The Blizzard Gunter and Pool Family

The Blizzard Gunter and Pool Family

of Tillman Blizzard 1938-2008 and Pat Bonneau

Back to Blizzard Genealogy dot com page

The Blizzard Family

of South Carolina

This is the heritage of SCPO Tillman Blizzard, USN, son of Purvis Blizzard, Sr. 1910-1985 and Nancy "Nettie" Pool 1908-1984. Tillman and his cousin Pat are of royal descent from the Emperor Charlemagne through Tirzah Gunter. Tirzah's ancestor Joshua Gunter came from Virginia, as well as many other Blizzard and Pool related families. Tillman's Blizzard and Pool ancestors were in South Carolina in the mid 1700's. He said his father's family didn't talk about where the family came from, but he thought they were from England. The Blizzard family in England, originated in Brittany, France, where it is pronounced Bliz'zard. But in America it is pronounced "Blizerd" like the snow storm.

Listed in Fairbairn's Crests of the Families of Great Britain and Ireland in England there are two Blizard/Blizzard Crests. One "Blizard" Crest with a Coat of Arms that has the French "Fluer de lis" which is an iris flower and it is also the symbol of France. There is also one "Blizzard" which does not have the French symbol. There are twelve Pool/Poole Crests: two "Pool" Crests, and ten different additional "Poole" family Crests.

Mary Gill Blizzard was native American. I don’t know exactly where other Indian blood is, but it is a tradition of some members of all our family lines. Another tradition is that there were many Romany in our families in the area of Barnwell and Lexington. The Roma were G y-DNA. It makes sense that our Colonial families married Native Americans. They made us who we are and we are proud of it.

Our Blizard ancestors were Haplogroup G-yDNA, and are not connected to the Englishman William Blizzard of Tennessee, who came directly from England to Tennessee, who was Hapolgoup I-yDNA, the only other Blizzard tested for yDNA, so this is the only mention of him on this page.

However, we are connected to Thomas Blizzard born in South Carolina in 1781, who went to Tennessee and got married there before moving on to Alabama where he died in June, 1857. A descendant of this family told me they were "Gypsies." Descendants of other Richland County, SC Blizzards told me their family history is that they are descnded from “Gypsies,” as well.

The South Carolina Blizzards married into families who were Native Americans and probably also related to the Rom from Scotland who settled Allendale in Orangeburg District. South Carolina records state the Allendale Rom came to America from Scotland, and some of our relatives intermarried with them, but, there is no record of a Blizard listed among them. The Blizzard history is that British soldier Richard Blizard, father of Richard and Thomas Blizard was born in 1701 in Pershore, Worchestshire, England. Richard was in the military in South Carolina before going to Maryland where he died in Baltimore about 1766.

There were no Blizard families in South Carolina in the early census records, however, there are legal documents that lists them. And yet even the earliest known, Richard Blizard who was born in South Carolina in 1731, is also listed as born in Duplin, North Carolina by some descendants, because that is where he died. Richard moved to North Carolina and died in Duplin Co. in 1782. Thomas Blizard of Darlington District, South Carolina was also born in South Carolina between 1740-50. More about his son Thomas F. Blizard Sr. who went to Alabama, later. Tillman's paternal Blizzard line and his earliest proven ancestor of a census record was Volantini Blizard, son of Jacob Blizard and Mary Gill.

So, let us look at the early Blizard/Blizzard families in South Carolina. The first Blizards of record in South Carolina were Richard b. 1731 and Thomas b. 1740-50. Thomas is listed with James and John Purvis, and Francis Spires who were originally in the Chesterfield District area before Darlington in 1794-1799. Thomas Blizard was not in the 1800 census of South Carolina. In fact, there were no Blizard/Blizzards in South Carolina Census records in 1790 either. Not in the entire state. After 1810 these families lived in Sumter County and Richland County which was known as Camden District and Lexington County which was also known as Orangeburg Territory, Lexington District, Edgefield District and even Barnwell County for a time.

Of Richard Blizard, he and his sons moved to Duplin Co, North Carolina where Richard died, however, the residence for his son John Blizzard listed in the 1800 census, did not have anyone living there. Just his name, no people in the household. Not even John who didn't die until 1858. But in 1820 John's son William was living in Duplin Co, probably on the family farm.

