Aaron Simpson-4 During the Revolution

John Simpson-1; Richard-2; George-3; Aaron-4; Enoch-5

According to his pension, AARON SIMPSON-4 enlisted in the Revolutionary forces in the fall of 1776, and served until December, 1777, as a private in Captain Thomas Pollard’s Company. Earlier and later tax records in Fairfax listed the majority of the SIMPSONs living in the district of “Captain Thomas Pollard.” We assume that this was the same Thomas Pollard also mentioned in HENRY WISHEART’s will. HENRY WISHEART was a neighbor of the SIMPSONs, and AARON-4 would later marry his daughter, CHARLOTTE. Two of AARON’s brothers would marry CHARLOTTE’s two sisters.

Thomas Pollard and his brother, William, were brothers of Jane Pollard Dandridge, the widow of the very wealthy spendthrift, Nathaniel West-Dandridge. They were the children of Joseph Pollard, Clerk of Goochland County. After Dandridge’s death, Jane was contemplating marriage to Thomas Underwood, and executed a deed of trust to Thomas and William Pollard to hold lands in trust, and relinquished her dower interest in Thomas Underwood’s estate. She left the lands she held in fee simple to her sisters, Frances Rogers, Elizabeth Meriwether, Millie Pendleton, Sarah Pendleton, and Anne Taylor, and her niece, Elizabeth Johnson. [Virginia Migrations: Hanover County, Virginia, pg. 90.]

An article, “The Pollard Family” taken from Genealogies of Virginia Families, Volume IV, Broderbund Software, Inc. Family Tree Maker, March 3, 1998, states “in an account taken from the Bible now in the family, recorded in the handwriting of the late venerable Judge Pendleton, who at his death,….October 26, 1803, in his eighty-third year…” [Pg. 130.] “Thomas Pollard, born September 30^th, 1741, is nearly 73. He rode on horseback from Kentucky, a year or two ago, and means to return shortly.”

AARON-4 was also a volunteer under the command of Colonel Peter Waggoner. He had been stationed in Colchester and Alexandria and marched to Mt. Vernon, Georgetown, Maryland, Fredericktown, Little York, and Lancaster, Pennsylvania. His commanding officers were Colonels Rumly, Colpin, and Major James Ren. He was also, at one point, under the command of General George Washington, himself.

AARON-4 was discharged in the vicinity of Philadelphia and during the time he served, he was discharged home several times and then called back.

Serving with AARON was Moses Simpson, and several of his cousins. CHARLOTTE applied for a widow’s pension and this Moses, living then in 1832 in Guilford County, North Carolina, wrote an affidavit for the claim detailing their services together and separately. Moses said he served “seven marches” with AARON-4. One source says that this Moses Simpson was “the son of a Moses and Margaret Simpson from Anne Arundell County, Maryland, who didn’t come to Guilford County, North Carolina, until about 1800,” but the author thinks that the Revolutionary pension application does not substantiate this theory. The author believes that this Moses was a cousin of AARON’s. More specifically, Erick Montgomery thinks that this Moses is the Moses-son-of-William Simpson, who was the son of Thomas Simpson, Carpenter. Baxter, a son of Thomas Simpson, lived in Fairfax as well. We can eliminate several of the men named Moses Simpson as this man. We know he was not Moses-3-brother-of-GEORGE-3, or Moses-5-son-of-AARON-4, so it is likely he was a cousin, because another affidavit with AARON-4’s pension by Thomas Garrott, dated May, 1843, states that Thomas had known Moses Simpson, of Guilford County, North Carolina, formerly of Fairfax, for over 43 years. Thomas Garrott, born about 1775 in Fairfax, had married Susan Simpson, daughter of William Simpson of Fairfax, and moved to Caswell County, North Carolina, about 1800. Apparently, this Moses, and Thomas Garrott, had come to Caswell from Fairfax about the same time AARON did. Thomas Garrott, according to Erick Montgomery, married Susan, daughter of William and Jane Wisheart Simpson.

Moses’ affidavit reads in part:

January 1843, personally appeared before me, Francis L. Simpson [his son] a Justice of the Peace in and for the County of Guilford and State aforesaid [North Carolina] Moses Simpson, a resident of Guilford County, and maid [sic] oath in due form of law that he was well acquainted with Aaron Simpson from his youth until his death and that he entered in the army with him in the service of the United States in the fall of the year 1776 the precise time not recalled and as a volunteer and served personally with him seven campaigns in Capt. Thomas Pollard’s company under Col. Pete Waggoner first campaign marched from home to Colechester, Virginia stationed there and time of May not recalled. Second Campaign from thence to Alexandra Virginia now the district of Columbia, stationed there time not remembered. Third campaign from thence to Colechester Virginia there stationed time not recalled, fourth campaign from thence to Alexandria stationed there time not remembered fifth campaign from thence to Mount Vernon the residence of General George Washington there stationed time not remembered sixth campaign from thence to Alexandria Virginia at which time and place two British Men of War lay anchored in the river Potomac at the town of Alexandria and by the name of Roebuck name of the other not recalled; seventh campaign from thence for the city of Philadelphia and ther joined the continental army at head quarters under the command of General George Washington there stationed for three months then and there discharged in the month of December 1777.

The first governor of North Carolina was Richard Caswell, who was a resident of Orange County from about 1746 onward. He was a leader prior to the Revolution and was decidedly against the regulators in North Carolina prior to the actual revolution. He was a general officer in North Carolina in the Revolution itself and was a very popular officer. He was a general at the defeat at Camden with General Gates. Caswell County was named for him. AARON and several of his brothers would move to Caswell County.

GEORGE SIMPSON-3 died at the conclusion of the Revolution on November 18, 1782. He and SUSANNAH had been married nearly 40 years. He left SUSANNAH their plantation and the use of four slaves. He states in his will that he had already given portions to the married daughters and that sons, William-4, AARON-4, James-4, Joseph-4, and Richard-4, should have their part. These last five sons were probably still partly or fully dependent upon the nuclear family for support, though they were adult men at this time. We know that AARON-4 was not married at the time his father died. The Wolf Run Plantation was to be divided between four of GEORGE-3’s children. His brother, Moses-3, son, AARON-4, and son, Richard-4, were to be executors. For some reason that we can’t see now, the estate was not completely settled until September 21, 1824, when the “final report” was sent to the court “as formerly settled.” We don’t know if it was a clerical error or if some of the heirs wanted to make sure that it was all divided, or if somehow, SUSANNAH lived to be over 100 years old! The total estate amount was more than 1,000 English pounds in value, plus the land and the slaves. Obviously, GEORGE had done well for himself. [Fairfax County, VA, Will Book D, page 292.]

In the county court of Fairfax, the 20^th Day of December 1825, On the motion of Charles Ford administrator de ___now of George Simpson dec’d, Robert Ratcliffe being first sworn according to law is appointed to settle the estate account of the said decdent with the adm and make report to the court. [signature of clerk unreadable.]”

The Estate of George Simpson dec’d Dr.

To cash paid Jacob Edwards on ___ account [in pounds] . 6 0 42

to 124 lbs tobacco paid Francis Coffer on ditto at 12/6 16 6

Cash paid Richard Wheeler ditto 1 19

Ditto Baxter Simpson ditto etc etc.

The rest of the names of moneys paid to are: Richard Ratcliff, Sheriff, Benjamin Suddath, Richard Simpson, Shaddrack Green, Lancelott Beckwith [later entries list him as L. Beck,] John Hough, Joseph Banett, Philip Langfit, William Simpson, John Simpson, Edward Ford, John Tiller[?] Thomas Langster, Richard Ratcliffe, Benjamin Thomas, Francis Hune, John Sutton, Moses Simpson, Robt Marshall, George Simpson, Joseph Simpson, “Amount of legacy willed and delivered 223 pounds 19 shillings and 2 ¾ pence. Then the statement “Susannah Simpson the widow as ____ acct L 190.2.4 Then William Simpson as per rect 50 pounds, Richard Simpson exor in his right 25 pounds, Aaron Simpson 75 punds, George Simpson 27 pounds, James Simpson 32, Joseph Simpson 50, Mary Marshall and husband 50 pounds,

GEORGE’s brother, Moses-3, died in January, 1787, not too many years after GEORGE-3, and left most of his property divided among GEORGE’s-3 sons, and their brother, Richard-3’s sons, and other nephews and nieces, freed four of his slaves, provided they worked for the family, and named AARON-4 executor.

Aaron-4 & Charlotte Wisheart Simpson

John Simpson-1; Richard-2; George-3; Aaron-4; Enoch-5

GEORGE SIMPSON-3 petitioned for a license to build a mill on Wolf Run in May, 1771. His brother, Moses-3, built one on Sandy Run in August, 1772. [Fairfax County, VA, A History.] Moses-3 apparently died without children, and left his estate to his nephews. GEORGE-3 lived long enough to see the Revolution almost over. He died in Fairfax about 1782. At least two of his sons, AARON-4 and Moses-4, fought in the Revolution, so we can know that his sympathies were with the rebels.

The year after GEORGE-4’s death, AARON SIMPSON-4 and CHARLOTTE WISHEART were married on May 25, 1783. They remained in Fairfax County and started raising a family. Sometime about 1797, they decided to move to North Carolina, where their cousins had already been living since 1751. The two must have been fairly comfortable, he having inherited a reasonable estate from his father and uncle, and she having inherited slaves and cash from her deceased father, HENRY WISHEART. They were not so wealthy that they led a life of ease, we may be sure, but were certainly better off than most of the yeoman class. CHARLOTTE had slave women to help her with the many tasks of child rearing and housework, and AARON had help in the fields with the crops. Only a very rich man could afford an overseer, so AARON probably worked in the fields beside his hands.

Many Virginia lands were becoming worn out and the price of tobacco had cheapened due to the large number of slaves available to produce bumper crops. Even slave owners, such as AARON, were having trouble making a living in Virginia. [Fairfax County, Virginia---1649-1800. pg., 30.] The additional task of finding farms and plantations for his sons as they matured necessitated finding better and cheaper lands.

The 1790 United States Census for Fairfax is lost, but is somewhat replaced by the 1787 tax list for Fairfax County. AARON-4 had no military-age young men in his household, but had seven slaves, two horses, and ten head of cattle. AARON-4 was also listed as paying the poll tax for a man named Lawrence King. We have no idea who this Lawrence King was, unless he was either a poor relation, an overseer for the slaves, or a school master for the children. We know that at least some of AARON’s children were basically literate. There were no public schools available to the planters at this time, so all education of their children must be either by sending the children away to boarding school, or to teaching them at home. Some planters employed school masters or tutors for their children. Others did not educate their children at all in reading and writing.

The Simpsons

John Simpson-1; Richard-2; George-3; Aaron-4; Enoch-5; Mary Ann-6

Richard Edmund Johnson-4

RICHARD EDMUND “Dick” JOHNSON-4, the oldest son of AUSTIN JOHNSON-3, and his two sisters, grew up in Sumner County after his mother’s death. According to oral history collected by Erick Montgomery, they lived some of the time with their grandparents, the Reverend RICHARD JOHNSON-2 and his wife, LUCY. Estate accounts show that they had some education paid for from the legacy left to them by their uncle, Edmund Corley. [Estate #680, Austin Johnson, Sumner County, TN.] According to the testimony of RICHARD E. JOHNSON in the SIMPSON-Turner lawsuit [Lawsuit #13467] at the time of the death of James H. Turner, which would have been prior to RICHARD’s marriage, he was living with his sister Martha and her husband, James H. Turner, and had been there about a month prior to the death of James. He was also present at the last illness and death of James Turner.

RICHARD EDMUND JOHNSON-4 married MARY ANN SIMPSON, the daughter of a neighbor, ENOCH SIMPSON, and his wife, ELIZABETH CARTER SIMPSON, on August 16, 1842, just a few years before AUSTIN’s death. AUSTIN JOHNSON’s two older daughters also married into this family, with Martha Johnson Turner marrying RICHARD’s father-in-law, ENOCH SIMPSON, and the other sister marrying the brother of RICHARD’s wife.

MARY ANN SIMPSON, was the sixth generation in line of descent from seventeenth-century settlers to Stafford County, Virginia, on lands now found in Fairfax County. Her family emigrated to Virginia from Scotland, and from Virginia into North Carolina. The SIMPSONS were fairly late arrivals in Sumner County, Tennessee, coming there in the mid-1820s. MARY ANN’s father, ENOCH SIMPSON-5, was born November 1, 1797, in the part of Orange County that became Caswell County, North Carolina. Orange County was located just south of the Virginia border, about one-third of the distance west of the coast at that time, and was the parent county for several counties, including Caswell. ENOCH was one of the 11 children of a Revolutionary Soldier, AARON SIMPSON-4, and his wife, CHARLOTTE WISHEART. Both RICHARD E. JOHNSON and MARY ANN SIMPSON-6 were grandchildren of Revolutionary soldiers.

“Family tradition,” as quoted in the Caswell County Heritage volume, states “Tradition says that Capt. Richard Simpson’s ancestor [who would have been MARY ANN’s ancestor as well] owned a seagoing vessel that was used for transporting immigrants from England and Scotland to Virginia, and for transporting tobacco and brandy on return trips to Europe.” No documentation to support this had been found, but we do know that the SIMPSONS were originally Scots. JOHN “The Scotsman” SIMPSON was apparently the first of this line to come to America.

JOHN SIMPSON-1 was born sometime between 1645 and 1660, and came to the colonies at least by 1678. He may have been imported earlier as a head right. A “head right” was the term used to describe the right to 50 acres of land for each settler imported. In order to encourage settlment in the Virginia Colony, the Virginia Company at first gave 100 acres for each settler imported. The person who paid the way for the settler was entitled to the “head right.” Later, this was changed to 50 acres of land. The person had to spend three years, or die in the colony to entitle the person to the head right. George Brent may have been entitled to JOHN SIMPSIN’s head right. The the exact conditions of JOHN’s importation aren’t known for sure. We do know, however, that he was in Virginia by 1678 in Stafford County when he received a land patent. His arrival most likely predated the 1678 date. We know his wife, MARY, was imported to the colonies and he claimed land for her transportation. He also imported others for whom he claimed lands. He didn’t claim any lands for his children, so we may assume that they were born in the colony of Virginia. His son, John-2, deposed that he was born about 1680, and was raised on a plantation called Woodstock, owned by George Brent.

JOHN’s land patent lay near some of George Brent’s lands. He may have also worked as an overseer for Brent’s plantation. George Brent was a royalist son of George Brent of Gloucestershire, England, and Marianna Peyton, daughter of Sir John Peyton of Dodington, Cambridgeshire, and came to Virginia about the year 1650, where he settled in Stafford County. He secured large grants of land, including the estates named Woodstock and Brenton. He was a Roman Catholic and King James II granted him and his associates the free exercise of their religion. He was an agent for Lord Fairfax, a member of the House of Burgesses for Stafford County in 1688, the surveyor for Stafford County, and a partner in the practice of the law with William Fitzhugh. In 1683, he was appointed receiver general north of the Rappahannock. He had patented lands there November 18, 1677, and renewed his grant by the Proprietor January 28, 1694/5 [OS/NS.]

In 1688 and 1689, there were wild rumors about Catholics inciting Indian uprisings. This caused quite a bit of danger for George Brent, but he was protected by William Fitzhugh, one of the richest and most powerful men in the colony. George Brent died about 1694.

The Scots

Scotland, unlike Ireland, shares the same island with England. Scotland contains two distinct groups of people. The Highland Scots, a race of fierce, war-like clans living in the Highlands, who are almost racially identical with the Irish. The Lowland Scots are a mixture of races, more racially-akin to the British subjects south of Scotland. The “Borderers,” or people who lived along the Scots-English border, were generally of the same stock as the “Lowland Scots,” regardless of whether they called themselves “English” or “Scots.” Simpson is probably a Lowland-Scot name, rather than a Highland one, but it is a patramonic name meaning “Son of Simon.” It can be spelled as Simson as well as Simpson. The Highland Scots were usually Catholic and the Lowlanders were more frequently Presbyterian, Baptist, or Quaker.

The native peoples there were known in ancient times as the Caledonians and Picts, and along the coasts, there was Norse blood mixed into the stew that comprised this hardy race of people.

For many centuries, the Scots and English were constantly at war. The resident Celts didn’t take kindly to the forcible infusion, by England, of still another group, the Flemings from Flanders [Belgium.]

In 1502, King James IV of Scotland married Mary Tudor, daughter of Henry VII of England, and sister of King Henry VIII. A hundred years later, the issue of this marriage would unite under one crown the two kingdoms of Scotland and England, in the body of King James VII of Scotland, who became King James I of England.

The religious reformation of the sixteenth century spread the doctrines of Presbyterianism. George Fox [Quakers] and the Puritans also desired to reform the established church. The Scots, especially in the lowlands, gladly received the new doctrines to replace the Catholic dogma that had, at that time, degenerated, with the illiterate, immoral priests. There was a great awakening of men’s souls. The counter reformation by Jesuit priests coming into Scotland and teaching anew the Catholic doctrine kept the Highland Scots mostly loyal to the Catholic Church.

James VII of Scotland became James I of England after the death of Queen Elizabeth. Noteworthy to James’ reign was the King James Bible translation and his son, Charles I, the first king of England to be executed by his subjects.

After Charles I’s execution, during Cromwell’s rule, Charles II had sworn a Covenant with the Scots to secure their support in his bid to assume his dead father’s throne as king in place of Cromwell’s rule. Charles’ Scots army marched, but Cromwell had raised an army of 16,000 Englishmen. Cromwell’s force prevailed.

After Cromwell’s death, Charles II eventually gained his father’s throne and became king of England. Several men named Simpson were in the Scots Parliament from the years 1571 to 1645, but only one surnamed Simpson served from 1645 to 1667.

Compared to England, Scotland was extremely poor. The harsh climate, thin soil, social system, and constant strife, all conspired to make Scotland a difficult place in which to make a living. As a consequence of the political and religious strife, as well as poverty, Scotland’s population remained stable for centuries. Scotland was a country in which there was little security from war and pestilence. Many young men left Scotland seeking better opportunities in other countries and in the colonies. Perhaps JOHN SIMPSON-1 was one of these.

We don’t know what part of Scotland JOHN-1 came from, or if his family went to France before coming to Virginia. The records frequently designate him as “John the Scotsman Simpson,” which makes it easy to distinguish him in some records. Since JOHN-1 came so early to the colonies, he probably had not sojourned in Ireland prior to coming to Virginia. A few of the Scots-Irish came before 1713, but most came later. Those Scotsmen coming to the colonies prior to the early 1700s usually came directly from Scotland to America.

