Colbert Surname originates in various geographic locales but most importantly, French (Normandy) and English. The name stems from a Germanic personal name composed of the elements kol and berht: kol - (akin to Old Norse kollir “helmet” + berht “bright” “famous”.
We are currently looking for the ancestry of three men two of which have turned out to be Calverts and one about whom we do not have a definitive answer as to origin. The First among these is John Calvert/Colbert born, by using census analysis, at the earliest 1784, and ensuing birth date calculations of 1788, 1789, 1791--all in Virginia and at least once identified as Prince William Co., Va. This provides us a view of John Colbert’s birthdate as plus / minus and of 7 years, with a median date of 1787. His wife Cathrine Lynn’s census ages are more consistent and I feel the date of 1798 is in very close proximity of her actual birth date place given for birth Virginia and at least once Frederick Co., Va. (It may be possible for John to have married first before his marriage to Cathrine Lynn).
The second Colbert of scrutiny, another John, is John A Colbert born circa 1825 in Alabama. What we can see by the information shown through his descendant’s DNA contribution, is that this John A. Colbert descends from the Reuben Calvert Sr., family of Prince William Co., Va., and although he matches the above participant for John Calvert of Prince William Co., Va. He is not an exact match though well within the percentile to show a direct familial relationship.
The third Colbert of interest is Lemuel Colbert for whom we do not have a DNA participant. He, however, is shown to be within the proximity of at least one Calvert family of early Charlotte Co., Va--I am referring to Nelson Calvert of Charlotte Co., Va., who has a daughter identified as Mellinder/Melinda/Linder Calvert who married 29 Nov 1786 Charlotte Co.,Va., Levi Blankenship. Levi Blankenship is given the estimated birth year of 1768, and because of the family groups to which Levi is attributed and of similar geographic as attributed for his birth which is given as Chesterfield Co., Va. Lemuel Colbert married Phebe Blankenship, 23 Nov 1790 Campbell Co., Va., they moved to Pittslyvania Co., Va., by 1792. Phebe Blankenship was born circa 1765 Chesterfield Co., Va., to Hudson Blankenship although this is not confirmed by primary source records to my Knowledge.
Two of these Colbert men have been identified as Calverts through records and DNA participation. John Calvert who married Cathrine Lynn, signed his name Calvert on a land deed in Prince William Co., Va. John Calvert and his family migrated to Fayette Co.,Pa. What is interesting is that this was land that was left to the Lynn children, by their father Ezekiel Lynn who was the son of Michael Lynn and his unknown and un-named wife. Moses Lynn, the other person on the deed, was the brother of Ezekiel Lynn.
Moses Lynn had previously inherited 100 acres from his father, Michael Lynn’s as proven by Michael Lynn’s Will, dated April of 1805. Michael Lynn, left his son, Moses Lynn, land upon which one of the Jesse Calverts of the Prince William County Calverts had previously lived. There were more than one Jesse Calverts in Prince William Co., Va. However, by this time Jesse Calvert Sr., born 1740 Prince William Co., Va., had died by 1802 Prince William Co.,Va., Jesse Calvert Sr. appears to be the most likely candidate.
A closer scrutiny of the land description would provide more discrete evidence as to which Jesse Calvert had owned this property which is referred to in Michael Lynn’s Will. For further information please check “The Lynn Family of Prince William Co., Va.,” online. Please note that this page attributes John Calvert who married Cathrine Lynn, to Lemuel Colbert. This is incorrect. John, the son of Lemuel Colbert and Phebe Blankenship, is residing in the home of Christopher Walker, in the 1850 Pittsylvania census and he is enumerated John Colbert age 47 so born circa 1803, a laborer, born Virginia. The age’s differences alone are telling btw these two different John Colberts.
John A Colbert b 1825, Alabama, has been identified as a Calvert through DNA participation; he has matched the descendents of Reuben Calvert Sr., with in minus one, well within the acceptable margins to be considered of direct descent, though it is not
Proof that John is a son—only that they share a common ancestor. Here is an interesting twist, re: Lynn family of Prince William Co., Va.