Many Blizzard and Pool ancestors came from the same area of North Carolina. Nearby in Jones County, North Carolina, is where John Gunter born in 1722 in Prince George County, Virginia, died in 1785, and he left a will written in 1781. His son Joshua Gunter was born in Brunswick County, North Carolina, and died in Lexington County, South Carolina after first living in Edgefield County, South Carolina. (Edgefield boundries once included much of Lexington and Aiken Counties, so people probably didn't move as much as their county lines did.) More of the Gunter family is below.

The only other families listed in North Carolina 1800 census was Pernald Blizzard of Stokes, and Joab Blizard of Mecklenburg, just North of Darlington District of South Carolina. Joab was probably Jacob's brother, since they all splelled their name with one "Z." Richland County descendants later spelled their name Blizzard.

Volantini Blizard later known as Valentine Blizzard, son of Jacob Blizard, stated on a census record that his father and his mother were both born in South Carolina. His mother Mary Gill, daughter of Valentine Gill, was born in Fairfield County, South Carolina. Valentine Blizard was born in Barnwell County, SC in 1810, and his family moved back to Fairfield County the same year by the time the census was taken. Valentine's wife Elisabeth was born in North Carolina, and the following are their children: daughter Martha born in Sumter County, daughter Mary was born in Richland County, and son James Thomas (our family line) was born Fairfield, County as well as the younger siblings. James T. Blizzard married Mary E. Lizzie Lee. Orphaned, their son James ran away from Valentine's home, and went to Aiken County where he changed his name to Thomas. More on him later. This family moved a lot but always stayed within a 30 miles radis of Lexington County.

James Thomas Blizzard had a son named James Jr. who was born 27 Sep. 1864. In August of 1864 James Thomas Blizzard was wounded in battle and sent to a Washington D. C. hospital where he died 29 Oct 1864 from a thigh wound. The copy of his letter to his mother was sent to us by Tillman's cousin Lounette, daughter of Clayton Blizzard. The original letter is in the Civil War section of the Charleston Museum, which was donated by the family. Since it was addressed only to his mother, Valentine may have taken part in the war as well, because he was only about 55 and many that age were in the ranks.

In 1850 there were James and John Blizzard in Richland Co, South Carolina which is about fifteen or twenty miles from Blythewood where Jacob and Josiah lived. Jacob's widow Mary Gill Blizard was in the 1850 Fairfield Census. Our early Blizzard family always spelled their name Blizard as well as John and Ruth Blizard of Augusta, Virginia in the early census records. Living next to Mary Gill Blizard was her son Valentine--spelled Volantini.

The Richard Blizard in Darlington District, South Carolina born in 1731 was probably the brother of Thomas Blizard born 1740-1750, who was in the same area in 1784 and in a 1794 petition. This Thomas had sons in Richland County, South Carolina.

Thomas F. Blizard, Sr. was born in South Carolina in 1781, about the same age as Jacob and Josiah, living in Blythewood, Fairfield County, South Carolina next to each other. (Blythewood is now part of Richland County.) Also just across the North Carolina line was Joab Blizard who was probably another brother, but I don't have him on my gedcom yet because I don't know enough about him.
Thomas F. Sr. left South Carolina and went to Tennessee where he married and his son Thomas F. Blizzard Jr. was born. Thomas Sr. died in Alabama. Otherwise the only Blizard or Blizzard in any census from 1810 through 1840 were Jacob and Josiah Blizard, close in age, lived side-by-side, Josiah being the elder. Later Josiah Jr. lived at the homeplace.

Jacob Blizard and Mary Gill Blizard's son Valentine/Volantini, was named after his grandfather Valentine Gill. Valentine Blizard was born about 1810 in Barnwell which covered a wide area for a while, close to the Fork of the Edisto River, at that time part of Barnwell County. His father Jacob moved to Blythewood, Fairfield County before the 1810 Census was taken. Jacob's widow Mary Gill stated she was born in Fairfield. Blythewood where the Blizard family lived and still own the old homestead, was in Fairfield County then, but, it is in Richland County today because of changes in the county line. The county lines changed so often I put a link to them online to help your research below and here...