JOHN SIMPSON-1 was one of the earlier settlers in Overwharton Parish, Virginia. The parish contained the same lands as the county of Stafford. It was created in 1666 out of Westmoreland, extending to the Blue Ridge Mountains, being the frontier county, about 24 miles wide, south and west of the Potomac River. It contained what is now Prince William, Loudoun, Fairfax, Alexandria, and part of Fanquiar Counties. The lands JOHN-1 patented fall into the portion that is now Fairfax County, and lie under the city of Alexandria, near the coast. George Brent’s plantation called “Woodstock” was not very near these lands, however, and is in what is now Stafford County.

JOHN SIMPSON-1 is mentioned in the “Great Hunting Creek Land Grants” in 1678 as having been granted 627 acres of land, along with a partner, John Carr. He may have acquired the land only in order to resell it, or he may have also planted and improved at least some of it. Other grants in that area had been made 20 or 30 years previously, but the land was still a wilderness when JOHN-1 settled there. He and his partner had transported 13 people, probably indentured servants, in addition to their families, at their expense in order to receive the land patents.

This same land was re-patented in January, 1694/5, to JOHN SIMPSON-1, and John Carr was only mentioned as one of the original patentees. Apparently, the original title was not good, because the man who granted the original patent did not have the right to do so. Margaret, Lady Culpepper, and Thomas, Lord Fairfax, stated in the second patent that JOHN SIMPSON had brought in the original patent issued by Herbert Jefferies “who had no right to do so.” John Carr had sold his piece of the original patent and JOHN SIMPSON reissued deeds to those buyers. George Brent also re-patented several pieces of his previously-patented lands in January 1694/5, the same day JOHN re-patented his. [Mitchell, Beginning at a White Oak, pg. 317.]

Herbert Jefferies originally granted the lands both to JOHN SIMPSON-1 and his partner, Carr, and to Brent. Jefferies, who was governor of the colony, had granted the lands under seal of the colony, and later, the Proprietors reissued patents. George Brent and William Fitzhugh were agents of the Proprietors. Fitzhugh was one of the “big wigs” of the colony and owned a great deal of land. Herbert Jefferies died December 17, 1678. He was replaced by Sir Henry Chichely, who acted as Deputy Governor until Culpepper arrived.

During these years, the price of tobacco had plummeted because of over production and decreased and restricted markets. The planters were upset with the government and with their own economic problems. They were continually on the verge of revolt. [Virginia Chronology, pg. 32-33.]

JOHN SIMPSON-1 and his wife, MARY, may have married in Scotland, as she was claimed as a head right by JOHN. He may have returned to Scotland to fetch her, or he may simply have sent for her. Apparently, their married life was spent in the colony. Their children were probably all born in the colony.

John-2, the son of JOHN-1 and MARY, gave a deposition that he was raised on a plantation named “Woodstock.” He was born about 1680, and died about 1757. He mentioned that his father “served his time” with George Brent. There is controversy over the exact meaning of these words. Did JOHN-1 come as an indentured servant of Brent’s, and therefore serve time as an indentured servant? Was Brent a militia officer under whom JOHN served, as all able-bodied men in the colony must do? Some lawsuits concerning deeds refer to George Brents as “Captain Brents.” Was JOHN-1 a hired overseer for George Brent, whose property was located “next door” to JOHN’s Great Hunting Creek Grant of 1678?

Children of John “The Scotsman” Simpson & Mary

1. Ann Simpson-2, born about 1689, married a man named Joseph Gist [Guess]. In her eighties, she signed an affidavit about some land, giving her age, so we may be reasonably sure of the year of her birth.

An article in Tyler’s Magazine concerned a deposition by Ann Simpson Gist which was taken at the house of John Gist in Loudoun County, Virginia, May 23, 1769. “She sayeth that John Simpson of Stafford County who died about twelve years ago was the eldest son of John Simpson who was a Scotsman and the father to this deponent. That the two next eldest brothers of John Simpson and sons of the said John Simpson Scotsman died about 50 years ago [as well as she remembers] and that she understood that Henry Thompson by his last will and testament bequeathed 300 acres of land on Powell’s Creek, then in Stafford County, to the three eldest sons of the said John Simpson Scotsman. That the brothers and joint legatees with the first mentioned John Simpson died without claiming any part of the bequest and that the surviving brother John Simpson by deed gave the said 300 acres to James Haly, the present defendant.”

Some researchers have supposed that because Ann’s deposition was taken at the house of “John Gist,” that he was her husband. It is more likely the man was her son. There appears to be an earlier man, named Joseph Gist [Guess], who is her husband. They appear to have also had a son named Joseph Gist [Guess.]

Stafford County entries show Joseph Guess living adjacent to Thomas Simpson in 1715. [NNBk. 5:135, Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants 1694-1742, Gertrude E. Gray.] In November of 1715, Joseph Guess “of Stafford County” received 280 acres on East Run of Pohick adjacent Thomas Simpson, land Guess lives on. [MM Bk. 5:98] On February 26, 1738, Sampson Darrell of Truro Parish, Prince William County, leased Joseph Guess of same, plantation now in tenure of Joseph Guess, 200 acres for natural lives of Joseph Guess and Anne his wife. [Prince William Deed Book D:40-42.] The next year, Joseph Guess of Truro Parish, Prince William County, deeded to son, William Guess, a Negro slave named Catherine and also all coopers, carpenters, joiner, and other handicraft tools. The date was October 10, 1739. On March 24, 1739/40 [OS/NS] Anne Guess was administratrix of Joseph Guess.

A land-record entry for Joseph Gist in 1760 [twenty years after the death of Anne’s husband] shows him giving up his lease-hold rights to a lease for 30 pounds on Dogue Run. The land was owned by Sampson Darrrel. George Washington bought the land and the lease. This Joseph is probably a son of the earlier man. Other patents and deeds mention Simpson family lands near the lands of the Darrell family.

2. John Simpson-2, the oldest son, born about 1680, died about 1756 [see above]. Some published research states that John-2, son of JOHN SIMPSON-1, was the person who re-patented the 627 acre grant, but the wording of the grant makes clear that the same person who originally patented it was re-patenting it, because of a title problem. Because of that supposition, earlier researchers assumed that JOHN-1 must have died prior to 1694/5, which is not the case.

Catherine Halley deposed in Fairfax County “that she well remembers that John Simpson [ junior] did intermarry with this deponents mother and that she lived with him for many years, during which time she frequently heard the said John Simpson say that he had two brothers, one by the name of Thomas, the other George, and that they both were dead and RICHARD SIMPSON was the youngest brother and the only one then living.”

Catherine Halley was nee Catherine Jefferies, the daughter of Thomas Jeffries and his wife, Silent Bryant. After Thomas Jeffries’s death, his widow, Silent, married John Simpson, Jr.-2., who was the son of JOHN SIMPSON-1, “the Scotsman.”

3. Thomas Simpson-2, was born about 1682. He died in what was then Prince William County and recorded a will October 13, 1734. It stated he was a carpenter and named his children, William Simpson-3, Baxter Simpson-3, [born after 1713] Thomas Simpson, Jr.-3 [born after 1713], Mary Simpson-3, who married a Woodward, Ann Simpson-3, and his wife, Jane, who was listed in his will as “mother-in-law” to his daughter Mary. [Step-mother] He mentioned that Baxter-3 and Thomas-3 were not of age, and that Ann-3 was daughter of his widow, Jane. He left a total of about 800 acres of land and several slaves to his wife and children, as well as livestock, and household goods. Apparently, the family had prospered in the colony. His son, Baxter-3, would later move to what would become Fairfax County, near other Simpson families, he was listed there on the 1787 tax list. [Prince William Co., VA Will Book C, pg. 269 & 16 -18.] [Dorman, pg. 2 and pg. 63.]

4. George Simpson-2, was born about 1684 and died before 1756. His wife’s name was Margaret. He was mentioned in Catherine Halley’s deposition.

5. RICHARD SIMPSON-2, the youngest son, according to Catherine’s deposition, was born about 1692, about six years before his father died in Stafford County, Virginia. He would become the ancestor of the author. He married SARAH “Barker,” a widow.

6. There may have been an infant, Elizabeth-2, born to JOHN-1 and MARY, who died as a young child. A tombstone has been found in the vicinity with the inscription “Here lies ye body of Elizabeth Simson, dtr. of John Simpson. Departed this life March ye 14, 1698, borne July the 27, 1695.” Whether this was our JOHN and MARY’s daughter is unknown.

7. Jane Simpson-2, born before 1680, probably one of the older children of JOHN-1. There are records, only recently found, indicating that there were two other daughters, heretofore unknown to Simpson researchers. Mary Greg cites Stafford County, Virginia, Deed & Will Book Abstracts 1809-1810 by Ruth & Sam Sparacio, which also contains a few abstracts from 1680 and Stafford County Wills & Deeds 1785-1787. In the Stafford County Court Orders for 1680, page 24 [45] in a deed from Jno Simpson of Aquina in Stafford County gives to his “daughter Jane Simpson” a heifer. Witnessed by Robert Franklin.

8. Mary Simpson-2, born before 1680, also one of the older children of JOHN-1. On this same page of the above referenced book, Thomas Maull of Aquina, in Stafford County, Virginia, “in consideration of the good will and affection which I have to and for Mary Simpson, daughter of Jno Simpson of ye county aforesaid,” gave her a heifer. Robert Franklin was also witness to this deed. None of the current researchers known to the author knows who this Thomas Maull is, and a thorough search of available records has failed to turn up any other mention of him. These references do appear to be daughters of our JOHN SIMPSON-1. At this early date in colonial history, however, the gift of a heifer was a rare and worthy gift, usually reserved for a child or grandchild, a well beloved niece or nephew, or a very close friend.

The same reference also lists the recording of the cattle ear mark for Jane Simpson daughter of JOHN SIMPSON-1, and for JOHN SIMPSON-1, himself.

These references would seem to indicate that there may have been other children that we were not heretofore aware of. Whether these two girls lived to adulthood is unknown. Since we find no more references to them, it is possible that they did not survive.

JOHN SIMPSON-1 lived on Aquina Creek, in what was then Stafford County, where he patented another 100 acres in 1698, shortly before he died. That land today is located in Fairfax County, Virginia, and lies under the city of Alexandria. There was a lawsuit in Stafford County, December 12, 1698, against the estate of “John Simpson, Deceased.”

According to Beginning at a White Oak Tree, a compiled listing of the patents and Northern Neck Grants of Fairfax County, Virginia., the land originally patented by JOHN SIMPSON-1, and John Carr, was “next door” to some of the lands of George Brent. Those lands now lie under “downtown Alexandria,” Virginia, very close to the ocean. Later-patented lands taken up by the SIMPSONS lie more inland and are joining Halley claims, and more or less, circling the lands of a man named Parsons.

Early Virginia laws on inheritance were different from the laws of other colonies. If a man died intestate [without a will], his lands might go to the oldest son or other “heir at law” entailed. If a man owned lands, he might will some of them to anyone he chose, if he made a will, and pass them in fee simple. Entailed lands might keep a man from mortgaging or selling an estate, and could cause problems. Lands owned by someone without heirs, would escheat, or return to the Proprietors or the colony, which would then re-grant the lands.

In England, if a man’s lands were entailed, and he were convicted of treason, or any other crime against the State that would result in forfeiture of his lands to the Crown, his estate was protected. If lands were not entailed, the State could seize them if he were convicted of treason. Entails could be broken, but at great cost and trouble.

We have no records of JOHN SIMPSON-1 making a will, or of his estate. A surviving widow would receive one-third [if there were children] or one-half [if there were no children] of her husband’s lands as a “dower” estate. This consisted of a life-estate in the lands [in some cases she lost this if she remarried, in some cases not.] She might also receive a “dower” in her husband’s personal property and/or slaves in fee simple. This varied from time to time, depending upon whether or not the slave was at that particular moment considered personal property or real estate. Virginia’s lawmakers changed their minds several times about this. [Salmon, Women and the Law of Property in Early America.]

In 1691, Henry Thompson of Stafford County, relationship to JOHN SIMPSON-1 unknown, bequeathed 300 acres “lying on Powells Run to the three eldest sons now living of JOHN SIMPSON in Aquina Creek, Scotsman, to them and their heirs forever.” Why this man gave land to JOHN’s sons is unknown, but they were probably related. Another question arises from the wording of “now living”—does this mean that there were other sons deceased? For some reason, none of the boys claimed the land or divided it, and eventually, John Simpson, Jr.-2, as the last survivor of the three, transferred the lands to James Halley. Ann Simpson-2 Gist, JOHN’s daughter, and a sister to John Simpson, Jr.-2, made an affidavit that the land had been bequeathed to the three, and that John Simpson, Jr.-2, was the last survivor of the three. The Simpson and Halley families had intermarried along the way as well. The will, the affidavit, and the transaction, ties together JOHN SIMPSON-1, “THE SCOTSMAN,” “of Aquina Creek,” the Halleys, Ann Simpson-2 Gist, RICHARD SIMPSON-2 and several other loose ends. It leaves unanswered, though, why did Henry Thompson leave the boys the land? What was the relationship?

In addition to the land given to JOHN SIMPSON’s sons, Henry Thompson gave to “JOHN SIMPSON, SCOTSMAN, above said one broad cloth coat dark coloured one pair of pize breeches……I further give to JOHN SIMPSON above said one horse named Sprite Branded with the figure 4 upon the shoulder.” The gift of a horse at this early date was a princely gift. It surely denotes very close friendship between Mr. Thompson and JOHN, probably blood relationship, or possibly Henry was MARY’s father or brother.

Another small footnote along this line is the interaction of the two families in Prince William County records. [Prince William was cut from the precursor county of Stafford.] An order there in the County Order Book for 1759-62, pg. 101, mentions an order “that a dedimus issue to take the deposition of Richard Simpson de bene esse in the suit brought by James Haley against Richard Crupper.” The author is not sure about the details of this suit, but it underscores the connections between the families. [Dedimus--a writ empowering a private person to do some act in place of a judge. Brown, Lesley. The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. I, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1995. pg. 613.]

In 1724, there were about 650 families and about 100 communicants in the parish. One church, called Potomac, located nine miles south of the present Aquina Church, stood until torn down by the Federal Army during the Civil War. The Reverend Dr. Scott was rector as early as 1710, and stayed until he died in 1738. The Old Potomac Church records no longer exist. The earliest records known are the ones of Aquina Church beginning in 1757. It stood upon a high eminence, not very far from the main road from Alexandria to Fredericksburg. In 1838, it was deserted. Aquina Church was repaired after the Civil War.

Richard Simpson, Sr.-2

John Simpson-1; Richard-2; George-3

JOHN ‘The Scotsman” SIMPSON’s youngest son, RICHARD SIMPSON-2, the first generation of our SIMPSON family born in the colonies, was probably only a few years old when his father died about 1698. He may have been born as late as 1691, but probably not before his brothers were bequeathed the 300 acres of land. His mother, MARY, was probably still alive until at least the time his father died. RICHARD-2 was reasonably well provided for and, apparently, received a fair start in life. The family was reasonably prosperous, but did not provide an education for the children. He was illiterate, and signed with a mark. This did not preclude him from voting, however, since he was a freeholder.

One researcher states RICHARD-2 may have had an early marriage which produced no children. It appears, however, that this contention is an error and confuses another Richard, one in Maryland, with our RICHARD-2. We do know that he eventually married a young widow named SARAH Barker. She was born a few years before 1700. The name “Barker” was her previous husband’s surname, and we do not know her maiden name.

About 1724, they moved to the site that would become Fairfax County, Virginia, not far from where his father had lived. One of their sons, GEORGE-3, would become our ancestor. He was born possibly as late as 1724 to 1726. While we don’t have a definite and exact date of birth for GEORGE-3, we do have for his sister, Elizabeth-3, who was born in 1717.

The earliest purchase of lands by RICHARD-2 is for 100 acres bought from “John Parsons, tailor,” for 3,500 pounds of tobacco in “upper fork of South run Pohick bounded by the said run on each side, all that tract or parcell of land commonly called and known by the name of Chestnut Fork.” [Stafford Deeds 1722-28, pg. 199.] RICHARD-2 patented 300 acres, in what would later be designated as Fairfax, April 15, 1727 [Northern Neck Grants B:80 LS]. It was located on Wolf Run, Popeshead, adjacent John Waugh. On April 18, 1745, he deeded this land to Richard, Jr.-3, [Fairfax deeds A:355] who eventually sold it to Edward Emms for 20,000 pounds of inspected tobacco [Fairfax Deeds C:786] Mary, wife of Richard, Jr.-3, relinquished her dower. Very shortly after this date, Richard, Jr.-3, and his wife, Mary, moved to Caswell County, North Carolina.

Interestingly enough, John Waugh’s land was also adjacent to the lands of HENRY WISHEART, whose daughter, CHARLOTTE, would marry AARON SIMPSON after the Revolution.

Stafford County deeds also indicate that Anthony Lynch was an adjoining neighbor to the Chestnut Fork plantation. His son, John Lynch, sold these lands to Hugh West about 1741.

A neighbor, Robert Carter, called “King Carter, ” was a man of tremendous and shrewd business habits. He left over 300,000 acres of land when he died at age 69. He received grants for 26,000 acres in Fairfax County. He had some of the deeds listed in his son’s name [when the son was three years old!]. One of the deeds for a small piece of his holdings was for land bought in 1729. The tract was for 875 acres “Popeshead and Pohick adjacent Terence Byley.,” The deed also mentions Paynes Road and RICHARD SIMPSON-2’s lands.

On March 8, 1730/1 [OS/NS] land on “Poh ick branches adjacent Simpson, north of land on which he now lives,” 188 acres. He also bought 202 acres from Samuel Talbot April 17, 1759, “south run of Pohick adjacent John Parson” [Fairfax Deeds D:557] for 80 pounds money.

Fairfax County per se wasn’t actually established until 1742. Colonial Virginia statutes specified that each county would build a courthouse, one common gaol [jail], well secured, with iron bars, one pillory, whipping post, stocks, and a ducking stool. It also required 10 acres for exercise of the prisoners with good behavior. People placed in “gaol” for debts might have their wives and families come visit them, and bring food and clothing. They might walk about the 10 acres surrounding the jail. Long sentences in jail were not the usual punishment for crimes at that time. Prisoners might be kept in jail awaiting trial, or for debt. Usually a sentence for punishment would be whipping, branding, fines, extension of indenture, cutting-off-of-ears or hands. Crimes for which a free white man might be hanged were not usually handled at the local level. [Fairfax County, VA, a History.]

The county court was a major part of the colonial social life. It was the center of the Colonial government. English law and the order-of-things had been generally accepted in Colonial Virginia and government was arranged very much as it was in England’s counties. The courts also took care of many non-judicial aspects of colonial life.

