Ralph Wanlass was born about 1736 in All Saints Parish, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England. He died before 1772 in England.
The surname was probably "WANLASS" prior to emigration to America. According to Black's Patronymic Dictionary, Surnames of Scotland, the name Wanless is "peculiar to Northumberland". The name has existed in various forms in the Borders area since at least the 11th century. A Simon Wanles was a monk at Melrose Abbey, Scotland in 1451, and the name Wanlass is recorded in Northumberland in 1523. It is unclear whether the name should be considered Scottish or English, as early Wanlesses were found in large concentrations on both sides of the current southeastern Scottish border, and this area fluctuated wildly between English and Scottish territory over the years. Prior to the mid-1800s (when people started to move around more), the greatest concentration, by far, of early Wanlesses occurs in southern Scotland and northern England, specifically in Northumberland and Durham. In religion, early Wanlesses tended to be Methodist or Presbyterian (which were called Dissenters and NonConformists in the late 1700s, meaning they dissented with the Anglican church).
He married Margaret Wylam. She died 1807 in Augusta Co, VA. She married 2nd John Carlisle, by whom she had no children.
There is an unresolved debate about the relationship of Margaret to Thomas Adams, a wealthy land owner and later resident of Williamsburg, VA. He was a signatory of the Articles of Confederation and owned large tracts of land in the Calfpasture area of Augusta Co, VA. It was to these lands that he arranged passage for Margaret and her children in the summer of 1772. A letter from Richard Hylton to Thomas Adams survives and records some of the details of these arrangements. The letter is preserved in the Adams-Massie papers of the Virginia Historical Society. The letter reads as follows (spelling preserved):
To Mr. Adams, In
Surrey Streat No. 7
In the Strand
London
---------------------------------------
Dr Sir
I have maid bould to write you a line that I arived hear on friday last In good health and acording to your Request went down to Earsdon and sent for Margtt Wandless who had been making Inquirey off me to know when I was Expected home She is Determined to come at all events & hir Childring as soune as she gett them clear of theire Massr(r-superscripted) she Desireth the favor of you to be so good as to Order them Gentlement that she is to wate on to Suppley hir with a little money when she Ariveth In London to gett her Childring some Secondhand Cloths in the Rag fare to make them apeare a little deasent at theire Landing at Virginea I my Self shall take all the Paines to gett them shipt of to London she beges that I may and is to come to Shieles to me so you may depend of me nothing shall be awanting. She is very well & gives her Humble serves to you
Dr Sir I Remaine your Most
Obediend & Humble Servt (t-superscripted)
Richd. (d-superscripted) Hylton
Date So Shields
the 21th July 1772
Margt (t-superscripted) Dissireth a line from you if you please you may Direct yours to me. So Shields Durham
Thomas Adams also left land to Margaret's son Ralph in his will, and excerpt of which follows:
Reference from: Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish Settlement In Virginia, Extracted From The Original Court Records Of Augusta County 1745-1800 By Lyman Chalkley, Vol III, pg.182
Page 99.--14th October, 1785. Thomas Adams's will, of the Calfpasture, being about to take a perilous journey to the Ohio river; to wife, Elizabeth, lands in Augusta and Amherst; to only brother, Richard Adams; to nephew, William Adams Fry, all lands on Western Waters; to William Smith, son of my highly esteemed and much lamented nephew, William Smith, lately of County of Essex, deceased; to nephew, William Adams; to friend, John Blair, Chancellor, lands he purchased of testator in Albermarle County known by name of Mountain Plains; to Ralph Wanlass, lands whereon Ralph lives and to support Ralph's mother while she lives; to niece, Tabitha Epps; to slave, Joe, freedom-- "As there is no man to whom I consider myself under Greater obligations than to my slave Joe." Executors, Maj. Thos. Massie, of Frederick, nephews Wm. Adams and Wm. Adams Fry. Written with own hand. Proved, 22d Octover, 1788. Executors Massie and Fry qualify; other executor is dead. Handwriting is proved by Thomas Hughart and Archibald Stuart.