In 1961 Tillman and I got serious about genealogy. His parents gave us some family history, as well as information written in the family Bible. Tillman's father Purvis Grady Blizzard, Sr. also took us to see the graves of his ancestors, including those of his parents James "Thomas" Blizzard and Theoxena "Locky" Spires, which you will see on the Tombstone link below. That is when I first heard that Tillman's grandfather Thomas Arthur Blizzard was really the run-away, orphaned teenager James Blizzard, son of Pvt. James T. Blizzard, which I wrote about above.

The orphaned James is in Valentine Blizard's 1870 census as Valentine's grandson, but it is continued on the next page, along with Valentine's daughter Gutheredge who was also listed in Valentine's household. So it is totally possible to miss him unless you know he was originally named James and continued on the next page on the original census.

The earliest proven Blizzard ancestor born in South Carolina was Jacob Blizard,Sr. He was born in South Carolina about 1780 according to census records, so the family has been Carolinians well over two hundred years. They were probably originally in the area when Allendale was settled in the mid 1600's at the request of the governor to populate the interior. Our related families have lived near there since that time. The same year Valentine was born, 1810, his father Jacob moved to Blythewood.

Jacob lived next to Josiah in the 1810 Fairfield Co, South Carolina census. Jacob was probably the brother of Thomas Blizard, Jr. of Richland County who later moved to Alabama. Their father Thomas Blizard (1st) of Richland County, had taken part in a 1794 petition of Chesterfield. Three names stand out in the petition Thomas Blizard, John Purvis and James Purvis. The name Darling is on another Colonial file with Blizard. Many sons were named Darling in the families of the Blizzards. Darlington was probably named for the Darling family. The name Purvis is also found in other Richland County Blizzard families, descendants of other sons of Thomas Blizzard, Sr. besides Jacob.

Our ancestor Jacob Blizard Sr, born about 1780 in Richland County, South Carolina, married Mary Gill, daughter of Valentine Gill, son of James Gill, son of David Gill who is said to be the son of Stephen Gill. Mary was the only child of Valentine Gill's unknown first wife. For more information on the Gill family, visit Dr. Frank Clark's webpage. Jacob Blizard and Mary Gill had a son named Volantini. Valentine was born in Barnwell, before the family moved to Blythewood, Fairfield County in 1810, as stated earlier. He married Elisabeth who was born in North Carolina. Their son Pvt. James Thomas Blizzard married Mary E. Lizzie Lee. James T. joined the C.S.A. in 1861, stationed in Columbia, not far from home.

Pvt. James Thomas Blizzard's orphaned son James Jr, lived with his grandparents Valentine and Elisabeth Blizzard. James later said that Elisabeth was very strict with him, so when he was about 16 or 17 years old he hopped a train for the great west. That is, he went west of Columbia, SC to Aiken County. James Jr. aka "Thomas," Tillman's grandfather, ran away from his grandparents because he argued with his grandmother, Elisabeth.

James changed his name to Thomas Arthur Blizzard so he couldn't be found, but later wrote to his grandparents to let them know where he was. He kept the name Thomas Arthur Blizzard for the rest of his life and is buried under that name in Kings Grove Cemetery located near Pelion on Hwy 178. Thomas is buried next to his wife Theoxena "Locky" Spires.

Theoxena's name was spelled incorrectly on the the 1880 census as Henry Spire's seven year old daughter Ceoxeny. In later records with Thomas Blizzard her name was spelled Lockie. Her tombstone at Kings Grove Cemetery just has L. A. Blizzard. In the same 1880 census just below Henry's household is Hambleton Spires. Another typo. That is clearly Hamilton with his second wife Elizabeth and 24 yr. old daughter Emma by his first wife. I would question the spelling of other names written by that census taker as well.

James "Thomas Arthur" Blizzard and "Locky" Spires were the parents of Lula, Clifton, Clayton, Sudie, and their youngest child, Purvis Grady Blizzard, Sr. Lula married Joseph Lucas and named a son Sylvanus. Purvis is a form of Pervez, a name found in India. Purvis married "Nettie" Pool. Their children were Purvis Grandy Blizzard, Jr, Tillman Arthur Blizzard; Brenda Lee Blizzard Tindal; and Anita Blizzard Williamson.