The Established Church and its vestry also controlled things covered by county and state governments today, such as the care of the poor. Poor people were boarded in people’s homes and the vestry paid the people for boarding them. “Idiotic” children or adults might live with their families who would be paid by the vestry for keeping them.

The highest hierarchy of officers of the county court were the justices, later called magistrates or commissioners. The full title was Justice of the Peace. Today, in most places, this is almost an honorary title, with little authority outside of performing marriages.

The “Gentlemen Justices” were usually appointed for life and were generally of the aristocratic class. There was no compensation attached to the job, but Justices could be fined for not performing the duties associated with it. The appointments were almost hereditary, since, if a man died or was no longer able to function, usually one of his sons or relatives was appointed to fill his position. The Justices had a tremendous amount of power in the community, though they were not totally independent of supervision from above. Above them was the Assembly, Council, and Royal Governor. They usually had little or no training in the law, and settled cases more or less based on “instinct” for what was right and fair. Because things were done in open court, the people usually felt they could get a fair hearing. [Fairfax County, VA, a History.]

Any disruption or expression of disorder in the courtroom, or of disrespect for the court itself, was instantly punished, and sometimes, with great severity. The court routinely demanded and received deference. The court did not represent the people, but the court was a representative of the oligarchies who, in reality, ran Virginia, but it was what the people expected and was “the way things were at home.” [In England.] Stocks, whipping posts, and branding irons were still common-enough punishments for violating the community moral standards. Punishments were also different for different classes of people for violating the same law. At this time in history, people accepted the fact there was a caste system in society. All men were not created equal before the law, in either position or wealth, and no one expected that they should be. While improving one’s financial status could surely raise one in the eyes of the colonial community, the caste of birth was still more or less fixed.

The county jail, generally held people for petty offenses or debt. If a prisoner were incarcerated for debt or other petty crimes, it was usually up to his family to provide him with food and fuel for warmth. If a man really had no assets and was imprisoned for debt, this did not go on forever. When it was established that a man had no assets to squeeze out of him by imprisoning him, then he would be released. It was a sort of “bankruptcy court.” The purpose of imprisonment for debt was to encourage a person not to make debts he could not pay, and to keep deadbeats from refusing to pay if they could.

Jails at this time were usually more like stoutly-built barns, made of logs, than like houses. They might be one or two rooms, and would have provisions for locks. Many times the building of stout jails was neglected by the courts, and instances of the sheriff complaining to the courts about the poor quality of the buildings are found in court records.

Sentences for crimes or misdemeanors were usually fines. If the fines could not be paid, the prisoner might be whipped. Sometimes people were branded. One sentence that appears very harsh to us today was commonly given for theft and other such crimes. A man might be sentenced to have his ear, or ears, nailed to the pillory and would be given a set period of time to stand there with the nails through his ears. If the sentence were “light” he might have the nail pulled out, but if it was a “harsh” sentence, he would have the ear cut from his head to release him from the nail. Capitol crimes were usually not handled on a local level. If a person sentenced to be branded was of a higher class, they might be sentenced to be “branded” with a cold iron, where a poor man would have the iron heated red-hot. A man could also plead “benefit of clergy” if he could read [again, a class distinction] and might even get out of a “hanging offense” if he could quote the “neck verse” from the Bible. In England, the petty criminals soon caught on to this, and though they could not read or write, would memorize the necessary verses and when called upon, would “read” them from the Bible. Justice was not blind or equal, and few people expected that it should be.

Sentences for slaves or indentured servants were even harsher than for the lower classes of free whites. A slave who killed or severely wounded his master could expect to be burned to death, or hanged. A slave who killed or severely wounded another slave could expect anything from a severe flogging to hanging. If a slave was convicted of a capitol crime and sentenced to death, the county would reimburse the owner for the loss of his property. Usually, the testimony of a slave in court, even where the slave was the only witness, was only acceptable if the case involved another slave. By the 1800s, this would somewhat change in some parts of the South, but never entirely until after the Civil War.

The colony extended more opportunity than the motherland in rising above the station of birth, but few people actually expected to do so at this time in the history of the colony. Until the slave economy became prevalent, land was cheap and labor was dear, so that early in the history, there was more opportunity to rise economically. An indentured servant could sell his labor for enough to establish himself as a freeholder in very early Virginia. With the rise of slavery, in the mid-eighteenth century, competing against slave labor made this more difficult for the lower classes. Land prices had risen and the choicest lands were grabbed up by others. By the 1750s, the proliferation of slaves in the colony had decreased the value of the free-man’s labor to such a low standard that the free man had difficulty making a living, much less rising in prosperity or station. Those with social position or wealth to build upon, however, could rise dramatically in financial position. George Washington is a classic example of a man with a little social position and not much financial position, who rose in wealth and station by taking advantage of the times. He married the richest widow in Virginia and amassed huge tracts of land for his military and surveying exploits.

During the 1750s, in the Fairfax courts there were 188 cases of assault and battery, and 100 cases of women brought before the court for having bastard children. In some cases, the fathers of the bastard children were specified, and in others not. The women were fined up to 500 pounds of tobacco, had their indentures increased [usually by one year] and/or were given 25 to 50 lashes “well laid on” their bare backs. The whippings were not the punishment for the crime, but were because the “criminal” could not pay the fine. Five-hundred pounds of tobacco was a hefty fine and probably impossible for most women to pay. It would have been enough for a person to live on for one year. Premarital sex was not so much frowned on for moral reasons, but the court had an interest in not producing children which would be on the county dole. Women in more-affluent circumstances, who had families to provide for them and any illegitimate offspring, or who could pressure the man into marrying her, did not wind up at the whipping post. This was a post-Elizabethan and pre-Victorian era, and the people’s standards of morality were more or less “realistic,” rather than “moralistic.” Station in the community and/or financial status had great bearing in any sentences passed by the courts.

Virginia was ruled by a colonial gentry descended primarily from the “second sons” from England recruited by the Governor. There were many others who were prosperous planters, but were not among this “elite.” The SIMPSONS had probably risen to be among the prosperous planters who were not among the “elite.” They did vote as freeholders in the infrequent elections held for the Burgesses. Elections were held in 1742, 1752, 1755, 1758, and in 1771.

On court days or polling [voting] days, the people who could get away from home gathered at the courthouse. Outside the courthouse the county standard flew proudly from its flag staff, and the royal arms of England were emblazoned above the door. Court day was usually once a month. Farmers came with their produce to sell and the streets around the courthouse were thronged with all sorts of people, both on foot and on horseback. Cake sellers had tables in front of the courthouse and people running for any kind of office were almost required to buy cake and drinks for their supporters, although the law strictly forbade “buying drinks and votes.” Kind of reminds you of the way things are today, doesn’t it?

People attending elections were generally in a jolly mood. Each man would go up when his name was called and sign his name or make his mark underneath the list or “poll” of his candidate. The candidates were usually standing there thanking their supporters. If a candidate couldn’t be present himself, he would get one of his close friends to represent him and personally thank his supporters. There was no secret ballot. Sometimes elections became very heated. Local politics were taken very seriously by the community. [Fairfax County, Virginia---1649-1800.]

In one election in 1755, George Washington, later our President, argued with another man over the election and struck the other man with a stick and knocked him to the ground in the courthouse square. Later, Washington apologized to the man and avoided trouble which might have led to a duel. Since he voted in this election, we may wonder if our GEORGE SIMPSON saw this fight. [Americans]

In 1742, arrangements for the building of the new courthouse for the new county of Fairfax were made at “a place called Spring Fields... between the New Church and Ox road in the branches of Difficult Run, Hunting Creek and Accotinck.” This was probably a log building with rock or brick chimneys. No description exists today.

In his History of Truro Parish, Slaughter states,

Orders for Processioning: James Halley, Sen., and Moses Simpson between Occoquan, the Ox road and the county line. George Simpson and William Keen between the Ox road and the Blacklick road from the parish line down to the road that leads from Cameron by the Glebe to where it crosses the Pohic, below Robert Boggess’

“Processioning” was the colonial way of marking boundaries between adjoining land owners. The church vestry was responsible for this task within the parish. It was supposed to be done every four years, but the vestry was not always timely with processionings. When a time was set, however, each land owner had to be there or send a representative to literally march or procession around the lands. Trees were blazed or other landmarks noted and agreed upon. The lists that survive of these boundary markings give us a good idea of who lived near our ancestors and where their lands were located. Rivers and creeks were frequently noted in deeds or processionings.

The population of Fairfax County in 1749 was 1,947 tithables. The total population of an area was usually calculated at three times the tithable number. Fairfax encompassed both Truro Parish and Cameron Parish. Each parish had more than one church building. For some reason, though, Truro Parish required a much higher budget than Cameron. Truro had three churches, Pohick, Falls, and Rocky Run. There was a vestry house which was a fourth building to support. [Fairfax County, VA, a History]

Each tithable was assessed so many pounds of tobacco per tithable, per year. The church vestry decided what expenses would be, counted the tithables in the parish, and divided the one into the other, and came up with the per-head tax. A white male was a tithable when he reached age 16, slaves were counted at a set age regardless of sex. Widows were not counted, and white female servants were not counted, unless they were worked in the fields. An old or disabled man could be exempted from the head tax, as was a minister. The idea behind the tax of “tithables” was that a productive member of the labor force would be taxed. Non-productive members would not be taxed.

RICHARD-2 and GEORGE SIMPSON-3’s names are on the Fairfax voting lists for the 1744 election for the representatives for the House of Burgesses. George Washington, the future President of the United States, also worshipped at Truro Parish and voted there. George Washington was a vestryman and a member of the House of Burgesses as well. The other Simpson men that voted in that election were Robert Simpson, Baxter Simpson, Gilbert Simpson, and William Simpson They were classed with the planter class, well above the yeoman class of farmers, but not of the aristocracy. By this time, Virginia required ownership of either 25 acres of improved lands or 100 acres of raw lands in order to vote. [Fairfax County, VA, a History]

GEORGE-3 had patented 256 acres on “South Run of Pohick adjacent own land” November 14, 1741. In May, 1761, GEORGE-3 bought 182 acres on “southwest side South Run Pohick” from Catesby Cocke [Fairfax Deeds D:875.]

In 1752, the Fairfax Courthouse was moved to Alexandria, which was showing signs of becoming a major seaport. The county court remained there until about 1798 when it was moved to Providence. Fairfax, as a whole, experienced great growth during the 1750s. The population was about 5,500 in 1750, but rose to 7,600 by 1756, which was a 40% growth in six years. Loudoun County was split off from Fairfax lands due to the distance the citizens in the west had to travel to the county seat, and due to the increase in population in the area. [Fairfax County, VA, a History]

The children of Richard-2 and Sarah __?__Simpson

John “The Scotsman” Simpson-1; Richard-2; George-3

1. GEORGE SIMPSON-3, perhaps the oldest son, born about 1724, married SUSANNAH WHEELER. He died before November 18, 1782, in Fairfax County.

2. Captain Richard, Simpson, Jr.-3, was born about 1723 and married Mary Kincheloe. They moved to North Carolina in the 1750s. He died about 1786 in Caswell County, North Carolina. His only son, Richard Simpson-4, encouraged the migration of their Simpson cousins to North Carolina in the late 1700s and early 1800s.

3. Elizabeth Simpson-3, who may be the oldest child, was born 1717, she died July 22, 1785. She married James Halley, who may be the same man who received the 300 acres of land that Ann [Simpson-2] Gist’s affidavit referred to. They moved to Caswell County, North Carolina, as well.

4. Sary or Sarah Simpson-3, born about 1734 in Fairfax area, married John Thomas Windsor. There has been much published research on the descendants of this family, and the ancestors of the Windsor line who supposedly came from the family for whom Windsor Castle was named. This volume will not attempt to reproduce this research. However, those interested in this information may find it in almost any large genealogical library.

5. Mary Simpson-3, born about 1738, married Samuel Canterbury as her first husband, and Eli Cleveland as her second.

6. Moses Simpson-3, is sometimes confused with the Moses-4, son of William-3, son of Thomas Simpson-2. Moses-4 was born April 20, 1748. Moses-3, the son of RICHARD-2, died in Fairfax in 1787 and left his property, known as the Calico Tract, [Fairfax Wills E:184] to his nephews, George-4 and Joseph Simpson-4. In the 1782 census, he was shown as owning 37 slaves and as the only white person in the household. Also, he had 15 buildings of one sort or another on his property.

We don’t know if he married or had children, but apparently not. There were several men named Moses Simpson, so the records are somewhat confused. The author has not made any major attempt to straighten these lines out. His will, in Fairfax, Virginia, dated January 7, 1787, lists his nephews.

The life of the people in Virginia was governed by the seasons of planting and the rhythms of nature. Planting season for tobacco started shortly after Christmas, as early as the weather would allow. Seedbeds were prepared and the seedlings slowly sprouted. After five months, the plants were transplanted into the fields. Transplanting seedlings is what is referred to as “stoop labor” since it must be done stooping over, or on hands and knees. Once in the fields, the seedlings had to be kept weed-free by hoeing and cultivating until they were large. They required constant care and observation, so that the huge ugly tobacco worms did not devour them. The worms had to be hand-picked off the plants. These same green-horned worms infest many gardens today and devour the tomatoes. Then the harvest time came, which was another labor-intensive process. The tobacco cycle exercised a complete control over the lives of the Virginians.

White women were almost never worked in the fields during this period, even indentured servants. The women, though seldom worked in the fields, did not lead a life of leisure. Even “housekeeping” required so much manual labor that the women toiled even if they didn’t work in the fields. There was still the kitchen garden to tend, and clothing to produce, cows to milk, meat to slaughter and process.

The plantations grew the fibers for spinning and weaving into clothing for the family and for the slaves and servants. Flax plants were grown for linen and sheep were grown for wool, and later, cotton was grown. These were processed, spun into thread, and woven in the home for the family’s and the servants’ needs. If the family was wealthy, they might have materials for dress-up clothing imported from England. Even wealthy people in the colonies, though, did not have many changes of clothing as we do today. Clothing was an item of high value passed on in wills. Shoes and boots were made for the individual, but they were not made for left and right feet, but were more generic. Many people did not have shoes at all, but would use a rough form of moccasin. Good shoes were usually kept for ceremonial occasions. A pair of shoes cost more than a day’s labor for a common man.

Flax and wool were the principle fibers used for clothing before the Revolution. Cotton required too much hand labor to separate the lint from the seeds before the invention of the cotton gin in 1793. Though they were also labor intensive, flax and wool required less hand labor and the fibers were easier to prepare for spinning and weaving.

In addition to crop-calendar activities, the Christian calendar held influence in the community. Debts were settled and rents due on Lady Day [March 25], mid-summer’s day [June 24], Michaelmas [September 29], and Christmas Day. Many saints’ days, and other religious holidays were also celebrated. New Year’s Day was the day for gift giving in early Virginia, rather than Christmas as we do today. [Fischer, Albion’s Seed, pg. 370.]

RICHARD-2 and SARAH SIMPSON participated in this plantation and community life and lived to see their children grown and with families and plantations of their own. Several of the children settled around RICHARD and SARAH’s plantation, but others moved away to find new lands.

Richard Simpson, Jr.-3, called “Captain” Simpson, had received land grants and moved to Orange/Caswell County, North Carolina, about 1751, but the family continued to visit and maintain close ties. Captain Richard-3 Simpson’s son, Colonel Richard-4, [John “The Scotsman Simpson-1; Richard-2, Captain Richard-3; Colonel Richard-4] sold land to GEORGE-3’s sons and convinced many of them to move to North Carolina. Colonel Richard Simpson-4 eventually moved to Kentucky where he died. Their titles were probably related to militia service, but at this point we have no proof of that supposition.

The will of RICHARD SIMPSON-2 [Fairfax Will Book B, pg. 347] was dated September 19, 1761, and probated December 21, 1762, in Fairfax. RICHARD-2 was about 70 years old when he died. In the will, RICHARD-2 gave GEORGE-3 the land on which he lived, being part of two tracts, and he gave Moses-3 204 acres of land lying on the south run of Pohick that was purchased of Sam Tollburd. RICHARD-2’s son. Moses-3, later left this same land to GEORGE-3’s son, Richard-4. RICHARD-2 left the use of 12 slaves to his wife, “SARY” and gave two slaves outright to GEORGE-3, two each to Richard-3, Moses-3, Elizabeth-3, daughter Sary-3, and to Mary Canterbury, “in default of heirs to Elizabeth Halley and Sary Windser.” Grand-daughter Karen Happuch-4 [this was a given name, from the Bible] and Grandson George Windsor-4 received one Negro each.

RICHARD SIMPSON-2 owned about 25 slaves. Owning this large number of slaves meant he was quite affluent, though far below the huge wealth and number of slaves owned by the aristocrats, like George Washington, who owned nearly 200 slaves. Only about seven-percent of the people living in Virginia owned any slaves at all during this time-period. Most of those who did own slaves, owned only one or two. Very few slave owners owned six or more. If you use the number of slaves owned as a gauge of wealth, the number of slaves which RICHARD owned placed him in the top one-or two-percent of the wealthiest men in the colony at that time.

SARAH “Barker” SIMPSON also wrote a will, and it was probated in 1766 in Fairfax. SARAH had one son from her previous marriage, William Barker. Her will gave her son, Moses Simpson-3, a gold ring, and if he died without heirs, that ring was to go to Sarah Simpson-4, daughter of GEORGE-3. SARAH also left to granddaughter, Sarah Halley-4, the wife of William Wilkinson, a gold ring with the first two letters of her name engraved in it. Sarah Windsor and Sarah Simpson-4, the daughter of Richard Simpson, Jr.-3, each received a ring. She directed that her wearing apparel be equally divided between three granddaughters, with Elizabeth Halley getting first pick. She left GEORGE-3, Moses-3, and Richard-3 one shilling sterling each. To William Barker, “My well beloved son ... all and every part of my estate except those legacies above mentioned.” William Barker was the executor. The will was signed May, 1764. For whatever reason, RICHARD SIMPSON-2 had failed to mention his step-son, William Barker, in his will at all. SARAH apparently made up to some extent for this slight or oversight of her firstborn. [Fairfax Will Book B, page 418.]

What exactly it was that SARAH owned in fee simple which she could will to her son, William Barker, is unknown. She would have had a dower in her husband’s real property, [a life estate in one-third of it] but she couldn’t have willed that portion of the estate as it reverted to her husband’s heirs upon her death. If she had inherited lands, slaves, or other goods from her own family, she might have owned that property in fee simple, and thus have been able to will it to whom she pleased. She may also have received part of the personal estate of either her former husband or of RICHARD in fee simple and willed that. Virginia was one state in which the widow [at certain times] received part of the personal estate of her husband in fee simple as part of her dower.

