In a recent entry I was telling about Winston Tyson and mentioned the fact that she adopted her little brother, who was my g-g-g grandfather, and changed his name from Job Tyson to Eugene Hargraves Tyson.
Did you wonder why she changed his name? I know I did. I can only speculate.
Their father was also named Job Tyson. That meant little Job was a Junior. There is a possibility that the older Job disgraced his name and Winston changed Job Jr.’s name to escape the disgrace.
During the Revolutionary War the oldest Job Tyson (c1760 – 1803), as a young man did some sort of vandalism to General/Lord Charles Cornwallis personally.
Job was caught and arrested and was brought in front of Cornwallis for his punishment. At that time in history in South Carolina, young Americans were hanged for less.
However, Cornwallis handed down a fate worse than hanging. He forgave Job. The General paroled Job, saying he was just doing what mischievous young men do, pranks, and maybe have even praised him for his creativity.
Job was then labeled a Troy and spent the rest of his life trying to prove he wasn’t. In those days nothing was worse than being a Troy – which was looked on the same the same as a traitor would be looked on, or spat on. Land was taken away from them and they were generally scorned by their neighbors.
Job got affidavits from his brothers and neighbor saying it was all a misunderstanding and he was served the Continental Army well.
That may take care of why Winston changed his name from Job but doesn’t explain why she gave Job the name of Eugene Hargraves Tyson. Here are the only connections I can find: (1) Winston and Job/Eugene had an uncle by marriage on their mother’s side named William Hargrove. And, their father, even though labeled a Troy (2) was in a militia in Hancock County, Georgia (after they moved out of South Carolina) there was a man in their unit with the last name Hargraves. If they were in the same militia unit they were in the same district – in other words neighbors. Who knows?
2 comments:
Whoa! Thanks Ed.
I've finally found a reason to concur that there is veracity to the phrase, "the wisdom of Job".
Happy Holidays
Michael,
That's right! Job is a Biblical name - I almost forgot. Job was the one that God put him to the test-of-faith thing.
When I thought of the name Job I was thinking more of the Coaster's song, "Get a Job"
Happy New Year to you.
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