These tax lists start in the year 1787 and have proven to be one of the most useful tools in sorting out the male children of Jeremiah, David and Thomas Compton. A few of the tax lists even named the father of the person enumerated on the list. For instance, in 1842 the person who created the list wrote “James Compton of Thomas” to distinguish from “James Compton of Jeremiah.” Then again in 1845, the lists identified “William Compton of Thomas” as compared to “William Compton of Nancy.” Every son of David Compton appeared on the list in the exact birth order as expected. Every son of Thomas Compton appeared on the list in exact birth order. The eldest son of Jeremiah Compton Sr., Bartemus, never appeared on the list as he relocated to present day Buchanan County early on.
From 1813 to 1850 there were only two Compton names that appear on the list that were not sons of either Jeremiah, David or Thomas Compton. William Compton appeared on the 1845 list was a son of Nancy Compton and a grandson of Revolutionary War James Compton. Herndon ‘Horn’ Compton appeared on the 1844 list and was a of Mary Compton, grandson of Revolutionary War James Compton.
To calculate the approximate birth year of the children of Jeremiah, David, and Thomas subtract 21 from the first tax year the person appeared on the tax list. A male had to be 21 years of age before they could own personal property, but like most young men occasionally the young man would lie about being older so he could own his own horse much like a young man would lie about his age to join the military.
The earliest Compton’s in Russell County, Virginia per these tax lists were noted to be a James Compton and William Compton. These two men have yet to be correctly identified at this point and were only in Russell County between 1787 and 1791. It has been speculated that this James Compton could have been Revolutionary War James Compton that he spent a few years in Russell County in the late 18th century. (A James Compton is also mentioned in 1788 on a Russell County, Virginia jury). It has been speculated that the William Compton could have been part of the Abraham Compton Sr. family.
Note – all last names are Compton
1787 – James Compton and William Compton
1788 – James
1789 – William
1790 – William
1791 – William
1792 to 1805 – The only Compton listed in Russell County for these 13 years was Abraham Compton Jr. who eventually migrated to Scott County, Virginia in 1812
1806 – Abraham, Jeremiah (note the first appearance of Jeremiah Compton Sr.)
1807 – Abraham, Jeremiah
1808 – taxes not taken in Virginia
1809 – Abraham, Jeremiah
It was the tax list of 1810 that both David and Thomas Compton appeared for the first time. The male children of Jeremiah, David and Thomas will be color coded to match their father. Jeremiah and his confirmed sons will be RED. David and his sons will be GREEN. Thomas and his sons will be BLUE.
1810 – Abraham, Jeremiah, David, Thomas
1811 – Abraham, Jeremiah, David
1812 – Abraham, Jeremiah, David, Thomas
1813 – 1822 Jeremiah, David, Thomas
1823 – Jeremiah, David
1824 – Jeremiah, David, Thomas
1825 – Jeremiah, David
1826 – Jeremiah, David, Thomas
1827 – 1830 – Jeremiah, David, Thomas
1831 – Jeremiah, David
1832 – Jeremiah, David, Richard (first son of David appeared)
1833 – Jeremiah, David, Richard, Thomas
1834 – Jeremiah, David, Richard, Sterling, Thomas, John A (first son of Thomas appeared)
1835 – Jeremiah, Richard, Sterling, Thomas, Lee (first appearance of Lee second son of Thomas)
1836 – Jeremiah, David, Richard, Sterling, Thomas, John A
1837 – Jeremiah, David, Richard, Sterling, Thomas
1838 – Jeremiah, David, Richard, Sterling, Basil, Thomas, John A, James
1839 – Jeremiah, David, Richard, Sterling, Basil, Stephen, Thomas, John A, James
1840 – Jeremiah, Jeremiah Jr, David, Richard, Sterling, Basil, Stephen, Thomas, John A, James
1841 – Jeremiah, Jeremiah Jr, David, Richard, Sterling, Basil, Thomas, John A, James
1842 – Jeremiah, Jeremiah Jr, James of Jeremiah, David, Richard, Sterling, Basil, Thomas, John A, James of Thomas, Benjamin
1843 – Jeremiah, James, David, Richard, Sterling, Basil, Thomas, [John] Allen, James
1844 – Jeremiah, Jeremiah Jr, James, David, Richard, Sterling, Basil, Thomas, [John] Allen, James, Herndon
1845 – Jeremiah, Jeremiah Jr, James, David, Richard Sterling, Basil, Thomas, John A, James, William of Thomas, William of Nancy, Herndon
1846 – Jeremiah, Jeremiah Jr, James, David, Richard, Sterling, Basil, Thomas, John A, James, William, William of Nancy
1847 – Jeremiah, Jeremiah Jr, James, David, Richard, Sterling, Basil, James Henderson, Thomas, John A, James, William, William of Nancy, Herndon, William H [?]
1848 – Jeremiah, Jeremiah Jr, James, David, Richard, Sterling, James Henderson, James, William of Nancy
1849 – Jeremiah, Jeremiah Jr, James, David, Richard, Sterling, James Henderson, Peyton, William of Nancy
1850 – Jeremiah, Jeremiah Jr, James, David, Richard, Sterling, Peyton, William of Nancy, Thomas
The number of male children in the household between the ages of 16 and 21 were included on the original tax lists. This information was purposely omitted from the above table to avoid confusion. Although this information was used to determine the male children of Jeremiah, David, and Thomas Compton. For example, in 1834 Thomas Compton had one male in his household between 16 and 21. Then in 1835 this male was not in the household of Thomas Compton and the name Lee Compton first appeared. Researchers can determine Lee Compton matriculated out of the Thomas Compton household to account for this. Another example, in 1839 Jeremiah Compton had two males between 16 and 21 in his household. In 1840, he had one male in his household between 16 and 21 and Jeremiah Compton Jr. appeared for the first time in 1840. Jeremiah Compton Jr. matriculated out of his father’s household and became a personal property owner himself in 1840.