Obviously, the family had prospered to the point they were relatively wealthy by the standards of the day. The bequests of the gold-initial mourning rings was common with the upper classes in that era. The bequest of clothing was also common practice and frequently mentioned in wills. Sometimes the articles were even described in detail. The colonial period of Virginia from 1650 to 1800 was a time of increasing prosperity for the families of the colonists.

Few girls today would be “thrilled” by inheriting the clothing of their grandmother. In Colonial America, however, clothing or cloth ordered from England was quite dear and not to be cast off lightly just because the owner died, or the item was slightly worn. Bathing and changing clothing every day, as most people in this country do today, was not practiced in the eighteenth century. Among some groups of people the only real baths they might get would be at birth and at death. That didn’t mean that they never washed at all, just that a “tub bath,” or all- over-bath, was not the common practice.

George Simpson-3 and Susannah Wheeler

John Simpson-1; Richard-2; George-3

In the 1760s, Truro Parish was divided and the “top” half became Fairfax Parish. George Washington’s land at first fell into the new parish, but a new division was made and his land was again in Truro Parish where he was elected vestryman. Falls Church was completed in 1769 and Pohick Church started. Pohick Church was the most important of the churches in the parish and was attended by the important families. The building of this fine and beautiful building increased the levy for the parish to upwards of 70 pounds of tobacco per poll.

RICHARD-2 and SARAH SIMPSON’s son, GEORGE-3, married SUSANNAH WHEELER-3 and continued to live in Truro Parish, Fairfax County, Virginia, the rest of his life. GEORGE-3 was a planter and owned slaves, horses, and cattle, as well as a mill. He and SUSANNAH raised a large family of children. GEORGE-3 and SUSANNAH had been married about 20 years when his parents died, so the oldest of GEORGE-3’s children were probably well acquainted with their grandparents. GEORGE-3 inherited his father’s home plantation, but very likely, RICHARD-2 helped GEORGE-3 get established as a planter when he married. The date of the marriage of GEORGE-3 and SUSANNAH is unknown, but definitely before 1742, deduced from the birth date of their son [Richard-4] which is confirmed. A date earlier than Richard-4’s birth date for Jemima-4’s birth is probably in error. Richard Simpson-4 was probably the oldest son.

In the plantation society of eighteenth-century Virginia, it was necessary to acquire new lands continually in order to plant crops which wore out the soil, and to provide farms and plantations for the family’s children as they married and left home. In affluent families, or even in poor ones, the children were provided for to the best of the family’s ability at the time they married or left home. By the time the entire family of children had left home and established their independent families, most of the estate had already been divided unless the family was very wealthy. At least in our families, most of the time the estate seems to have been pretty evenly divided among the children. Step-children were sometimes included for bequests and sometimes left out entirely by the step-parent’s will or estate. The SIMPSONS and Wheelers seemed to leave out the step-children.

We have found only a few legal wrangles over estates in which there seemed to be major problems with one or more heirs being dissatisfied to the point that there was a law suit.

Most of the plantation class tended to marry within their own group or class. In Virginia, marriage was seen as a joining of estates, and though marriages were not forcibly arranged, people tended to marry within their group, even within their kinship group, and to co-join estates. Prenuptial love was not considered necessary for a successful marriage and there was not a “romantic” idea of marriage. Marriages were informally arranged between families, and the wishes of the young people were frequently taken into account, but “suitable” marriages were strongly encouraged by families.

Captain Richard Simpson-3

GEORGE SIMPSON-3’s brother, Captain Richard Simpson-3, moved to Orange/Caswell County, North Carolina, about 1751, where he had received a large land grant. There was continued communication between the Fairfax family and the North Carolina branch but it was almost forty years before some of the Fairfax branch started to go to North Carolina and buy lands from Captain Richard-3’s son, Colonel Richard-4. Captain Richard-3 died about 1780, but his son, Colonel Richard-4, began selling tracts to his cousins from Fairfax.

Children of Captain Richard Simpson-3 and Mary Kinchloe

1. Susannah Simpson-4, probably born in North Carolina, married David Burton before 1783. She was probably deceased by the time her mother wrote her will in 1797. Mary left legacies to “the children of David Burton by his first wife, namely Zera Burton, Chinai Burton, Polly Burton, John Burton, and David Burton, Jr.”

2. Kesiah Simpson-4, was married to and widowed by a man named Buchanan before 1783, but was married to John Reed by the time of her mother’s will in 1797.

3. Margaret Simpson-4, married Jeremiah Williamson and inherited land on Horsley Creek. In 1791, Jeremiah, “late of Caswell County,” gave a power of attorney to “friend John Reed to bring suit and collect my part of the estate of Richard Simpson, Dec’d of Fairfax County, VA.” [Caswell County Book B., pg. 401.]

4. Colonel Richard Simpson-4, the only son, born before 1766, probably in North Carolina, married Henrietta Williams, daughter of John Williams and his wife, Betsey. He was a minor in his father’s will in 1786. John Reid was his guardian. In 1800, he was a NC State Representative and, in 1802, a trustee of the Caswell Academy. He was also Justice of Peace and Treasurer of Public Buildings. His children were Betsy Williams Simpson-5, and John Kincheloe Simpson-5. They were named in their grandfather John Williams’ will in 1805.

5. Elizabeth Simpson-4, wife of Jesse Oldham before 1783, may have had William Poston as her second husband. William Poston gave a Power of Attorney to John Windsor, Jr., to settle with Colonel Richard Simpson-4 for his portion of the estate “as a legatee of Mary Kincheloe Simpson.” [Court Minutes, pg. 106, January, 1807.]

6. Sarah Simpson-4, born February 24, 1744, married Nathaniel Hart.

7. Mary Ann Simpson-4, married Tyree Harris, Sr., before 1783. He was the infamous sheriff of Caswell County. .Buyers at the estate sale of Tyree in July, 1790, were Ede Harris, Lydia Harris, Robert Harris, and Simpson Harris. Tyree Harris was reportedly one of the corrupt county officials that sparked the Regulator uprising in North Carolina.

8. Lydia Simpson-4, wife of Zacheus Tate. His will listed in 1798 Lydia Tate, John Tate, Jean Eudoxie Tate, Zaccheus Tate, Valentine Tate, Uriah Tate, Zephaniah Tate, Uzziah Tate, Zeus Tate, and Sampson Tate as heirs. [What a group of names!]

9. Ede Simpson-4 married William Nunn.

10. Nancy Simpson-4 married Waddy Tate before her father’s will in 1787, but he was dead by the time of her mother’s will in 1797. “Three youngest children” of Waddy Tate were Edy Tate, Zedekiah Tate, and Jesse Tate.

[From wills, His: Caswell County Will Book B, pg. 103, 1783. Hers, November 1797 Book C, pg. 331]

In January, 1786, Mary Kincheloe Simpson appeared in court with her attorney, Jesse Burton, and “signifies her dissatisfaction to the provisions made for her in said husband’s will. She asks the court to lay off 1/3 part of manor plantation for her and also 1/3 of all lands of which her husband was seized before he executed a deed of gift to his son, Richard, on the day of his death, also her part of such personal estate as her said husband had before execution of deed of gift. Signed, Mary Simpson, January 17, 1786.” [Court Minutes.]

Property laws stipulated that a woman had an absolute right to one-third of a husband’s property [if there were children, or one-half if no children] after his death as her “dower.” Apparently her husband, on the day of his death, made a “deed of gift” to his son, Richard-4, and did not secure a “dower release” from Mary. She chose to exercise her rights of dower and receive her one-third. Also, any debts that the estate owed could not be paid out of the lands or “dower” of the widow until after she died. [Court Minutes, pg. 13.] In October of 1786, her dower was “laid off.”

Children of George Simpson-3 and Susannah Wheeler Simpson

1. Jemima Simpson-4, was reportedly born March 17, 1742/3 [OS/NS]. Note the birth date of her brother, Richard-4, which is confirmed. Apparently this erroneous birth date for Jemima came from a parish listing of the birth of Jemima “Simmons,” which was assumed to be a misspelling of “Simpson.” Regardless of the birth date, she married Peter Smith. She and Peter also moved to North Carolina. [Overwarton Parish Register]

2. Richard Simpson-4, born September 23, 1743, married Ann Lucas, the daughter of Thomas and Elinor Lucas. This birth date is solidly confirmed. He was apparently one of the overseers of the poor for the parish in Fairfax, Virginia, that met at Prices’ ordinary in September of 1790 and presented bills amounting to 258 pounds, 14 shillings, 11 d, for the relief of about 36 poor persons in the county. This averaged out to about seven pounds for each person assisted. With post-Revolutionary inflation, this was probably not very much. In 1803, when the British were attempting to collect bills due from Colonial planters who owed them money when the Revolutionary War broke out, Richard was listed in the “British Mercantile Debts” list as owing three pounds, six shillings and five pence, due from 1775. He was listed as “willing and able to pay.” Thomas Lucas, his father-in-law, was listed as deceased and insolvent, and Richard was noted as his executor. What is presumably Richard’s listing on the 1800 Fairfax County tax list shows that he had one tithable white male in the household, eight horses, and seven slaves over 16 years of age.

3. William Simpson-4, born September 23, 1757, married Jane/Jean/Jenny Wisheart, sister of CHARLOTTE, and daughter of HENRY WISHEART. Erick Montgomery thinks this William remained in Fairfax, but that his children went to North Carolina. He died about 1820. However, there are deeds from Richard Simpson-4 of Caswell County, North Carolina, to “William Simpson of Fairfax” for 36 acres on Stony Creek. [Caswell County Deeds.] Information from Kurt Tostenson about this family received in an e-mail dated September 15, 1997, said that he had been to Wood County, West Virginia, gathering data and encountered information about William Simpson-4. Kurt named the children of William Simpson-4 and Jean Wisheart-2 as:

1. Edward Washington Simpson-5, born June 3, 1777.

2. Nancy Simpson-5, born June 25, 1779, married Thomas Coffer.

3. Susan Simpson-5, born May 31, 1781, married Thomas Garrett.

4. George Simpson-5, born July 10, 1783.

5. William Simpson-5, born April 11, 1785, married Keron Happach Keene.

6. Moses Simpson-5, born April 2, 1787, married Jane Tracey and Jane Smith.

7. Thompson Simpson-5, born March 31, 1789, married Frances Fairfax Keene.

8. Mason Simpson-5, born April 14, 1791.

9. Silas Simpson-5, born May 23, 1793.

10. Massie Simpson-5, born April 30, 1796.

11. Mary Simpson-5, born March 17, 1797.

12. John Simpson-5, born September 29, 1799.

13. Catherine J. Simpson-5, born September, 1801.

William Simpson-4 died in Wood County, West Virginia, on January 1, 1815, and his daughter, Marietta Simpson, placed her father’s stone in Lewis Cemetery. She married Francis K. Lewis on July 11, 1840. [Kurt Tostenson.]

4. AARON SIMPSON-4, born January 2, 1759, married CHARLOTTE WISHEART-2 on May 29, 1783, and was our ancestor. He moved to Orange/Caswell County, North Carolina, before the 1800 census was made.

5. George Simpson, Jr.-4, died about 1803, his wife was Mary Johnston, and he is listed on the 1800 Fairfax United States Census as having one tithable male, one horse, and no slaves.

6. James Simpson-4, moved to Caswell, North Carolina, where his estate is of record. He was apparently still in Fairfax on the 1800 census, and had one tithable male, two horses, and one slave over age 16. There are several men named James Simpson in Fairfax. His wife was Sarah Hornbuckle. Deed book Q, dated 1812, details the division of land to legatees: Delilah Simpson-5 and her husband, James Cooker; Nancy Simpson-5 and her husband, Green L. Brown; Richard Simpson-5; and Susannah Simpson-5, daughter, unmarried.

The will listed sons Levy Simpson-5; William Simpson-5; and James Simpson-5; and daughters, Nancy-5 Brown; Susannah Simpson-5; Delila Simpson-5; Sally Simpson-5; and Elizabeth Simpson-5; Milly Simpson-5; and Polly Simpson-5. Guardian accounts for the “orphans” Levi, William, and James Simpson, were recorded for the years 1813 and 1815.

7. Moses Simpson-4, may have been the man who died in 1779. He married Margaret “Peggy” Wisheart, the third daughter of HENRY WISHEART to marry one of the Simpsons. He probably had one son named John Simpson-4. Since there were several men named Moses in this group, his records may be confused with theirs.

8. Joseph Simpson-4, died about 1822. His wife’s name was Elizabeth. There were two men named Joseph Simpson listed in Fairfax in 1800. One had one tithable male, five horses, and three adult slaves, and the other one had one tithable male, six horses, and eight slaves.

9. Sarah Simpson-4, married George Robertson and was living in Fairfax in 1800.

10. Susannah Simpson-4, married Lancelot Beck [Beckwith?]

11. Mary Ann Simpson-4, married Robert Marshall before 1790 and moved to Kentucky.

12. Apparently a daughter who married Francis Keen, who was a legatee of GEORGE SIMPSON-3, mentioned in the estate settlement in 1825.

GEORGE-3 and SUSANNAH WHEELER-3 SIMPSON were close neighbors of SUSANNAH’s family. Her brother, Drummond Wheeler-3, named his son “George Simpson Wheeler-4.” SUSANNAH’s family were also prosperous planters, but also probably not aristocrats.

GEORGE SIMPSON-3 died in 1782. He only outlived his father about 20 years. Some of the younger children were still at home when he died. He left a will dated October 4, 1782. SUSANNAH was listed on the tax rolls for 1787 in Fairfax, so we know that she outlived him by several years. She didn’t leave a separate will. GEORGE’s estate was not finally settled until in the 1820s, and this researcher and several others think this is because SUSANNAH lived until at least 1820, almost 40 years after GEORGE’s death.

Henry Wisheart-1

CHARLOTTE WISHEART-2, AARON’s bride, was the daughter of HENRY WISHEART. GEORGE SIMPSON had obviously been a friend of HENRY’s, since he was one of the signers of HENRY’s will, dated 1776. All three of HENRY’s daughters would marry sons of GEORGE SIMPSON.

HENRY WISHEART moved to Fairfax from nearby Loudoun County, Virginia, shortly before his death. Fairfax County had originally been cut off from Loudoun, so this was not a large geographic move. He may have had connections or relationships in the new area prior to the move. He was buying lands there as early as 1759, from a man named Edward Muse, who may have been a kinsman of his wife’s. This gives us an approximate birth date for HENRY of “before 1738.” We also know he was in the colony by 1759 or before. Since his daughters were still minors at his death in 1776, it is likely that he wasn’t much past age 40 at the time he died, so this approximate birth date may be reasonably accurate for HENRY WISHEART.

Edward Muse, son of JOHN MUSE, Jr., and his wife, ANN, lived in Westmoreland County. He had leased lands in 1734 in Westmoreland County from ROBERT SANDFORD [ Jr.] and MARY, his wife, who was a sister of Edward Muse. Edward had married Ann, daughter of Richard Sanford, Sr., and his wife, Susannah [surname unknown.] He had a grandson, Sanford Muse, who was mentioned in his will. Edward died in 1781, leaving a will, naming his children and widow.

There were other Muse-Sanford marriages, too; Thomas Muse, Jr. [b. 1712- d. 1734] married Sarah Sanford. John Muse [b. 1700- d. 1777] married Mary Sanford.

Wisheart [Wishart, Wiseheart, Wishard, etc.] is most likely a Scots or English name. HENRY didn’t appear to be a planter, or farmer, but was probably a merchant or money lender. He owned four slaves, but had them rented out, and received money for their labor. He was apparently a member of the established church, so was probably not a Scots-Irishman, who were usually Presbyterians. He also appointed ministers of the established church as his children’s guardians. Erick Montgomery thinks HENRY may have been the immigrant ancestor of this line, and the first of his family if not his name. Men named Wisheart [Wishard] were prominent martyrs in Scotland for the Presbyterian faith.

The tithable list for Loudoun County for 1771 [Virginia Genealogist, V17:276] lists HENRY and named four of the tithable slaves that he owned, “George, Frank, Harry, and Jude.” Slaves were not all tithable, so he may have owned more slaves than were listed as “tithable” slaves. Only the ones of an age and condition to be considered working labor were taxed. Very old or very young slaves were exempt from tax. There were no other men by the surname Wisheart in the vicinity. At the time of his death, his will mentioned that there were several slaves that were “quite small.”

The 1704 quit rent rolls of Virginia Colony list “William Wishart” who owned 200 acres, and James Wishart, who owned 225 acres, both in Princess Anne County, Virginia. Either of these men might be the father or grandfather of HENRY, whom we can estimate was born about 1735. It is also possible that HENRY is the immigrant ancestor of this line.

Checking the tax records, wills, and court minutes of Loudoun County, we find the will of Demse Carroll which HENRY witnessed. The will was undated, but was probated in 1776. Demse also rented HENRY’s slave, George, who was mentioned in HENRY’s will, so the two men were probably friends, relations or neighbors. The list of Loudoun County tithables of 1771 mentions Demse Carroll, Jr. [Virginia Genealogist, “Loudoun County Tithables, 1771,” CD] HENRY WISHEART is also mentioned on this same list, and noted as having four taxable slaves, Frank, Harry, George, and Jude. Demsey Carrol, Senior, was on Simon Triplett’s List in Cameron Parish in 1771. He listed as polls, besides himself, William Porter Carrol, and three slaves, Jenny, Joan, and Nancy.

Demse Carrol whose will HENRY witnessed, mentioned his wife, Rebecca, and daughters; Frances, Rachel, Mary Ann, Cynthia, and Mary Owens [and her son Thomas Hogen], and sons-in-law, William Smith and Silvester Welch of Fauquier County. The other witnesses were William Turner, Jr., and Mary Porter. He did not mention a son, Demse. There is also no proof that Demse Carroll, Jr., was the son of Demse Carroll, Senior.

The earliest record found by this researcher for land acquisitions in the Fairfax area by HENRY WISHEART was a purchase in March, 1759, of 268 acres brought from Edward Muse for which HENRY paid 30 pounds. [Fairfax Deeds D:618.] The land lay on Johnnymore, Little Rocky Run branches of Occoquan. He obviously owned other Fairfax lands, however, because in April of 1774, he sold 460 acres that was part of a 1728 patent of Richard Britt on Johnnymore Run, adjacent John Waugh to Marmaduke Beckwith for 500 pounds. [Loudoun Deeds K:166.] This land was directly north of Waugh’s 2,800 acre holding, and somewhat north and west of the main SIMPSON stronghold. RICHARD SIMPSON had bought lands near Waugh’s in 1727.