The Pool Family

Our first proven Pool in South Carolina was Isaac Pool who came to Orangeburg Territory, at the Forks of the North Branch of the Edisto River, on land bought by Walter Pool in 1794. Haplogroup I1 y-DNA has proved Isaac’s parents were Walter Cooper Pool and his first wife Lucy Dukes, with siblings William, Adam, Walter, Jr. and James Thomas. The proven DNA descendants of Walter “Cooper” Pool, son of William “The Joyner” Pool and his second wife Elizabeth Watson are: Isaac, Walter, Jr. and Adam.

Another or the same lineage had Adam Pool with a son named William Pool born in 1703 was I1-yDNA. This William was also living in Lexington District, South Carolina, born 1703 in Prince George County, Virginia, and he died in 1777 in Lexington. He was also said too have a son named Adam Poole, but this Adam went to Fairfield District. The G-yDNA and I-yDNA and J-mtDNA groups originated near the Garden of Eden and went to the Fertile Crescent of Turkey where my T2-mtDNA where developing into farmers, before going on to Eastern Europe.

Other South Carolina Pools whose descendants tested G1-yDNA, were James Pool born 1756, married Ursula Hudson, born 1762, Laurens, SC; and John Pool born about 1758 in Edgefield Dist., South Carolina and died 1839 in Alabama who married Mahulda Holloway. John was the son of William, son of Adam Pool born in England and died in South Carolina, according to some lineages.

The James and John Pool living in the Orangeburg District of the Edisto River, may be related to either William or Philip Pool. A map of the area is very hard to read, but was found by Pat Bonneau. James and John Pool on the map, may be the same James and John Pool above, who are later found in Laurens and Edgefield. The area of the Edisto River was in both Orangeburg District and Edgefield District at one time or another.

I have no idea if there is a relationship with German born Phillip Puhl in the Richland County and Isaac Pool in Charleston. Phillip died about 1775 in Sax-Gotha, Lexington County, may have been related to the elder Czech born Isaac Pool who died in 1813, and was buried in a Jewish cemetery in Charleston. This elder Isaac Pool is listed living next to Elias Pohl in the 1800 Charleston census.

DNA has proved that our Isaac Pool was the son of Ensign Walter “Cooper” Pool and his first wife Lucy Dukes. Walter was the son of William “The Joyner” Poole and Elizabeth Watson. Walter Pool of Ohio is a DNA match of our Isaac Pool, as well as other early Pools in Richland, Lexington and Aiken Counties.

There was a William Poole born before 5 October, 1759 and wife Nancy lived near Mary Poole, by the North Fork of the Edisto River, which is now Lexington County. In the 1840 census our Isaac was listed as 80-90 years old. In the 1850 Lexington Co, SC census William was 90 years old. Isaac married Keziah before 1799. Their son Walter married Elizabeth "Polly" Wells about 1820. Walter is on the 1840 census, with the 1850 and 1860 census record listing Polly and children, below on the Census link.

On the 1800 census Isaac is listed with John Williamson, Jacob Hutto, William Bryant, (Tillman's gg-great-grandfather) 2 Robert Gavins, and more you will recognize now as neighbors in Aiken and Lexington counties. Walter and Polly were the parents of blond haired, blue-eyed, Pvt. Tilman Pool I, of the C.S.A. Tilman's discharge paper is below in Misc. Records of the Blizzard and Pool Families.

Nancy "Nettie" Poole's sisters Olivia and Ivy, married brothers Fred and Willie Gunter, who descended from Balaam Gunter, son of Joshua Gunter, through Balaam's grandson Macom; so they also descended from the Emperor Charlemagne. I posted Fred and Willie's Gunter family census records online beginning with Balaam's son Wilson which will prove this line of descent.

Tilman Pool, Sr. had an illegitimate half-brother named Isicker called "Sick" Pool whose son Martin Walter Pool, had a daughter named Leila May Pool who married Clifton Henry Blizzard, son of Thomas A. and Lockey Spires Blizzard.

Both Tilman and Isicker had sons named Walter Pool in honor of their father Walter Pool. Tilman's son, Tillman II, married Dolly Ann Nettie Williamson, daughter of John T. Williamson and Sarah Bryant. John's father Samuel Williamson was born in North Carolina in 1792. Tillman Blizzard's mtDNA (Haplogroup H 11-mtDNA) is through his Irish grandmother Dolly Ann Nettie Williamson, daughter of John Williamson and Sarah Ann Bryant Williamson. Sarah was the daughter of Fountain Bryant (son of Darby Bryant aka O’Brian) and Elizabeth Overstreet daughter of John and Catherine Overstreet.