Their children were:
Ralph Wanless (born 28 March 1756 in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England)
Stephen Wanless (born 1757 in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England; died 10 September 1826 in Bath Co, VA); married Catherine Capeheart 3 May 1788 in Augusta Co, VA
Their children were:
Margaret Wanless (born 1793 in Bath Co, VA); married James Gillaspy 18 June 1818 in Bath Co, VA
Elizabeth Wanless (born 1794 in Bath Co, VA; died after 1838); married James Gillaspy 13 March 1827 in Pocahontas Co, VA
Rosanna Wanless (born about 1794 in Bath Co, VA; died after July 1838); married William Gillaspy 11 April 1826 in Pocahontas Co, VA
Stephen Wanless (born 6 March 1805 in Bath Co, VA; died 27 September 1881 in Pocahontas Co, WV); married Elizabeth Harriet Kinkaid 8 February 1827 in VA; married 2nd Rachel Marshall 26 August 1851 in VA
Children with Elizabeth Harriet Kinkaid:
Martha Jane Wandless (born 1 December 1829 in Pocahontas Co, VA); married George H. Smith
David Nelson Wandless (born 18 November 1831 in Pocahontas Co, VA; died 8 November 1894 in Pocahontas Co, WV of consumption); married Elizabeth Frances Bethel 31 August 1854 in Pocahontas Co, VA
William Clayton Wandless (born 13 December 1833 in Pocahontas Co, VA; died 7 March 1910 in Wood Co, WV); married Margaret Ann Gwin 29 November 1855; married 2nd Dorothy Emma Brookover 7 Apil 1889
Sarah Ann Wandless (born 4 June 1836 in Pocahontas Co, VA; died 9 March 1850)
Stephen Hamilton Wandless (born 2 December 1840 in Pocahontas Co, VA; died 5 January 1862); married Mary Ellen Smith 26 December 1860
Martha Wanless (born about 1810 in Bath Co, VA; died 1841 in Peru, IN); married William Ayres about 1828 in Pocahontas Co, VA
Margaret Wanless (born about 1759 in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England; died 30 November 1823 in Augusta Co, VA); married ? Rice about 1778 in VA; married 2nd John Clayton 1785 in Augusta Co, VA.
Children with ? Rice:
Elizabeth Rice (born about 1779 in VA; died 8 July 1860 in Wood Co, VA); married James Black 9 June 1800 in Bath Co, VA
Children with John Clayton:
William H. Clayton (born 28 September 1786 in Deerfield, Augusta Co, VA; died 2 June 1869 in Augusta Co, VA); married Mary "Polly" Armstrong 24 March 1818 in Augusta Co, VA; married 2nd Nancy Armstrong about 1850 in Augusta Co, VA
Ralph Clayton (born 22 February 1788; died 22 July 1883); married Rosanna McCausland
Peggy Clayton (born 29 July 1790; died 25 March 1826 of tuberculosis)
John Clayton (born 25 January 1792 in Augusta Co, VA; died 26 September 1849 in Augusta Co, VA); married Annis Ptolmy 24 March 1816 in Augusta Co, VA
Thomas Clayton (born 28 October 1793 in Augusta Co, VA; died 1 March 1863); married Nancy G. Kincaid 7 November 1821
James Clayton (born 18 January 1799; died 24 March 1825); married Lavinia Payne 4 September 1823 in VA
Mary Wanless (born before 1765 in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England; died 1821 in Augusta Co, VA); married Abel Armstrong about 1783 in Augusta Co, VA
Their children were:
John Armstrong (born 1784 in Augusta Co, VA; died about 1841); married Polly Crawford 1823 in Augusta Co, VA
Ralph Armstrong (born about 1786)
William Armstrong
Mary "Polly" Armstrong (born 17 August 1796 in Augusta Co, VA; died 15 August 1841 in Augusta Co, VA); married William H. Clayton 24 March 1818 in Augusta Co, VA
Nancy Armstrong (born 1808 in Augusta Co, VA; died 15 November 1868 at Deerfield, Augusta Co, VA); married William H. Clayton about 1850 in Augusta Co, VA
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