HENRY WISHEART’s will, which was recorded in Fairfax County, Virginia, about 1776, shows that he was fairly well-to-do and was well connected in the community. He mentions that he was “Late of Hurley, in Loudoun County,” so had obviously moved recently to Fairfax. He doesn’t mention his wife, ANNE NEALE, in the will, and most likely, if she were alive he would have done so, though women automatically received a dower in her husband’s property, whether or not she was mentioned in the will. Because HENRY spoke with such obvious tenderness and care of his daughters, one cannot think that such a man would have neglected to mention his wife. Theda Womack did much of the preliminary research on the Wiseheart line. Erick Montgomery also contributed greatly to this research and to the research for ANNE NEALE’s family.

Will of Henry Wisheart

In the name of God, Amen. I, Henry Wishearte, late of Huntly, in the county of Loudoun of Colony of Virginia, being at this present writing in very indifferent state of health, but thanks to god, in sound and perfect tranquillity of mind do declare this to be my last will and testament, annulling and making void all other wills by me heretofore made that is to say Imp. I give and bequeath my soul to Almighty God who gave it in sure and certain hopes of a blessed salvation through the meritorious passion of Jesus Christ my lord as for the worldly estate which hath pleased God to Bless me with, I give and bequeath as foloweth. Item, I give and bequeath unto my youngest daughter Charlotte Wishearte [meaning the first shall be last and the last shall be first] the sum of two hundred pounds current money of Virginia with the following Negro girls; viz. ______ & Lucy to be delivered by my executor hereafter mentioned when married or when she reaches the age of twenty-one. Item. I give and bequeath unto my second daughter Jean Wishearte two hundred pounds current money of Virginia and one young Negro fellow named George which two legacies above mentioned is to be paid in two bonds for Huntly Lands in Loudoun County; one for one hundred fifty pounds 10 March 1776 the other for two hundred fifty pounds March 1777 and due by Marmaduke Beckwith and Thomas Pollard his security both of the County of Fairfax and I further desire that my executor will not suffer the principal of the above girls’ fortune to be infringed upon but that they shall be maintained upon the interest thereof and the hire of the Negro George who is now hired to Demise Carroll of Loudoun county at f12 per annum clear and I further desire that my executor shall allow my daughter Charlotte one half the hire of George may be hired at for the space of two years after my decease for her support, her negroes being but small. Item, I give and bequeath unto my eldest daughter Peggy Wisheart the summ of two hundred pounds current money of Virginia and one Negro wench named Cloy and her further increase to be delivered to her on the day of marriage or when she shall arrive at the age of twenty one years but if my executor should have action to believe that any of my daughters is not capable of doing themselves justice they are either themselves to be or appoint others they may approve of as guardians for them and as my daughter Peggy’s f200 is to arrive from the collection of bonds due upon interest balance of book debts and the amount of household furniture now on hand a horse, mare, colt, still and a cart and will undoubtedly ____ besides discharging what ____ balances I may be due upon open accounts there not being to my knowledge a bond or note of hand of mine out to anyone in earth at this present time where I am detained by a violent spell of sickness that prevents me from viewing my books, but as there may often dispute arise after my decease I shall hereunto annex a schedule of those their can be any disputes made.

Item. It is my will that if any of the above mentioned daughters of mine should die in their noneage or unmarried then her fortune to be equally divided betwict her other two sisters and I expressly stipulate that if any of the three above mentioned sisters should marry clandestinely or without the consent of one of my executors as I appoint them my guardians she so transgresses her whole fortune shall be give to and equally divided between her other two sisters.

Item. Lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint Capt. John Dalton of Alexandria, merchant, Patrick Coutts, James River Merchant and his brother the Rev. William Coutts, rector of Martin Brandon’s Parish Prince George County, executor of this my last will and testament as also guardians of my afore mentioned daughters. In witness wherefore I have hereunto put my name and affixed my seal the 31 day of January in the year of our lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy six.

Signed and sealed in the presence of George Simpson, Benjamin _____, and William Simpson.

At the court held for the County of Fairfax 12 February 1776 this will was presented in Court by John Dalton one of the executors wherein named who made oath thereto and the same being proved by the oaths of George Simpson and William Simpson is admitted to record and the said executor having performed what the law requires a certificate is granted for him obtaining a probate thereof in due form.”

We are not sure about the connection of John Dalton and the other executors and guardians. John Dalton was receiving lands in Fairfax in the 1750s. He was a partner with Colonel John Carlyle in purchasing lands in 1770. As early as 1755, he was the executor, along with William Ramsey, for the will of John Minor. In 1788, a deed mentions lands adjacent to his, so we know he was still alive at that time.

HENRY’s mentioning that if his daughters married without consent of his appointed guardians that they would lose their fortunes was not an unusual stipulation. In Virginia, matrimony was regarded as an indissoluble union, and divorce in the modern-sense did not exist. Social rituals of matrimony reflected this idea of marriage, and Virginians followed the Church of England’s elaborate five-step process of espousal, publication of banns, religious ceremony, marriage feast, and sexual consummation. The Virginian clergy could not marry without the publication of Banns. Clandestine marriages could be punished by imprisonment. Among the landed families, marriage was regarded as a union of property as well as persons. Love was not considered a pre-condition of marriage, but seldom were persons forced to marry against their wills. Parents took an active role in the selection of marriage partners for their children, and it was considered that love would follow the marriage, but if it didn’t, it didn’t necessarily mean the marriage was a failure. In families where there was property, the marriage between cousins, or the children of close friends, was encouraged to “keep it all in the family.”

A woman who was not married, but who was of legal age, was called according to law, a femme sole, and could conduct business for herself, such as buy or sell lands or slaves. A married woman was supposed to be under the direction of her husband, according to the property laws. Because of the right of dower, however, some colonies mandated that a woman had to sign a release of her dower in any land that her husband sold. Many colonies protected the wife by requiring that she be examined “privately” to see that she really agreed to the sale of any property, others did not. However, slaves owned by a woman before or at marriage became part of the husband’s estate, and in some cases, when he pre-deceased his wife, she might only get a dower right to one-third of her own property inherited “free and clear” from her own father before her marriage. [Solomon, Women and the Law of Property in Early America.]

HENRY WISHEART’s estate of several-hundred pounds in bonds and several slaves was a considerable fortune, though not a lavish one. His wife, ANNE NEALE, had inherited a female slave and a slave child from her parents, so some of this estate may have been though her inheritance. Though HENRY and ANNE didn’t leave their daughters very wealthy, they were well-enough fixed to live comfortably for the times. HENRY did not die a poor man by any means. In colonial days where there were no banks, bonds and credit were frequently the ways in which business was conducted. Bonds were often redeemed in tobacco or other products and not cash.

There was no official currency or coin. Gold and silver coins from different countries were used. Tobacco notes were the only “standard” currency. Tobacco was inspected in government warehouses and required to meet certain standards of quality before it was certified and the value assessed, and notes issued.

Spanish pistoles were used, with a value of 17 shillings and 6 cents, Arabian Chequins were valued at 10 shillings. Pieces of eight, if they weighed 16-penny were valued at five shillings, French crowns at five shillings, Peruvian pieces of eight and Dutch Dollars were valued at four shillings. English coins were given their English value.

The hiring, or renting, of a slave to another person was a common practice, and was obviously in use by HENRY. A man who needed labor, but could not invest in the buying of a slave, could get needed labor by renting the slave from the owner. The renter was usually responsible for feeding and housing the slave and providing minimal clothing. The price of slaves varied from year to year and with the age, health, and skill of the slave, as well as the local need for labor. Tobacco cultivation required great amounts of skilled and unskilled labor.

Thomas Pollard, mentioned in HENRY’s will, was a very wealthy and influential man. He lived at that time in Fairfax County, but had business dealings all over Virginia. His sister, Jane, was the widow of the very wealthy [to start with!] spendthrift Nathaniel West Dandridge. Jane, after the death of Nathaniel, who had mortgaged his estates, apparently even though he did not have the right to mortgage them all, drew up a premarital agreement with her brothers, Thomas and William Pollard, to hold her property, slaves, and lands, in trust, both from her new husband and from the British merchants that had been defrauded by her former husband. The prenuptial agreement, to be signed before she married Thomas Underwood, also included the names of her sisters and nieces. Her niece was Elizabeth Johnson, and her sisters were Ann Taylor, Frances Rogers, Elizabeth Meriwether, and Millie [Sarah?] Pendleton, apparently the wife of Edward Pendleton, one of the trustees. [This agreement was found in the papers of the Underwood vs. Underwood lawsuit in Hanover County, Virginia.]

Thomas Pollard and his brother, William, had also witnessed the mortgage that Nathaniel West Dandridge signed giving the trustees, including John Johnson of Hanover, almost complete control over his vast estates. The agreement even listed the amount of food and servants that he was allowed. Dandridge owned 161 slaves. Dorthea Dandridge, his daughter, married Patrick Henry. The trustee, John Johnson, was mentioned in records after the Revolution as having left for England. Apparently he had absconded with some of the money from the sale of some of Dandridge’s slaves who were sold and the money supposed to be applied toward the debts. Some of the Dandridge property was not entailed, but the bulk apparently was.

The American Revolution almost stopped the trade with England and it was difficult for the colonists to sell their produce, or secure goods. Financial matters were difficult for the Americans, many of whom lost everything. After the Revolution, about 1800, the British merchants, who had bad debts against Americans started making some attempts to collect the 30-year-old debts. The merchants principally supplied goods to and bought tobacco from the Tidewater residents. In some cases, the British agents made considerable efforts to track down the debtors. The lists compiled by the agents are very helpful to genealogists today.

In the list of British mercantile debts, HENRY WISHART, from Loudoun County, is listed as a debtor for 9.3.10 3/4 [pounds, shillings, etc.] due November 10, 1776. It states “died about 30 years ago, then solvent, Richard Wheeler, executor.” No mention is made of whether this debt was ever collected from his estate. Drummond Wheeler-3 had a son, Richard Wheeler-4, and he was the successor executor of HENRY WISHEART’s will, due to the family’s connection to the Simpsons. Jean/Jenny Wisheart had first married Moses Simpson, son of GEORGE, and when he died, she married Richard Wheeler-4, the son of SUSANNAH WHEELER SIMPSON’s brother, Drummond Wheeler-3.

Chapter VIII

The Family of Anne Neale-5, Wife of Henry Wisheart

Daniel Neale-1; Christopher-2; Daniel-3; Presley-4; Anne-5

We know little personally about ANNE NEALE-5, the wife of HENRY WISHEART, beyond a few skimpy details and that she was probably deceased by the time HENRY died. Her ancestry traces back to some of the more prominent members of the Northumberland/Stafford/Fairfax area, including some members of the House of Burgesses. The “gentry” of seventeenth-century Virginia were very closely allied with each other, and tended to marry and inter-marry within their own ranks, both socially and financially. Marriage was more a uniting of estates than a “love match” in many families. Love was expected to come after marriage, if it came, but romantic love, as we know it today, was not considered necessary for a successful marriage.

The PRESLEY, NEALE, RODHAM, THOMPSON, and MUSE [Mewes] families are found intertwined with other early settlers in the mid-seventeenth century and eighteenth century in Northumberland County, Virginia. The first mention of the PRESLEYs is in 1647, when the original member of the family, WILLIAM PRESLEY-1, represented the area in the Assembly. How much before 1647 the family came is unknown, but it couldn’t conceivably have been too many years previously. The Virginia Colony was only starting to feed itself by the mid-1600s, and only recently had the dirt, disease, distemper, and other problems ceased to kill 75% of the new arrivals before they had been there three years.

When Jamestown was first settled in 1607, a tribe of Indians called Wiccocomicos lived on the south side of the Potomac River.They were small in stature in contrast to the giant Susquehannas who lived by the head of Chesapeake Bay. Near the Wiccocomicos was a small group of Indians called the Chickacoans.

During the difficulties in Maryland between Calvert and William Clairborne, Chicacoan became a refuge and rallying point for Protestants disaffected to the Catholic government of Lord Baltimore. A settlement was established within the boundaries of Virginia, but separated by miles of unbroken forest from the Jamestown settlements. It was a while before these fugitives from Maryland were noticed by the Jamestown lawyers, and during this time they were not taxed or levied. In 1645, however, residents of the Chickacoan district, which was to become Northumberland County in 1648, were required to contribute to the coffers of war, and other expenses. John Mottrom, a prominent merchant, was one of the first representatives from Northumberland.

As late as 1640, as few as 8,000 whites lived in Virginia Colony. On April 18, 1644, the second great Indian massacre in Virginia’s history occurred. The elderly king of the Pamunkey, Opechancanough, planned and executed the massacre. About 400 whites living in remote areas of the colony lost their lives. The war with the Indians continued throughout 1644 and 1645. It was in 1646 that forts were built, including Ft. Henry. Governor Berkeley sued for peace, and Opechancanough himself was captured. The old man, said to be nearly 100 years old, was murdered by one of his guards. Peace was negotiated with his successor.

During the time of the Commonwealth, when Parliament “ruled” England, Virginia was generally left to its own devices. Virginia traders paid little attention to Parliamentary restrictions on their commerce.

The Presleys

William Presley-1; Peter, Sr.-2; Ursula-3

In 1647, ANNE NEALE WISHEART’s ancestor, Mr. WILLIAM PRESLEY-1 was a representative from Northumberland area in Virginia, though it was not yet officially a county by that name. WILLIAM PRESLEY-1 had first appeared in 1647 as a representative, and then again in 1648 and 1651. He wrote his will in 1650, but it was not probated until 1656. In it, he named his two sons, William-2 and PETER-2. Some secondary sources state that his wife’s name was Jane Newman. Her name has not been verified by this author, though the rest of the PRESLEY, NEALE, MUSE, and RODHAM genealogies have been. A family named Newman did live in the vicinity of the PRESLEY family.

We aren’t sure how much before 1647 that WILLIAM PRESLEY-1 came to Virginia, but it isn’t likely that it was many years. That he became a representative speaks well of his connections in the colony and in England previous to his move to Virginia. We estimate that his date of birth was probably before 1620, maybe as early as 1610. We know he was dead prior to 1660. We don’t know if the children of this man were born in the colony or if they were born in England.

Children of William Presley -1

1. William Presley-2, may have been born around 1640, died about 1685, was a justice of the county and a Burgess during the “Long Assembly” from 1662 until 1676, at the time of Bacon’s Rebellion. Issue were William Presley-3, who did not survive his father; and Peter Presley-3 listed as “heir of William Presley.” Peter Presley-3 was referred to as “Peter Presley, Jr.,” to distinguish him from his uncle, PETER PRESLEY-2, until after the death of PETER-2, at which point it was noted, “Peter Presley, now elder” since there was then another Peter Presley, younger than Peter-3. Peter-3, left no male descendants. In 1658, a heifer had been given to Peter-3, by Thomas Kedby and it was noted that Peter-3 was “now eldest son of William Presley.” So, William-3 must have already been dead by then. [Fleet, Virginia Colonial Abstracts, Northumbria Collectanea, 1645-1720, A-L, page 558.]

2. PETER PRESLEY-2, was born before 1640, married about 1664, and died in 1693, but we have not found his will due to a fire in the courthouse in 1710. However, a codicil was noted on April 19, 1693, which survives. He named his nephew, Peter Presley, Jr.-3, as one of his executors. It was witnessed by “Mr. Daniel Neale and Mr. Thomas Hobson.” His wife was ELIZABETH THOMPSON, the daughter of RICHARD and URSULA [BISH?] THOMPSON. A deed, dated April 29, 1662, “from James Pope to Mr. William and Peter Presley” for 1,000 acres of land on Mr. Presley’s Creek, must refer to the two brothers, [William-2 & Peter-2} since their father was dead.

Virginia Colonial Abstracts, Northumbria Collectanea, 1645-1720, notes on page 505, that William Boles was a head right of “William Presley, January 21, 1660/1 [OS/NS].” Since WILLIAM-1 died prior to this date, this must, of necessity refer to William Presley-2.

Though Virginians, as a whole, tended toward loyalty to the king during the British Civil War, the PRESLEYS signed the Northumberland Oath in 1652 vowing loyalty to the “Commonwealth of England without a King or House of Lords.”

After the King was restored, William Presley-2 was a justice of the county and a Burgess during the “Long Assembly” from 1662 until 1676, at the time of Bacon’s Rebellion. After the Rebellion, he was again a representative until 1685, the year of his death. He is remembered for his quaint sayings during Bacon’s Rebellion. For more details of Bacon’s Rebellion, see the CARTER chapters of this volume. [Genealogies of Virginia Families, Vol. V, “Northumberland Counties and Some of its Families, Presley Family.”]

Governor Berkeley had continued the same Assembly for 14 years without allowing new elections. This was one of the grievances leading to the disturbance. Though he was ruling Virginia as his own personal kingdom, Berkeley eventually yielded to the public complaints and called a new Assembly.

Some of the Indians were preying on the settlers. Berkeley would not allow the colonists to retaliate against them. Exactly what his reasons were is unknown, but there is speculation among historians that he had a lucrative trade with the Indians and did not want it disrupted.

In June, 1676, someone moved to invite the governor to send two of the Council to sit with the committee on Indian affairs. Someone else objected to this and in reply one member said, “This is the usual method of procedure.” Mr. William Presley-2 arose and in a “blundering manner” said, “Tis true it had been customary, but if we have any bad customs amongst us, we are come here to mend them.” He thought the custom was a bad one since it amounted to having spies present in the committee.

After the Rebellion ended with Bacon’s death, Sir William Berkeley hung so many of Bacon’s followers that the Assembly in February, 1677, begged the governor to stop. Mr. Presley, after his return home, wrote to Thomas Matthew of Cherry Point, that he “believed the governor would have hanged half the country if we had let him alone.” Thomas Matthew, of Cherry Point, was well known in his time. Fitzhugh, one of the most prominent men of his time wrote to Thomas Matthew July 3, 1681, congratulating Matthew for the report of his “great and profitable progress in your linen manufacture, a good example for others.”

William Presley-2 died about 1685 and left a son named Peter Presley-3. His older son, William Presley-3, had predeceased him. Peter-3, the son of William-2, was called “Peter Presley, Jr.” to distinguish him from his uncle, “PETER, Sr.-2,” the brother of William-2, and the son of WILLIAM PRESLEY-1, the immigrant ancestor. [Genealogies of Virginia Families, Vol. V, Northumberland Counties and Some of its Families, Presley Family.]

