?

FLOYD COUNTY COURT MARCH TERM 1813

The last will and testament of William Justice deceased was proved by the oaths of Elijah Adkinson and Sarah May two subscribing witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded.

Wm. J. Mayo CFCC

Last Will and Testament of William Justice, dec.

Recorded in book A page 2.

And Examined

Wm. J. Mayo Clk 1813

Our ancestor William most likely felt sorry for some one who only knew one way to spell a word. In actuality, he did well for some one brought up in frontier America where school houses were non-existent. Notice that throughout his will William spelled our name Justus. However his father John spelled it Justice in his will. Some of the Buchanan County, Virginia Justices, all descendants of Simeon and Keziah Saulsbury Justice , spell our name Justus. All of William's children were consistent in spelling their name Justice.

I will list my own line down from William and Sarah Justice . I am descended from their son George Justice born in Floyd County in 1805, as was his first cousin George Justice JR. son of George and Nancy Smith Justice. The fact they were both born in 1805 got me on the wrong track when first attempting to construct my family tree. My George Justice married Martha "Patsy" Baswell Herrell in Pike County on June 16th 1827. Patsy Baswell/Bazwell was first married to William Herrell on 6 April 1824. She was born in NC in 1800 and was the daughter of Samuel and Penniniah Bazwell/Bazzell. The other 1805 vintage George married Nancy Campbell in Pike County . The children of George and Martha were Samual Berry Justice who married Ary Cary and second Catherine Jordan, Timothy Justice born in Pike County in 1829, married Rachel Wooten in Lawrence Co., Caleb Justice married Opal Williamson in Lawrence Co., Keziah Justice m. Castle Wooten in Lawrence Co, George Thomas Justice married Hannah Napier , Peyton Justice m. Lucy Bazwell sister of Martha Baswell, Mary Margaret Justice m. Mitchell B. Shannon, Polly Emily Justice m. David Preston, Jessee Justice died in Civil War, and Martha Justice.

I am descended from George and Martha's second son Timothy Justice and Rachel Wooten. They lived on Rock Castle Creek in a section that became part of Martin County when it was formed in 1870. Their children were; Alford Justice m. Jane Johnson, William Justice m. Nancy Jane Salmons, George Thomas Justice m. Alice Williamson, Eli Justice m. Lucy Salmons, Peyton Justice m. Inez Pack, John C. Justice m. Jane Dingus, Jane Justice m. George Salmons and Ella Justice m. Alexander Howdey.

My great grandparents were William Justice and Nancy Jane Salmons. They too, lived on Rock Castle Creek in Martin County, They had the following children. Rachel Justice m. Henry Pelfrey, Pricey Justice m. James Endicott, Alice Justice m. Josh Endicott, Mary Jane Justice m. Wells Fitch, William Albert Justice m. Maggie Ellen Preston, Samual Berry Justice m. Della Preston, Ida Mae Justice m. Frank Fitch, Ella Justice m. Sam Spaulding.

My grand parents were William Albert Justice and Maggie Ellen Preston . They made their home on Rock House Creek at Milo, Martin County, KY. Grandpa was a farmer and school teacher. Their children were William Leonard Justice m. Mary Opal Fannin and Nancy Hester Justice m. Manson Washburn and John Edinger. My grandmother Maggie Ellen Preston was a sister to Della Preston, who married Samuel Berry Justice.

My parents were William Leonard Justice and Mary Opal Fannin. Dad was a farmer and building contractor. Mother was a school teacher and Post Master of the Milo, KY post Office for over forty years. After mother retired, Milo was consolidated with Tomahawk, KY Post Office. The Children of Leonard and Opal Justice are Thomas Harold Justice m. Kathe Alma Michaelis, T. Carroll Justice m. Patrica Poore, William Joseph "Billy Joe" Justice m. Patrica Smith and Palma Faye Justice m. Donald Eugene Ward.

I will end this short history here and hope that by posting it to the internet it will help other Justice family members in their quest of ancestors and not have to chase down false trails as I did due to accepting previous research as fact. However, this narrative can not be copied for commercial use in any format. If I have made any typos or mistakes through misunderstanding of data, please bring it to my attention for correction.

To support my history of the First Justice Families of Eastern Kentucky I am including a list of Justice families named in the 1810 Floyd County Census.

Relatively Yours,   
Thomas Harold Justice 
4290 Keheley Lake Drive  
Marietta, Georgia  30066