Tillman Pool II, and Dolly were the parents of Nancy "Nettie" Pool who married Purvis Blizzard, Sr. Since their son Tillman Blizzard looks like South Carolina FBI agent Melvin Purvis, Purvis is certainly a family name, however, I haven't discovered the connection yet.

I have no idea if Tillman Pool was related to the founder of Clemson College SC Gov. and US Sen. Benjamin Tillman, of Edgefield, or his brother US Congressman George Tillman of SC, but the name had to come from somewhere, so there may be a connection. The original English spelling of Tillman in the Domesday Book is Tilghman.

Tilman Pool married Tirzah Gunter who was of royal descent through her Gunter/Awbrey ancestors who were also ancestors of mine. Tilman and Tirzah lived near the North Fork of the Edisto River.

Royal Gunter Connections

You may wonder why being descended from royalty is noteworthy. Simply because they could read and write, and they kept genealogy records which allows us to trace our roots back to Biblical times, or the Pharaohs of Egypt. Or in the case of our Gunter line, the Emperor Charlemagne, and Clovis, King of the Franks. Many descendants of Charlemagne are those listed in Gunters Along the Edisto by J. H. Buff, Jr.

Mr. Buff interviewed me while we were living at the old home of Nettie Pool Blizzard in the 80's, but at that time I didn't know about the royal Gunter connection and neither did he. His book is full of information in the first edition, from John Gunter of Kintbury, ancestor of Joshua Gunter who came to South Carolina, to present day families in Aiken and Lexington Counties. I haven't seen the second edition, but Pat Bonneau told me there is one.

Although I am a South Carolina Pool in-law, I am also connected by blood as a descendant of Peter Gunter and Joan Awbrey of royal descent. They are ancestors of mine through my father, and of Tillman's through his mother's paternal grandmother, Tirzah Gunter, wife of Tilman Pool, 1st. It has been my ambition in doing Tillman's genealogy to prove my Thomas Gunter whose wife was of royal descent, was related to Tillman's Josuha Gunter family. Eventually I found the connection in the lineage of William Gunter at the USGenWeb page of Forsyth Co, Georgia, listing my Thomas as the brother of Tillman's ancestor Henry, sons of William Gunter and Elizabeth Gethin. Through the lineage of J. Art Gunter I found the missing link connecting Joshua Gunter to Sir Peter Gunter and Jane Awbrey of royal descent. In fact my father has a double line through two children of their son William, Sr. Gunter. So, I am descended from both William, Jr. Gunter and his sister Joan/Jane Gunter who married William Awbrey.

The Gunters were all born in Wales for almost five hundred years, beginning with Sir William I Gunter, knight, born about 1069 in Gunnerstone, Wales. Then our Gunter line moved to England in the 15th century and 200 years later, John Gunter, Pilgrim, sailed to America to make his home in Virginia.

Even though the Gunters were in Wales for almost 500 years, they were not native to Wales. The Welsh did not use surnames. Sir Peter Gunter, went to England from France with William the Conqueror and ended up in Wales. Sir Peter's wife Jane Awbrey was descended from Clovis, King of Franks and Charlemagne Emperor of Europe. His descendant Joshua Gunter, a Rev. War soldier from Virginia, came to South Carolina. Joshua and his father John Gunter each are listed as the earliest ancestor of men tested at Family Tree DNA. Both men are Haplogroup R1b1-yDNA which is a very old, European DNA. Haplogroup R yDNA is in fact, the foundation of most yDNA.

Joshua Gunter was born in Virginia and died in Lexington, South Carolina. Joshua married Keziah Banks who was also born in Virginia. Nettie Pool was the granddaughter of Tirzah Gunter, daughter of Elizabeth Wilson and Russell Gunter, son of Joshua Gunter. Russell married Elizabeth Wilson according to the Lexington Historical Society records I found at the Lexington County Library about 1992. I know everyone else has her name as Elizabeth Nelson, but I believe it was read incorrectly and repeated by everyone, because the Historical Society record I read in Lexington clearly stated Wilson.