It seems that William Presley-2, in remaining a member of the Assembly during the time of Bacon’s Rebellion, had at least remained neutral. Though he was still in the Assembly, he was apparently not totally in league with the governor against the rebels. The majority of the planters, even some of the richer ones, were allied with Bacon’s faction. However, in the introduction to “More News From Virginia, a Further Account of Bacon’s Rebellion,” the editor makes the point that the men returned to the Assembly with the new election were not the friends of the governor, and in fact voted that the captain who had captured and arrested Bacon should pay the “rebel” damages to the amount of 70 pounds sterling.

PETER PRESLEY, Sr.-2, the son of WILLIAM-1, the immigrant, was a Justice of the Peace in Northumberland County from 1660, and a Burgess for the county in 1677, 1684, and possibly other years. He died in 1693, but we have not found his will. His wife was ELIZABETH THOMPSON, the daughter of RICHARD and URSULA [BISH?] THOMPSON. They were married about 1664, when a deed joins them with ELIZABETH’s sister, Sarah Thompson, and her husband, Mr. Thomas Willoughby.

According to several secondary sources, URSULA BISH [Bysh?] was the daughter of PETER BISH, a merchant of Bristol, England. “The Cox Family of Westmoreland County,” an unpublished manuscript by Laura Collison Ray, gives this undocumented information.

Richard Thompson & Ursula Bish

“The Presley Family of Northumberland County” in Genealogies of Virginia Families, Volume III, states, on page 76, that the father-in-law of RICHARD THOMPSON was Phillip Bish, Merchant of Bristol England. In an unpublished manuscript, “The Cox Family of Westmoreland County,” by Laura Collison Ray, received from her niece, Bette Hill, the author states that “Richard Thompson settled at ‘Wickanno’ Creek Northumberland County “Kings Neck” and died 1649. His daughter, Sarah, married Thomas Willoughby, Gentleman, in 1652.” She goes on to say that “URSULA BISH was the daughter of Philip Bish, Merchant of Bristol, England, and after the death of Richard Thompson, [her husband] she married Col. John Mattox, and then married third, Maj. George Colclough.” We don’t know what all her sources for the information were, but some we have been able to verify.

ELIZABETH’s father, RICHARD THOMPSON-1, died early in 1649, and his widow, URSULA, remarried twice. On March 25, 1649, she made a deed-of-gift as “widow of RICHARD THOMPSON, dec’d of Kigwohtan in Virginia” to her children, Richard Thompson-2, Sarah Thompson-2, and ELIZABETH THOMPSON-2, for cattle. Her second husband was Colonel John Mottrox, the first representative from Northumberland, and her third husband was George Colclough. [Virginia Colonial Abstracts, pg. 618.]

The guardians for Richard Thompson-2 and Sarah Thompson-2 were George Colclough and URSULA, his wife, “Mrs. URSULA Colclough, being their mother,” September 29, 1657 [Fleet, Virginia Colonial Abstracts.] Richard Thompson-2, orphan, having arrived at the legal age to chose his own guardian, [age 14?] chose Mr. Thomas Willoughby [his brother-in-law] on September 8, 1662. That would put Richard Thompson-2’s date of birth about 1643 or before. RICHARD THOMPSON-1 [Sr.] had patented 48 acres of land in Northumberland County. This was sold by Thomas Willoughby and Sarah [Thompson-2], his wife, and ELIZABETH THOMPSON-2 to William Thomas, February 20, 1663/4. [Fleet, Virginia Colonial Abstracts.] This was apparently shortly before ELIZABETH’s marriage to PETER PRESLEY-2.

In 1665, a man named Richard Thompson gave his age as 33 years “or there abouts.” That would place this man’s date of birth as 1632. This is not likely our Richard Thompson-2. In 1669, what must be this same man, swears he entered some lands for another man.

Interestingly, there is a notation in the Virginia Colonial Abstracts Volume I, Northumbria Collectanea 1645-1720 that mentions “George Thompson’s wife was told by James Claughton of his unfaithfulness to her in 1650/1.” James Claughton lived adjacent to MATTHEW RODHAM. [Ibid. pg. 9.]

PETER PRESLEY, Sr.-2, and Peter Presley, Jr.-3., were both justices in 1686. PETER, Sr.-2, had been a justice several times, including 1685. PETER PRESLEY, Sr.-2, died in 1693. [Fleet, Virginia Colonial Abstracts, page 584, from the Family Tree Maker, Virginia Colonial Abstracts Volume I, Northumbria Collectanea 1645-1720, Broderbund Software, Inc.] Hannah Newman was a headright of William Presley-2, January 21, 1660/1 [OS/NS].

Several depositions in 1673, concerning Eleanor Newman, the “servant maid of Edward Hill” being verbally abused by Margaret, wife of John Baxter, who apparently came on the same ship with this servant girl, called her a “barzen face bitch” and “whore” and said that she had a baby on the boat over, but murdered it.

A lady named Elizabeth Newman, possibly the wife of Robert Newman, Chirurgeon, [who was mentioned in August, 1655, and then as deceased in 1659,] was mentioned in January, 1655, as a midwife aged 80 or thereabouts. Robert and Elizabeth Newman had sold 50 acres in Newman’s Neck to Robert Smyth in 1652. [Ibid.]

Elizabeth Newman left gifts to Peter Presley, Jr.-3 [s/o William Presley-2] and Martha and Elizabeth Haynie. The Haynie connection had come about when Daniel Neale and Elizabeth Holland Neale’s daughter had married as a second husband, John Haynie. So this mention ties together the Neale, Presley, Haynie and Newman families. When Robert Newman, Chirugeon, presumed husband of Elizabeth the midwife, died, his inventory was submitted by William Presley in 1659. Since this was after the date of death of WILLIAM PRESLEY-1, this would, of necessity, make this William Presley-2. [Ibid.] This does point toward WILLIAM-1 being married to a Newman wife, but is not conclusive proof.

The Children of Peter Presley, Sr.-2 and Elizabeth Thompson

1. Elizabeth Presley-3, this is based on presumptive evidence. She first married Ebenezer Saunders and second, John Cockrell. Elizabeth, wife of John Cockrell, was executor of the estate of “Ebenezer Saunders, Dec’d” [her previous husband] and divided land between her son, Edward Saunders, and her daughter, Elizabeth Saunders, and her husband’s brother, Edward Saunders. The will of Elizabeth Cockrell was probated in May, 1719. She left legacies to son, Presley Cockrell, and daughter, Hannah Cockrell.

2. Jane Presley-3, born June 29, 1664 [St. Stephen’s Register] married first Richard Rogers and he died in 1697. She married, in 1698, Captain Christopher Neale-3, the brother of DANIEL-3, and the son of Captain CHRISTOPHER NEALE-2 and his wife, HANNAH RODHAM. In 1709, Christopher Neale-2 and his wife, Jane, late Jane Rogers, “widow of Richard Rogers, Gent. Etc.” and one of the daughters of PETER PRESLEY, Sr.-2, Gentleman, Late dec’d of St. Stephen’s Parish, to Peter Presley, now elder, of the same parish, Gentleman, for 264 acres.” Her children by Christopher Neale-3 were Peter Neale-4, Edward Neale-4, and Presley Neale-4.

3. URSULA PRESLEY-3, married first DANIEL NEALE-3 of Cople Parish, Westmoreland County. He was a brother of the husband of her sister, Jane. His will was probated in 1713. She married, second, Wharton Ransdall. Her parentage is proven beyond doubt by the will of her brother, Peter Presley-3, and his estate papers in 1718.

4. Mary Presley-3, married Dr. Charnock Cox of Westmoreland County. His will was dated 1751, and probated in that year. It named sons Presley Cox, George Cox, and William Cox, and daughter Elizabeth Cox Rust, the wife of Samuel Rust. Dr. Cox [Cocke] was said to be one of the first, if not the first, physicians in the area. He was descended from some of the more prominent and early settlers in the area. Information on Mary and Dr. Cox has been supplied by descendants of this line.

5. Captain Peter Presley-3, born 1683, died 1718, without issue. He was mentioned in a codicil, which is still existent, to his father’s will which was burned in 1710 in a courthouse fire. His estate inventory was exhibited, along with his will, and presented by his sisters, URSULA [PRESLEY-3] Ransdall, and Mary [Presley-3] Cox, executors. The inventory had been done by his brothers-in-law, Wharton Ransdall and Charnock Cox. This Peter was called “Captain” Peter Presley. “Colonel” Peter Presley was called into court and made oath that he wrote Captain Peter’s will and that the deceased intended to give his negroes, not [otherwise] bequeathed, to his two sisters, URSULA Ransdale and Mary Cox. This seems incontestable proof that URUSULA Ransdale and Mary Cox were daughters of PETER PRESLEY, Sr.-2, whose will was proven April 19, 1693. Captain Peter Presley was the last male member of this line of Presleys.

The Neale & Rodham Families

The NEALE family of ANNE NEALE descended from Lieutenant DANIEL NEALE-1 and his wife, ELLEN [or HELEN/ELEANOR], the immigrant ancestors, who came from Ireland, bringing their children with them. Lieutenant DANIEL NEALE-1 served in many community positions and was Constable, High Sheriff, Burgess, and vestryman. He had fought on the side of King Charles against Cromwell during the Civil War in England. His estates were forfeited for his participation in the war and he was among those listed as transported to Northumberland County, Virginia, about 1653/4. [Burke’s Landed Gentry, 1939, pg. 2840.]

Persons who were transported for crimes, or for being on the wrong side of a rebellion, were frequently able to gain their freedom after transportation by simply out-bidding others for their services. In case the person was not able to do so, then they had to serve a period of hard labor as an indentured servant. Even if they managed to purchase their freedom, however, they were not allowed, upon penalty of death, to return to England until after their time had expired.

Once prisoners of war could be labeled as “rebels” they became fair game for transportation, and it was only a short and logical step then to bracket them with any political opponents of the regime, idlers, beggars, and other shiftless nuisances. In short order transportation became the convenient method of disposing of all manner of undesirables and non-partisans, even prisoners who had not been formally convicted. In 1653 Richard Netherway of Bristol was licensed to ship 100 “Tories” from Ireland to be sold as slaves in Virginia. [Coldham, Emigrants In Chains, pg. 48.]

If a person to be transported had funds left, or if he had friends who would pay for his passage, he might have reasonable accommodations on the journey, and upon arrival, “buy” himself out of slavery in the colonies. However, if he had no funds, nor friends to pay, then he might be forced to be a slave for seven years. We don’t know all of DANIEL’s circumstances, though his estates in Ireland were forfeit, but possibly he had friends to redeem him and was able to establish himself and his family in the colonies with a reasonable amount of comfort. He almost immediately became an upstanding and influential member of the community, holding public offices, so apparently his problems with the government at home did not adversely effect his standing in the community in the colony.

The depository of power for the Virginia yeomanry was the House of Burgesses, of which DANIEL became a member. It was elected by the votes of the freeholders and faithfully represented the interests of the freeholders. The common men usually elected the leading men of each county, men of education and wealth.

Lt. Daniel Neale-1

An article from Colonial Families of the Southern States of America, page 395, says that the name Niall, O’Neil, Neal, Neil, Neale, and even Nigel, was inter-woven with the history of Ireland for several centuries.

The progenitor of the Virginia Neales was Lieutenant DANIEL NEALE, an Irish Protestant …..was a forfeiting proprietor during the wars of the Commonwealth and on a list of persons transported A.D. 1653-4, and just below his name [on the list] is the name of Ellinor Neale.”[Colonial Families of the Southern States of America, page 395, which quotes “O’Hart’s Anglo-Irish Landed Gentry.”]

The “Irish Protestants” were almost to a man the descendants of those Lowland Scots and English border people transported into Ireland by King James after 1609 to supplant the Celtic Irish Catholics. They may have been of British or Lowland Scots blood, but seldom, if ever, were they descended from the Celtic Irish.

DANIEL NEALE-1 was born in Ireland about 1620. His son, CHRISTOPHER-2 had been born about 1644 and they came to Virginia about 1653/4. Several deeds mention DANIEL-1’s wife as “Hellen” or “Ellen.” Her name was listed as “ELINOR” right after his in the list of those transported. Helen, Ellen, and Elinor are synonyms.

Lieutenant DANIEL NEALE-1 and his wife, HELEN or ELLEN, were settled into the colony by December 1, 1656, when he purchased 250 acres of land from Thomas Garrard. In 1669, DANIEL-1 and “my wife Helen” sold it to James Robinson. Later in 1669, CHRISTOPHER NEALE-2 witnessed a power-of-attorney for a deed with his parents. DANIEL-1 was listed as “of Fairfield par.”

In 1670, DANIEL-1 witnessed the will of Henry Lambert. By March 28, 1671, DANIEL NEALE-1 is referred to as “DANIEL NEALE, Senior,” which indicates that Daniel, Jr.-2, was of age to be conducting business in the county. [Family Tree Maker, Virginia Colonial Abstracts, Volume I, Northumbria Collectamen, 1645-1720, M-Z. Broderbund Software, Inc. 1998, pg. 582.]

In the spring of 1671, Mister Edward Cole apparently lost his mind and accused “Granny Neale,” the wife of DANIEL NEALE-1, of “bewitching” his wife. There are several references to this and depositions taken concerning this event. This may be the same Edward Cole who appeared as a head-right in 1642, and was entering patents for 900 acres by 1655. [The Planters of Colonial Virginia, page 77.]

Edward Le Breton, who was a merchant of the Island of Jersey, gave a power of attorney to Thomas Matthew of Cherry Point, in Northumberland County, concerning some business. CHRISTOPHER NEALE-2 witnessed this document. This is the same Thomas Matthew to whom William Presley wrote. Edward Le Breton also mentioned that he had heard Edward Cole say that Mrs. NEALE, the wife of DANIEL-1, had bewitched his wife. Thomas Matthew of Cherry Point was a very prominent member of the community.

A deposition, taken in May of 1671, also mentioned that Edward Cole had accused “Granny Neale” of being a witch. In July of that same year, another deposition, this time from Mary Saunders, wife of Captain Edward Saunders, said:

the Monday after the 12^th” Mr. Edward Coles came to her house and she asked him how his wife was. He replied that she was dead and then when Mary Saunders told him she was sorry, he said that his wife wasn’t dead at all but bewitched and that Mrs. Neal was the one he suspected. [Family Tree Maker, Virginia Colonial Abstracts, Volume I, Northumbria Collectamen, 1645-1720, M-Z. Broderbund Software, Inc. 1998, pg. 582.]

What the outcome of this accusation was is unclear, but several years later, what appears to be this same Edward Cole, holds offices of responsibility in the community. The accusation was probably not taken lightly by the NEALE family, however, since at this time, “witchcraft” was believed in by many in the community and the church. It is interesting that HELEN NEALE was called “Granny Neale” when she was probably only about 50 years old. Today, most women aged 50 still think of themselves as “middle aged,” but in that period, 50 years old was ancient.

“No person was ever executed in Virginia for that offense. Instead, the courts actively punished false accusations of witchcraft, often assessing heavy fines and costs against those who denounced their neighbors as minions of the Devil.” [Fischer,Albion’sSeed.pg.340.]

One example of a witchcraft trial in Virginia was held in 1705, 34 years after the episode where “Granny Neale” was accused of witchcraft. In Princess Anne County, Grace Sherwood was long suspected of witchcraft, and a jury of women was brought in to search her body and they returned that there were at least two things [besides her breasts] on her body that resembled “titts.” Her house was searched and no evidence was found, but it was eventually decided to “try” the woman by ducking, when no jury of women could be found to examine her body a second time. The day of the ducking, however, the weather was bad and the ducking was delayed in order not to injure her health. What the ultimate outcome of that trial was is unknown to this author.

“Ducking” an accused consisted of tying them into a chair at the end of a long pole. They were ducked in a pool as punishment which could progress to drowning. At some times, they were ducked to see if they were indeed a witch. The theory was that an innocent woman would drown and a witch would float, so therefore if the woman drowned, she was “innocent.” If she didn’t drown, she was guilty, and therefore a witch, so she was burned. That doesn’t seem to be the case here, and the interest they seemed to have in not letting the woman’s health be harmed by a cold ducking seems to indicate that they did not intend to drown her. Common “scolds,” or women who were nags, were ducked as punishment.

In 1691, CHRISTOPHER NEALE-2, Phil Shapleigh, and PETER PRESLEY, Sr., were appointed trustees to lay out a town.

In 1691, PETER PRESLEY, Sr.-2, Phil Shapleigh, and CHRISTOPHER NEALE-2 were appointed trustees to lay out a town. [Fleet, Virginia Colonial Abstracts] ANNE NEALE’s father, PRESLEY NEALE-4, named a son Shapleigh Neale. Whether this denotes kinship or friendship is not proven at this point in time, but the giving of a surname as a given name usually denoted kinship. In Westward the American Shapleys, the author, Brian Berry, states on page 406, that Philip Shapley was a justice in Northumberland County and he was with Peter Presley as foeffes in trust for land laid out for a new town and was a bondsman for Colonel Presley in 1712.

On page 407, Mr. Berry says that Thomas Shapleigh was married to Hannah Neale, and their daughter, Elizabeth, was born in 1702. He names the source of this data as Duball’s Va. Colonial Abstracts. He further states, in a table on the same page, that the Hannah Neale married to Thomas Shapleigh was daughter of Daniel Neale and Elizabeth Holland born July, 1684. He states that she married John Haynie after the death of Thomas Shapleigh. John Shapley, the brother of the Thomas Shapley who was married to Hannah Neale, left his estate to his sister Hannah and his “cousins” including Shapleigh Neale, Richard Neale and Susannah Neale. [Westward the American Shapleys.]

Mr. Berry says that Shapleigh Neale was the son of an unknown Neale who was married to a Judith Shapley, the sister of Thomas and John Shapley. His sources cited are St. Stephen’s Parish and other Northumberland County records. We know that “our” Shapleigh Neale was the brother of ANNE NEALE who married HENRY WISHEART, as proven by our Shapleigh’s will, but there could also have been another man by the same name. It is also possible that Mr. Berry’s scenario is in error. More research should be done on these lines for those who depend on descent from that line. [Westward the American Shapleys.]

In 1702, CHRISTOPHER was the executor for the will of the local minister, the Reverend John Farnefold. Edward Cole was appointed in the Reverend’s will to be a pallbearer. One may wonder if this was the same Edward Cole who slandered “Granny Neale,” or if it was his son or nephew by the same name. Other executors for the Reverend’s will were Rodham Kenner, John Haynie, and Thomas Hobson.