From 1813 to 1850 there were only two Compton names that appear on the list that were not sons of either Jeremiah, David or Thomas Compton. William Compton appeared on the 1845 list was a son of Nancy Compton and a grandson of Revolutionary War James Compton. Herndon ‘Horn’ Compton appeared on the 1844 list and was a of Mary Compton, grandson of Revolutionary War James Compton.
To calculate the approximate birth year of the children of Jeremiah, David, and Thomas subtract 21 from the first tax year the person appeared on the tax list. A male had to be 21 years of age before they could own personal property, but like most young men occasionally the young man would lie about being older so he could own his own horse much like a young man would lie about his age to join the military.
The earliest Compton’s in Russell County, Virginia per these tax lists were noted to be a James Compton and William Compton. These two men have yet to be correctly identified at this point and were only in Russell County between 1787 and 1791. It has been speculated that this James Compton could have been Revolutionary War James Compton that he spent a few years in Russell County in the late 18th century. (A James Compton is also mentioned in 1788 on a Russell County, Virginia jury). It has been speculated that the William Compton could have been part of the Abraham Compton Sr. family.
Note – all last names are Compton
1787 – James Compton and William Compton
1788 – James
1789 – William
1790 – William
1791 – William
1792 to 1805 – The only Compton listed in Russell County for these 13 years was Abraham Compton Jr. who eventually migrated to Scott County, Virginia in 1812
1806 – Abraham, Jeremiah (note the first appearance of Jeremiah Compton Sr.)
1807 – Abraham, Jeremiah
1808 – taxes not taken in Virginia
1809 – Abraham, Jeremiah
It was the tax list of 1810 that both David and Thomas Compton appeared for the first time. The male children of Jeremiah, David and Thomas will be color coded to match their father. Jeremiah and his confirmed sons will be RED. David and his sons will be GREEN. Thomas and his sons will be BLUE.
1810 – Abraham, Jeremiah, David, Thomas
1811 – Abraham, Jeremiah, David
1812 – Abraham, Jeremiah, David, Thomas
1813 – 1822 Jeremiah, David, Thomas
1823 – Jeremiah, David
1824 – Jeremiah, David, Thomas
1825 – Jeremiah, David
1826 – Jeremiah, David, Thomas
1827 – 1830 – Jeremiah, David, Thomas
1831 – Jeremiah, David
1832 – Jeremiah, David, Richard (first son of David appeared)
1833 – Jeremiah, David, Richard, Thomas
1834 – Jeremiah, David, Richard, Sterling, Thomas, John A (first son of Thomas appeared)
1835 – Jeremiah, Richard, Sterling, Thomas, Lee (first appearance of Lee second son of Thomas)
1836 – Jeremiah, David, Richard, Sterling, Thomas, John A
1837 – Jeremiah, David, Richard, Sterling, Thomas
1838 – Jeremiah, David, Richard, Sterling, Basil, Thomas, John A, James
1839 – Jeremiah, David, Richard, Sterling, Basil, Stephen, Thomas, John A, James
1840 – Jeremiah, Jeremiah Jr, David, Richard, Sterling, Basil, Stephen, Thomas, John A, James
1841 – Jeremiah, Jeremiah Jr, David, Richard, Sterling, Basil, Thomas, John A, James
1842 – Jeremiah, Jeremiah Jr, James of Jeremiah, David, Richard, Sterling, Basil, Thomas, John A, James of Thomas, Benjamin
1843 – Jeremiah, James, David, Richard, Sterling, Basil, Thomas, [John] Allen, James
1844 – Jeremiah, Jeremiah Jr, James, David, Richard, Sterling, Basil, Thomas, [John] Allen, James, Herndon
1845 – Jeremiah, Jeremiah Jr, James, David, Richard Sterling, Basil, Thomas, John A, James, William of Thomas, William of Nancy, Herndon
1846 – Jeremiah, Jeremiah Jr, James, David, Richard, Sterling, Basil, Thomas, John A, James, William, William of Nancy
1847 – Jeremiah, Jeremiah Jr, James, David, Richard, Sterling, Basil, James Henderson, Thomas, John A, James, William, William of Nancy, Herndon, William H [?]
1848 – Jeremiah, Jeremiah Jr, James, David, Richard, Sterling, James Henderson, James, William of Nancy
1849 – Jeremiah, Jeremiah Jr, James, David, Richard, Sterling, James Henderson, Peyton, William of Nancy
1850 – Jeremiah, Jeremiah Jr, James, David, Richard, Sterling, Peyton, William of Nancy, Thomas
The number of male children in the household between the ages of 16 and 21 were included on the original tax lists. This information was purposely omitted from the above table to avoid confusion. Although this information was used to determine the male children of Jeremiah, David, and Thomas Compton. For example, in 1834 Thomas Compton had one male in his household between 16 and 21. Then in 1835 this male was not in the household of Thomas Compton and the name Lee Compton first appeared. Researchers can determine Lee Compton matriculated out of the Thomas Compton household to account for this. Another example, in 1839 Jeremiah Compton had two males between 16 and 21 in his household. In 1840, he had one male in his household between 16 and 21 and Jeremiah Compton Jr. appeared for the first time in 1840. Jeremiah Compton Jr. matriculated out of his father’s household and became a personal property owner himself in 1840.