This John A Colbert appears through DNA matches to descend from a Reuben Calvert Sr., of Prince William Co., Va., who had issue with at least three sons identified:
1. Thomas Calvert who married Emily Gray and migrated to Nelson Co.,Ky.,where he died circa 1808.
2. Richard Kirkland Calvert who married Elizabeth Peyton, migrated to Nelson Co., Ky., and died in 1850. Richard Kirkland Calvert and wife do show up in the Nelson Co., Ky., 1850 census where he is enumerated as R.K. Calvert. Reuben Calvert Jr., is said to have married 3 times an unknown Lynn, an unknown Jackson and Sarah Haislip. Sarah is the head of household in the 1830 Prince William Co., Va. census. Sarah’s husband Reuben Calvert Jr., died by 1830 in Prince William Co., Va., thus the Census shows Sarah as his widow.
Our third Colbert, Lemuel, sometimes called Leonard Colbert, married Phebe Blankenship in 1790 Campbell Co., Va., and moved to Pittsylvania Co., Va., by 1792. In the 1850 Pittsylvania Co., Va., census, Phebe Colbert is enumerated as 85 years of age, born in Virginia(thus born circa 1765). We could guess-timate that Lemuel Colbert was born about the same time period. The last record of Lemuel Colbert is in 1809, when he gave permission for his daughter Nancy Colbert to marry Robert Walker. Lemuel died sometime after this date and Phebe Colbert was widowed. Was Lemuel Colbert actually a Calvert? We do not know anything for sure as the Calvert Surname Project at Family Tree DNA does not yet have a DNA contributor for the family line. Please see www.familytreedna.com.
Until we have an initial DNA contributor for the descent of Lemuel Colbert, it is impossible to determine if Lemuel is a Calvert though research gives us reason to believe
this is true. By having a family descendant provide the scientific evidence via the DNA project it would illuminate whether or not the speculative tie among the family descendants is truly Calvert or not. From my review of the geographic evidence and
various other records, I think it is very probable that Lemuel/Leonard Colbert is a Calvert
Nancy Colbert born per 1850 census 1792/93 Pittsylvania Co., Va., married 1809 Robert Walker in Pittsylvania Co.,Va. John Colbert born 1803 per 1850 Pittsylvania Co.,Va.,census who has been confused with the John Calvert of Prince William Co.,Va., who married Cathrine Lynn are two different John Colbert/Calverts, as I have demonstrated.
William T Colbert born 1805, married Winifred Faris 31 March 1831.
Thomas Colbert born 1807, married 1st Stacy Rowland and 2nd Sarah Keesee, 27 Dec 1847, also in the 1850 Pittsylvania Co., Va., and census.
From one of Lemuel Colbert’s descendants I hope we can find a DNA participant.
Levi Blankenship, who descends at least from the same family group of Phebe Blankenship, married Melinda Calvert daughter of Nelson Calvert and it appears she has died by 1802, the last time she shows up on a record Linder Blankenship, was selling property with her husband Levy Blankenship. Levi Blankenship is estimated to be born 1768 Chesterfield Co., Va., he died in Kentucky. Married Malinda Calvert 29 Nov 1786 Charlotte Co., Va.. That Phebe and Levi Blankenship were brother and sister or cousins is unknown to me but seems to be very probable.
Melinda (Calvert) Blankenship’s lineage can be noted through land transactions in Charlotte Co., Va., one of which is for a Tavern in Charlotte Co., Va. known by the name of “Blankenship’s Tavern”. This Tavern formerly belonged to Nelson Calvert.
Given that Melinda and Levi, were probably of like ages and their children were born in the 1790s’ it is possible to deduce that Melinda Calvert was also born in the 1760s and probably Virginia. Given these dates of birth and marriage one could guess-timate Nelson Calvert’s year of birth counting back 25 years from Levi Blankenship’s birth year, so say 1743/45.
For extra background on Levi and Melinda (Calvert) Blankenship please review this online webpage for Charlotte Co., Va., deeds which mentions many Blankenship’s. Both Levi and Melinda are found in records in Charlotte Co., Va. Records. Examine the information about the before mentioned tavern at:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~vacharlo/deedmis2.htm
It is my hope through the Calvert DNA project in conjunction with known records, will provide us the ability to discover from whom these men descend: Calvert or Colbert. Indeed it is possible to prove whether or not Lemuel/Leonard Colbert, is actually a Calvert whose surname, changed over time. A descendant who steps forward and participates in the Calvert Surname Project at Family Tree DNA can provide the key which makes the known records about these people the very evidence which shows that they are Calverts, or they are not.
Laree McDaniel Lee - 10 Dec 2005