In 1703, CHRISTOPHER was also a Justice of the county. In 1705, CHRISTOPHER witnessed the will of John Bowers, the elder. In 1706, he and HANNAH witnessed the will of Rodham Kenner, her nephew. He was referred to as “cozen” CHRISTOPHER NEALE in the will. Some of these names were passed on to future generations as evidenced by the signature of a later Rodham Kenner and an Edward Sanford on the Leedstown Resolves, which was a protest against the Stamp Act October 2, 1766.

Reverend John Farnefold was one of the clerks of Her Majesties Royall College of William and Mary in Virginia in 1702. He had come to the area about 1671 and served as minister of Mattapony Community, which was called St. Stephens after 1698. This college was named for William of Orange and his wife, Mary, the daughter of James II who had been deposed from the English throne by his daughter and son-in-law. Mary was the granddaughter of the beheaded Charles I.

Thomas Hobson was born in 1666, son of Thomas Hobson, Sr., and was clerk of Northumberland County from about 1710 to about 1716. His father, who had been born about 1635, was clerk from about 1664 to 1710. Thomas, Jr., was burgess in 1700-1702 and named one of his daughters “Clerk” Hobson.

Richard Kenner, the son of Rodham Kenner, was placed under the guardianship of CHRISTOPHER NEALE-2 and Richard’s uncle, Francis Kenner. Richard apparently didn’t like this, however, and he petitioned the court in 1715 to allow him to choose his own guardian. CHRISTOPHER-2 and Francis contested this because the will stated that they should be the guardians. The petition of Richard was granted in 1716 though. One may wonder just why Richard Kenner was anxious to get new guardians, or why CHRISTOPHER-2 and Francis protested the change. There was one notation in the same records that his father, Rodham Kenner, had thought about cutting Richard Kenner out of his will entirely, but had changed his mind at the last minute. Apparently, the young man was a “problem child” of some sort.

Children of Lieutenant Daniel Neale-1 and Ellen, born in Ireland

1. Daniel Neale-2, of Northumberland County, born 1642 and died about 1727, married as his first wife, Elizabeth Holland, daughter of Daniel and Joyce Holland. None of his four sons left offspring, but two daughters left heirs. The estates of his sons in Northumberland County detail his descendants.

In May of 1696, Daniel Neal-2 filed a suit against Edward Feilding, the executor of Thomas Jones, deceased, “who [Jones] in his life was indebted to Mrs. Patience Downing, the wife of the said [Daniel-2] Neale for 400 pounds of tobacco.” This indicates that his first wife, Elizabeth, was deceased and that he had remarried. We know from other estates, that this man’s sons mentioned their “mother-in-law,” [i.e. step-mother] Mrs. Patience Neale, in their estates. In 1700, Daniel Neal-3 [Daniel-2; Daniel-1] willed to younger brother, Ebenezer-3 Neale, 500 acres on Hull Creek, and to sister, Hannah Neale, and brother-in-law, John Cockrill. He mentioned his “couzin,” Christopher Neale, as one of the executors. The will was recorded in 1719. The term “mother-in-law” frequently meant “step-mother” and “Couzen” frequently meant “nephew” as we use the terms today. “Brother-in-law” frequently meant “step-brother.”

We know that this Daniel-2 had several sons who died without issue, and that he was survived only by two daughters who had children. The sons were Daniel-3, Ebenezer-3, Edward-3, and William-3. The surviving daughters were Lucretia, who married John Cockrell, and Hannah, who married a man surnamed Haynie. Birth records in the parish record some of the birth dates of these children of Daniel, Jr.-2 The births were between 1677 and 1684.

Brian Berry, the author of Westward the Americana Shapleys, indicates on page 407, that Hannah, the daughter of Daniel Neale-2, had first married Thomas Shapley, who had died about 1703, and then married John Haynie. He quotes Duvall’s Virginia Colonial Abstracts as the basis for this information. He also quotes the parish register for the birth of Elizabeth Shapley, born April 19, 1702, to Thomas Shapley and Hannah-3 Neale. Hannah Neale-3, Shapley Haynie’s brother, John Neal-3, left legacies to his “cousins” Elizabeth Allison, his sister Hannah, and his “cousins” Shapleigh Neale, Richard Neale, and Susannah Neale. He also indicates that Judith Shapley, a sister to Hannah and John, married an unknown man named Neale and had Shapley Neale, Richard Neale, and Susannah Neale. This might mean that there were two men named Shapleigh Neale, or it might be an error in “interpretation” and conclusion. Another record of interest in the “Shapleigh Neale” search is a birth of “Judith Niel” daughter of Shapleigh born October 4, 1743, and “Hannah Neil,” daughter of Shapleigh born June 5, 1746. [Virginia Colonial Abstracts, Northumberland County Records of Births 1661-1810. Pg. 466] Since we know that our Shapleigh’s will did not mention any children and, our Shapleigh Neale would not have been old enough to have sired these children [he was probably born in the 1730’s or 1740’s] then, there must have been two men by this name.

Another interesting piece of evidence for descendants of Daniel Neale-2, is contained in the estate of Ebenezer Neale-3, the son of Daniel Neale-2. Ebenezer’s estate was divided between Cockrell and Haynie, his sisters, and contained lands which descended from Daniel Holland. Daniel Holland was the man who served on the Indians’ murder trial jury. When Daniel Holland died, he left lands to his wife, Joyce, and to his daughter, Elizabeth, “wife of Daniel Neale.” Elizabeth Holland Neale died leaving four sons and two daughters, and it named the children [which we have already named.] Upon her death, Joyce Holland left her lands to Elizabeth, her daughter.

2. Robert Neale-2, of Northumberland County, born 1648, died 1675, or later.

3. Charles Neale-2, a Captain in Northumberland County, born about 1650, died 1718. He served as a Burgess and a vestryman of St. Stephen’s Parish, and his will was probated in Richmond County in 1718. His will refers to wife and offspring.

4. Captain CHRISTOPHER NEALE-2, born about 1644, died 1691, married HANNAH RODHAM, the daughter of MATTHEW RODHAM and his wife, ELIZABETH, about 1664. He served with distinction as a member of the House of Burgesses from Northumberland and as a Civil Officer between the years 1680 and 1685. He was a staunch liberal supporter of the Established Church.

Christopher Neale-2 and Hannah Rodham

The children of Christopher Neale-2 and Hannah Rodham

Lt.. Daniel Neale-1; Christopher-2; Daniel-3; Presley-4; Anne-5

1. DANIEL NEALE-3, born July 26, 1673, “of Cople Parish” married URSULA PRESLEY, and died December 1713. Colonial Families of the Southern States of America, page 396, incorrectly states that the father of URSULA PRESLEY is “William Presley.”

2. Captain Christopher Neale-3, born June 23, 1671, married Jane Presley Rogers as her second husband. He served as a member of the House of Burgesses, and as an officer in the Virginia Militia and was one of the founders of William and Mary College. Jane’s former husband and she had several children. She and Christopher Neale were executors for the estates of several of her deceased children; Richard, John, and Hannah Rogers in May of 1703. [Northumberland County, VA. Record Book 22 pg. 267-269.] Jane’s Rogers children who survived and left heirs were Elizabeth, Jane, and Eleanor.

3. Matthew Neale-3, born February 6, 1676/7.

4. Richard Neale-3, born August 28, 1682, was “of” Lancaster County, Virginia, and served as a member of the House of Burgesses from 1712 to 1714, Militia officer, and also was one of the founders of William and Mary College.

5. Rodham Neale-3, born October 8, 1685. A deed in 1713 mentions the wife of Rodham Neale as Anne.

6. John Neale-3, proven as a son of CHRISTOPHER-2 by a deed in 1713 from Rodham Neale, of St. Stephens Parish, selling land to Robert Carter, Esq., of Lancaster County, 300 acres in Wicco Parish, part of 700 acres granted to James Pope, the elder, and by his son, James, sold to CHRISTOPHER NEALE, the father of said Rodham on August 13, 1691. CHRISTOPHER NEALE left the land to his sons Rodham and John, and “John is now dead and the land vested in Rodham,” the surviving brother. Does this mean that John had no children to leave his half of the land to? Since the children were mostly born in the 1670’s and 1680’s, he would probably have been a very young man at the time of his death if he died before 1713.

7. Hannah Neale-3, mentioned in her father’s will

8. Frances Neale-3, mentioned in her father’s will.

The birth dates of several of the children were recorded in the parish records in the county. This is fortunate for us, because it allows us to more carefully organize the many men and women with the same given and surnames, by having exact birth dates for some of the children. This also allows us to “estimate” the ages of the parents and other relations.

Matthew Rodahm

HANNAH RODHAM and her sister, Elizabeth, who married Richard Kenner, were positively identified by deeds-of-gift as the children of MATTHEW RODHAM. The given name of Rodham was also perpetuated in both girls’ families for generations.

MATTHEW RODHAM had signed the oath to the Commonwealth April 13, 1652, and was noted as about age 33. This gives us a birth date of about 1620 for him. Deeds mention his wife, ELIZABETH. Richard Kenner witnessed a deed of gift from MATTHEW RODHAM to “my daughter HANNAH, wife of CHRISTOPHER NEALE,” for a plantation formerly belonging to Hugh Lee, 300 acres. Another notation in Virginia Colonial Abstracts, Volume I, Northumbria Collectanea, 1645-172- A-L, on page 559, mentions Kings Creek Adj. Hugh Lee’s land prior to November 17, 1666. Also in St. S. Parish [?] adj. land of Jno Oldham, Sr., January, 1700.

In 1651, Mrs. Hannah Lee, the wife of Hugh Lee, gave a cow as a gift to MATTHEW RODHAM for use of his daughter HANNAH, to be delivered to her when she was age 16. If she died before that, it was to go to the next child of MATTHEW and his wife, ELIZABETH. This leads one to suspect that Mrs. Lee was the mother of ELIZABETH, and therefore, the grandmother of HANNAH RODHAM. No further proof of this has been found by this author, however. At this early date in Virginia’s history, the gift of a heifer or a cow was a princely gift indeed, and one not lightly given, or given to those not intimately connected by blood or friendship. [Virginia Colonial Abstracts.]

In an e-mail to the author, dated February 1, 1999, another researcher, Mr. Freeman, asserts, without citing a source, that ELIZABETH was surnamed, Hewett, and stated that her mother, as the widow Hewett, had married Mr. Lee when ELIZABETH was quite small. This might be a good avenue to explore with future research.

Saturday, August 6, 1659, at a court held at the house of Captain Richard Wright, the men of the area held a murder trial. George Casquescough, of Machoatick, Northumberland County, was accused of murder and entered a plea of not guilty. MATTHEW “RHEDON” [RODHAM], PETER PRESLEY, and Daniel Holland were on the jury. The man was convicted, along with “three other Indians,” and hanged.

MATTHEW RODHAM was still living in 1706. He was apparently reasonably “well-off”financially. The records of Northumberland mention several servants that he brought to court to have their age “judged.” These included Thomas Morny and an “Irish wench,” Guillian. He was also a vestryman in Chicacone Parish in 1671 and 1672. [Virginia Colonial Abstracts.]

The “judging of ages” of servants in court was related to the amount of time they had to serve. If they were under a certain age, they had to serve until a set “age” and if over a certain age, then for a set number of years. Since many of the servants did not have any real idea when they were born, the court would look at the person and decide how old they were.

Daniel Neale-3

Lt. Daniel Neale-1; Christopher-2; Daniel-3; Presley-4; Anne-5

DANIEL NEALE-3 married URSULA PRESLEY, the daughter of PETER PRESLEY and ELIZABETH THOMPSON. [Colonial Families of the Southern States of America, pg. 395-399.]

The children of Daniel Neale-3 and Ursula Presley

1. Hannah Neale-4, mentioned first in her father’s will, may have been the oldest.

2. PRESLEY NEALE-4 was mentioned second in his father’s will and may have been the second-oldest child.

3. Daniel Neale-4, mentioned third in his father’s will.

4. Christopher Neale-4, of Prince George County, Maryland, died in July or August, 1756. He was prominent in the affairs of church and State. He owned a large estate in Prince George County, Maryland, and his wife was Anne Osborne, who divided her property, at her death in 1782, between her daughters, Mary Neale-5, Elizabeth Neale-5, and Hannah Neale-5 Brent, and named her son, Thomas Neale-5. Christopher-4 was mentioned fourth in the will of DANIEL-3.

5. Rodham Neale-4, mentioned fifth in his father’s will.

6. Frances Neale-4, mentioned last in her father’s will.

Estate of Daniel Neale-3

The will of DANIEL NEALE-3 of Cople Parish, Westmoreland County, Virginia, was probated March 2, 1713, and named daughters, Hannah Neale-4 and Frances Neale-4, and sons, PRESLEY NEALE-4, Daniel Neale-4, Christopher Neale-4, and Rodham Neale-4 Since we know that DANIEL-3 was born July 26, 1673, he was quite young at the time of his death, dying about age 40. DANIEL-3’s will, and very-detailed inventory of his estate, give us a clear picture of his household and equipment.

Homes in early Virginia, even those of the very wealthy, were not large by today’s standards. Even the richest men in Virginia may have only had a few rooms in their homes. One of the largest contained thirteen chambers. The kitchens were frequently built in separate buildings for safety and comfort. Rooms were multi-purpose with “trundle” beds often used to help furnish sleeping space for the family and guests. The “hall” was generally a dining room. DANIEL’s inventory mentioned the “Hall chamber,” the “parlor,” and the “Parlor chamber,” and the “kitchen.” Each of these four rooms contained bedding and bed-type furniture except the kitchen. The kitchen list had numerous tools listed, along with dishes and cooking items.

His home may have consisted of one building with two rooms below and one above, if it were typical, and may have been about 20 by 30 or 40 feet. Probably, but not necessarily, two- story. It was also probably built of wood with brick chimneys. The kitchen was most likely separate and contained a walk-in fireplace in which the cooking was done. The kitchen would have been one of the main rooms of the “house,” as most work was accomplished there. The home also contained a spinning wheel, and most of the women in the home would have been expert spinners, trained from childhood to prepare thread for weaving for the family’s every-day clothing.

Sheep were raised on the plantation to supply meat and wool for spinning. There were several teams of oxen which were the primary draft animals for planting crops, and several horses. The family also had hogs as well. There were no wagons mentioned in the inventory and only a broken cart and wheels. A horse collar, old and broken, was mentioned, and some saddles, so apparently the horses had been used to pull the cart at one time, but were by the time of DANIEL-3’s death, probably ridden for transportation if the family did not walk.

In a partial transcription in the author’s incomplete records is part of an article from the Virginia Genealogist, on CD, which is a petition from Westmoreland County, Virginia, petitioning for the establishment of a new town, with no date. The petition stated that the new place is conveniently situated for a town, lying in the River Yeocomoco, a deep and navigable river, and the only safe harbor for large vessels on the south side of Potomac River. It was signed by Richard Muse, Daniel Muse, James Muse, Thomas, Richard, Augustine, and Patrick Sanford, as well as Thomas Randal Sanford.

The Will of Daniel Neale-3

In the name of God Amen, I Daniel Neal of the county of Westmoreland and parish of Cople In Virginia Gentt: being sick in body but whole in mind and of full and perfect memory laud and praise be unto Allmighty God doe make and ordaine this my last will and testament in manner and form following that is to say first and foremost revoking all former wills and testamints by me made written or unwritten and this only to be taken deemed and esteemed to be my last will and testament in manner and form following first and principally I comend my soul unto the hands of the allmighty God my maker and redeemer and blessed Saviour Jesus Christ in sure and certain hope it shall be reunited to my body at the general day and glorified and my body to be decently buryed in the earth from whence it came at the descretion of my executrix hereafter named and for such worldy goods as it hath pleased God to bestow on me farr beyond my desert I will and dispose of in the manner and form following. First and formost my will is that all my just debts be duly paid by my executrix, Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Hannah Neale one Negro girl called Molly to be delivered to her at the day of her marriage. Item I give and bequeath unto my son Presley Neale one Negro girle called Betty to be delivered to him at the age of twenty one years, Item I give and bequeath unto my son Daniel Neale one Negro woman called black hannah to be delivered to him at the age of twenty one years. Item I give and bequeath unto my son Christopher Neale one Negro girle called Nanny to be delivered to him when he attaine the age of twenty one years. Item my will and pleasure is that my two Negro men Jack and Dick remain and continue that is to say the use and benefitt of them to be wholy to my deare and loving wife Ursula and after her decease Negroe Dick to descend to my son Rodham and Jack to my son Christopher. Item I give and bequeath unto my daugher Frances Neale one Negro to be paid out of the increase of the before espresst Negro women if it should soe happen that any of them brings children and if it soe hapens that none of the said Negro women brings children that lives, then I give and bequeath to my said Daughter Frances three thousand pounds of tobacco to be paid her in the lieu thereof and the second living child born of the aforesaid Negro women I give and bequeath unto my son Rodham Neale Item I give and bequeath unto my son Presley Neale all my land on which I now live to him and his heirs forever, and all the reaminder part of my estate to be equally divided my loving wife and children all to have equal share thereof. Item it is my desire that all my children stay and remaine with their mother untill they be of age to be marryed unless they goe away by their mother’s consent. Item I appoint my deare and loving wife Ursula Neale to be my whole and sole ectrx of this my last will and testament In Witness thereof I have hereunto sett my hand and fixed my seale this nineteenth day of December anno DM one thousand seven hundred and thirteen.

Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of us Richard Bell [Mark] Elizabeth Colston [Mark] Thomas Thompson Daniel Neale [seal] [Transcription of will supplied by Erick Montgomery, Westmoreland Co., VA. Will book 5, page 244.]

“A true and perfect inventory of all and singular the estate of Dan’l Neale dec’d that hath been brought before us the subscribers have valued and appraised the same by venture…” [The inventory of the estate, Book 5, page 271, in Westmoreland County was posted on March 15, 1713.]

Inventory of Daniel Neale-3

Seven cows and 7 yearlings valued at 3,500 [pounds of tobacco?] 2 six year old stears at 1,100, two 3-year old stears at 550, five 2-yr old cattle, very small and poor 750, one 3 year old mare 500, 3 weathers at 100 “p’ eache” each =300, 1 ole crazey cart and wheels at 250, 10 cows at 450 p’each 4500, three 5-yr old stears at 450 p’each 1350, 5 five 2-year old cattle at 1,000; one gelding and one old mare at 1600, 9 ewes & 11 lambs at 1350, 20 small & bigg shoats at 600, 13 hoggs at 150 p’ each 1950

[page 272]

In the parlour chamber

1 feather bed bolsters ruggs 1100; sheets & valences & boalster all at; one broken chest noe lock to it 40; One old feather bed bolster 1 blanket 1 sheet a cheddar & bedstead at 450; 2 ole broken boxes leather & turkey work chairs old and some broken 180, 3 dozen coat buttons 24, 3 dozen gimp buttons 8, 1 hank of silk, 6, 2 yards dimity 20, 6 ole leather chairs at 45 p’each 270,

Hall Chamber

1 feather bed boalsters, rug bedstead, & Sheet 650, in a chest 15 ½ yards of drappery at 3 p 465; 4 ½ dz breast buttons at 27; 9 knotts of mohair 60, the chest 100;

In the Hall table linen

Damask napkins at 15 each 180; 9 damask napkins & some torn 54; ole press in the hall at 250; an old trunk 2 table flasks and drumline 50; ole leather chairs wooven 120; one old damask table cloth 60; an old jersey coat & ole drugget coat, vetst & breaches a pair of stokins a hat shoe buckles a razor & brush 300; an old table & couch 120; 9 old leather chairs and 45 beanches 450; an old gun and a looking glass 240

In the parlour

featherbed rugg blanket bolster and a truckle bedstead 500; ole chest with drawers and old looking glass 150; an old warming pan 65; a silver baker old & brusised 200; an ivory glister pipe 4; a mans saddle; 2 old broken bridles a breast plate and crupper at 150; 1 small feather bed bolster rugg and blanket a pair of sheets 2 pillos an old bed tick with a ____ of feather in it underneath the bed containers and vallens of bed stead 1100, 1 old chest 100; a parcell of old books 60; a parcel of gun powder an old box smoothing iron without heaters and 3 blass violls at 40.

In the Kitchen: Cracked earthern panns 32; then bottle 2 old small butter, 13 whole & 5 broken wooden bowls 52; an old cross cut saw & file 100; a bell matte skillet an old brass spice morter with spices and a pestle 120; a meal sifer and 2 sifters broke all to pieces and 6 wooden trenches 30;[page 273] an old spinning wheel and parcel of old lumber, rotten cask, broken chairs meal tray all to pieces and several other things of little value at 150; 1 ½ doz of old peweter plates 108; 1 old brass kettle 100; one old paile piggon 35; 38 of broken old peweter 152; an old brass chambers for his & her 1 old tanker without a lid and a wooden strainer and old iron candlestick 35; 1 old chest 80; 1 yard of course Holland white linen and 21 yards of muslin 70; 2 old meal bags torn and patched 10; 1 white serving lad about 1 year & 5 months to serve at 1200; a parcell of cotton & a small hand skinn 50; 2 iron wedges & one small old grind stone 47; an iron pestle & small parcell of carpenter tools 120; a spike & a ladle an iron skimmer two path hangers and 1 very small pitt 150; 3 iron pots weighing 129 at 387; 1 old iron pott with a hole in it & 2 old frying panns good for little 40; 2 large piggins old 294; 7 glass bottles 1 earthern chamber pot 26; 1 old fish gigg & a leather horse collar 50; 1 old shirt & neck cloath 6; 1 old broken side sadle & an old cradle & 2 pillops 100; 2 small cours table cloth & two napkins & old pichure & an earthern chamber old bridle bitt and old cloth brush 40

signed Gerrard Hutt, Tho Thompson Rich Dozier

An inventory of negores belonging to Mr. Daniel Neale decd

One negro man known by the name of Jack 7,000; One very small negro woman called Nanny 6,000; One negro girl called Malley very young 3,000; One negro woman called Hannah 7,000; one negro girl called Betty 6,000, One negro called Dick 7,000 Ursula Neale 3,600.

Most of the slaves in Virginia were not native born, but were imported from Africa or the West Indies. The number of slaves had increased very slowly from 1619 to 1700 in the colonies. Many, if not most, of the slaves first imported were young men. The few women who were imported from Africa were not prolific breeders, so the numbers of slaves grew fairly slowly for quite some time after the original importation of black slaves for life. Most slaves spoke little English, and lived and worked side by side with their masters on the primitive plantations. There were very few slave owners in Virginia at the time DANIEL died, and of those, only a few owned more than one or two black slaves or white servants. [Boles, Black Southerners.]

Why URSULA’s name and an amount of tobacco were listed in the inventory of the slaves is unknown. The inventory listed was identical to the list in DANIEL’s will. Relative value between “pounds Sterling” and pounds of tobacco is difficult to determine, but appraisements for slaves about this time, according to Economic History of Virginia in the Seventeenth Century, by Philip Alexander Bruce, mentions the value of a grown man about the turn of the century as about 25 to 30 pounds sterling. If 7,000 pounds of tobacco were valued at 25 pounds sterling, then 280 pounds of tobacco would equal one pound sterling. This would give the entire estate a value of 141 pounds sterling in slaves and 114 pounds sterling in personal moveable property, or a total value of 255 pounds Sterling in moveable property, plus the value of the lands. This, of course, did not make DANIEL a rich man, but put him in the upper-middle class, if such it could be termed. We know only what his assets were and do not know the extent of his debts that might offset some or all of the value of the estate.

The estate contained 39,600 pounds of tobacco value in Negro slaves, and that constituted the bulk of the value of the “personal property.” The white servant was valued at 1,200 pounds of tobacco. The livestock was worth 19,300 pounds of tobacco. The household items were worth 11,175 pounds of tobacco. This was a total of 71,275 pounds of tobacco, or a considerable estate. This very detailed inventory of the estate is also interesting to us since it gives us a complete picture of the items contained in the household and on his plantation. We can also see that DANIEL-3 apparently didn’t throw out anything just because it was broken. Times may have been tough and, obviously, he had not replaced much broken crockery or utensils. Tobacco was the only way for the colonists to obtain the equivalent in cash income, and the prices varied from year to year, such that the colonial planter was constantly cash-strapped.

DANIEL’s household equipment consisted of a few pewter plates, wooden bowls, and broken crockery and well used furniture. While he may have lived better than some of his neighbors, it appears that he and his family lived none-too-well, when judged by the dilapidated state of the items listed. Nevertheless, we may infer from his estate that DANIEL NEALE was probably among the more affluent of his neighbors.

The inventory mentioning several steers of ages three to five years old indicates that DANIEL’s plantation had several pairs of working oxen. Oxen were the primary farm draft animals until the late ninteenth century when mules replaced many of the oxen in use. An oxen was not a special breed of cattle, but simply a neutered bull of whatever breed the farmer kept. Many times it would be the offspring of his milch cows. These animals were trained to plow with the use of a wooden yoke placed on their necks. They were much slower and stronger than horses, easier to keep, and did not require grain to feed them. Beef was not commonly eaten during this time as it did not keep as well as pork, but animals were primarily raised for their hides and milk as well as for their ability as draft animals. DANIEL’s inventory of cattle was quite large for this time in history, listing 17 cows, 7 yearlings, 10 two-year old cattle, and at least 3 pairs of what were probably working steers, or oxen. Having this many cattle and especially this many pairs of working steers would indicate that he was attempting to till a reasonably large plantation.

A pair of steers can plow about one acre of ground per day. Having three pair of steers to work would give him the ability to plow up to three acres per day of labor. Obviously, with his own labor and that of his two adult male slaves, DANIEL’s ability to till land was much multiplied over some of his slaveless yeoman neighbors. However, with bumper crops of tobacco, and consumption not rising, the price for tobacco was down very low during the last few years of DANIEL’s life.

It is difficult today for us to imagine that our ancestors lived with such few possessions unless we stop to think that each item in the household was made by hand labor. In Colonial Williamsburg, there are historical reenactors who practice the crafts that our ancestors did, in just the same way, using the same tools. Watching a blacksmith make a rake, which took about an hour and a half, and then watching another man make the handle for the rake, which took him about half a day if you counted the cutting down of the tree, gives one an idea of the amount of labor that went into making a simple tool that we can purchase in a hardware store for a few dollars today. That ancient rake would represent the labor of many hours by a skilled craftsman and precious and expensive metal.

Governor Spotswood wrote in 1711 that “the great number of negroes imported here and solely employed in making tobacco hath produced for some years past an increase in tobacco far disproportionate to the consumption of it… and consequently lowered the price of it.”

By the early Eighteenth century, some of the planters were losing money.

After the death of DANIEL-3 in 1713, URSULA PRESLEY NEALE married Wharton Ransdall [Ransdell]. Her relationships were proven beyond a doubt by the will and estate of her brother, Peter, in 1718. She was deceased prior to 1755 when her second husband, Wharton Ransdall, wrote his will and mentioned his [then] current wife, Sarah.

Most widows and widowers of the “middle” classes remarried after the deaths of their spouses as a matter of economic and social necessity. If there were children to raise, slaves to oversee, and a plantation to run, women were at a disadvantage unless they had older sons that could take over the place of the deceased husband. Widows could and did conduct business and oversee plantations, but this was not the rule. Men could have a slave woman run the “home,” but without a mistress to oversee the household management, the home did not run as smoothly. Children, especially female children, needed a mother-figure to oversee their upbringing and social education. Black slaves were not considered suitable for this task.

Wharton Ransdell’s will, in Westmoreland County Virginia Book 13, page 143, starts off in the “standard form” and mentions his son, Edward Randell “the lands on which I now live,” his Mulatto girl, Susanna Wood, and Negro girl, baptized by the name of Mary, also his silver “wach” and silver-hilted sword, as well as his “still and worm,” and all “tyte casks.” Land bought of Willoughby Newton, on Beaver dam run of _?_ River, in Stafford County, part of which he had given his daughter, Sarah Elliott Pierce. Then he mentions son, Wharton Randell-2, to have a Negro named George, and his clothes of every kind. Son, William-ii received lands in Prince William County and a Negro girl named Pegg, and his “molatto boy,” Robert Wood. He next mentions Sarah Elliott Pierce, his daughter, to have money to buy a mourning ring, as she had already received her portion. He mentioned his wife, Sarah Randell, having chairs and a couple of horses. The rest of the estate was to be divided between his wife, Sarah, and his three sons, Edward-ii, Wharton-ii, and William-ii. His will was probated April 25, 1758.

Presley Neale, 4^th Generation

PRESLEY NEALE-4 was probably born sometime between 1693 and 1700 in Westmoreland County, Virginia. He was likely only a teenager or young adult when his father, DANIEL-3, died. By the terms of his father’s will and estate, he would have received some inheritance and slaves which would have helped him set up independent life. The estimate of his age is taken from his father’s known birth date of 1673, and may be a few years off.

PRESLEY NEALE-4 was sub-sheriff of Westmoreland County, Virginia, and owned quite a bit of land in several counties, including Westmoreland, Northumberland, and Fairfax, Virginia. Colonial Families of the Southern States of America on page 397, incorrectly states that the wife of PRESLEY NEALE-4 was “Margaret______ believed to be the daughter of Moore and Margaret [Micou] Fauntleroy, as their daughter married a Mr. Neale.”

PRESLEY NEALE-4 married MARGARET SANFORD. She was the daughter of ROBERT SANFORD and MARY MUSE, as proven by several documents listed below.

The Children of Presley Neale-4 and Margaret Sanford Neale

1. ANNE NEALE-5, who married HENRY WISHEART, was apparently deceased by 1777. She left three surviving daughters, including CHARLOTTE WISHEART, who married AARON SIMPSON. Her two other daughters married his brothers. The will of ANNE’s brother, Shapleigh Neale-5, confirms that she is his sibling, and therefore the daughter of PRESLEY NEALE-4.

2. Shapleigh Neale-5, born about 1741 [?], died 1777. His will, written in June, 1777, mentions his wife, Mary, but no children. He left her eight negroes and their increase. He left one-fourth part of one slave [which was to be sold] to be divided between Margaret [Peggy] Wisheart, Jean Wisheart, and CHARLOTTE WISHEART, daughters of his sister, ANNE NEALE-5 WISHEART.

The Will of Shapleigh Neale, published in Fairfax County, Virginia, June 8, 1777, starts off in “standard form.” [Copy in author’s possession.] Then goes on to bequest to “my beloved wife Mary Neale” eight Negroes: “Hannah, George, Rachel, Milly, Minty, Sames, Easter, and Robin” in fee simple, and one Negro named Jean during her natural life [i.e. life estate in this one slave] at the death of Mary Neale, the slave, Jean, was to be divided between “my bro. Daniel Neale and Richard Neal and my sister Jemima Gunnell.” He left a slave named Jack “to be sold by my executors and divided between my bro Daniel Neale, Richard Neal and Jemima Gunnell, and one-forth part to be divided between Mr. Wisheart’s three daughters Margaret Wisheart, Jean Wishart, Charlotte Wisheart.”

3. Daniel Neale-5, the oldest child, according to Colonial Families, page 397, was a Revolutionary soldier and died in Kentucky where he had moved in 1790. He died in 1804.

4. Elizabeth Neale-5, married John Spence and was mentioned in her mother’s will for a bequest. Her husband, John Spence, gave her Negroes named Great Will, Little Will, and Caesar, and “a full one-third of all my moveable estate, and if she have no issue by me to returen to my heirs.” It was dated August 26, 1760. She named her brother, Daniel Neale-5, as guardian of her children, Ann Spence, and Ursula Spence. She probably died before 1765. [Colonial Ancestors, pg. 396.]

5. Richard Neale-5, of Westmoreland, born about 1743, died about 1816. He was active in the affairs of church and state and served in the Revolution. He married, first, Frances Underwood, and second, Mary Nelson Smith, the widow of Lewis Smith.

6. Jemima Neale-5, was mentioned in her brother Shapleigh’s will as Jemima Gunnell.

PRESLEY NEALE-4 died about 1749 in Fairfax. MARGARET SANFORD, [Stanford, Staford, Sandford] NEALE died about 1753. ANNE NEALE-5 was probably little more than a child at the time of her father’s death, and may have not been mature at the time of her mother’s death. PRESLEY NEALE’s will, through the courtesy of Erick Montgomery, is as follows: [The copy is poor and the writing tiny, so several words and phrases are not readable. Others may be deciphered with careful attention paid to the context.]

Will of Presley Neale-4

In the name of God Amen. I Presley Neale of the county of Westmoreland and Parish of Cople being weak in body but of sound judgement do will and ordain this my last will and testement._____ I give to my loving wife Margaret Neale _____negro slaves during her natural life _____Item I give to my loving son Daniel my tract of land lying in parish of _____comprising___ acres to him and his heirs of his body lawfully begotten and in want of such heirs to my son Richard Neale. Item I bequeath to my son Daniel Neale Negro xxx after the death of my wife to him and his heirs forever. Item I give my loving daughter Elizabeth Neale negro _____after my wife’s dedcease Item I give to my loving daughter Ann Neal my negro wench _____ and her child called _____ forever. Item I give and bequeath to my _____ daughter Elizabeth Neale a negro girl called Hannah to her and her heirs forever. I give and bequeath to my son Shapleigh Neale a negro Kate to him and his heirs forever. Item I will and bequeath to my son Richard Neal negro ____ to his heirs forever. Item I will and bequeath to my daughter Jemima Neale mulatto Jean Honest. Item I will and bequeath to my son Daniel Neale negro Fillis after decease of my beloved wife Margaret Neal. Item I give and bequeath to daughter Jemima Negro Matt to her and her heirs forever. Item I give and bequeath to son Shapleigh Neale 100 acres more or less and in case Shapleigh dies before the expiration of the lease to my son Richard. Item I give and bequeath to my son Daniel 185 acres land lying in Northumberland County being part of five hundred and twenty acres which fell to me at the death of Col Presley and it is my will that the remaining 400 acres of the said tract be equally divided between my two sons Shapleigh and Richard. Item I give to my son Daniel a horse called _____ with saddle and bridle. Item I give to my daughter Elizabeth a young mare called Creeping Xxxx with woman’s saddle and bridle. Item I give to my beloved wife Margaret a gray mare know by the name of William Self’s mare. Item I give to Shapleigh Neal a black mare called Di___ saddle and bridle. Item I give to my beloved wife and son Daniel the two oxen which are now in use. Item I give to my Capt [?] Daniel Tilbert xxxx pounds of feathers to be delivered to him by the first day of October. Item I give to my beloved wife Margaret and son Daniel all the tight casks and _____ of the like on the plantation where I now live. Item all my horses, cattle, _____ not bequeathed together with my beds, china, tables and other household fureniture my desire is that they be equally divided between my wife and children each to have an equal share. Item I bequeath to my beloved wife Margaret and son Daniel all sheep on the plantation _____ to Daniel my long gun xxxx coopers and carpenters tools…..”

Wife, MARGARET, son, Daniel-5, and brother, Christopher Neale-4, were appointed executors of the estate of PRESLEY NEALE-4.

Note the unusual mention of slaves with “last names” in this will. There was another mention of a slave with the last name of “Wood” in another will in this same area. That slave was noted as being a mulatto as well.

MARGARET, as a widow, left her will, dated October, 1753, and probated May 27, 1755. We have, by the courtesy of Erick Montgomery, a transcription of the will.

Will if Margaret Sanford Neale

In the Name of God Amen. I Margaret Neale of the county of Westmoreland & parish of Cople being very sick weak in body but perfect mind and memory thanks to God almighty for the same do make this my last will and testament in manner and form following hereby revoking and making void all former wills and testaments by me made of [imprimes I commit my soul into the hands of my blessed saviour and redemer Jesus Christ hoping through his merits to obtain everlasting life and salvation and my body to the earth from whence it came to be decently buried according to the discrettion of my executor of my will hereafter named Item I give and bequeath unto my loving son Shapleigh Neale one negro fellow named Isaac, the said negro I purchased of Mr. William Black to him my said son Shapleigh Neale and his heirs forever. Item I give and bequaeath unto my loving daugher Jemima Neale one mulatto girl named Jean Honest to her my said daughter Jemima Neale and her heirs forever. Item I give and bequeath unto my loving son Richard Neale one mulatto boy named Jno Honest to him my son Reichard Neale and his heirs forever. I give to my daughter Elizabeth Spence my gold ring to my said daughter Elizabeth forever. Item I do constitute and appoint my loving son Daniel Neal and John Spence Jr. My executors of this my last will and testament. In testimony that this is my last will and testament I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seale this eleventh day of October in the year of our lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty three. Her Mark. Margaret Neale Signed and delivered in the presence of us Tho Spence, Danl Neale Jr. Ann Neale.

[Westmoreland County Deeds & Wills, #12, pg 235.]

For some unknown reason, ANNE-5 was not mentioned in her mother’s will for a bequest, but was apparently the “Anne Neale” who was a witness. ANNE, however, had been mentioned in her father’s will only a few years before her mother’s.

MARGARET’s will, which included the bequeathing of several slaves to her children, indicates to us that she had owned these slaves outright in her own name. She may have acquired these slaves, which were also mentioned in her husband’s will, either as a fee simple portion of her husband’s estate, or she had previously inherited them from her own family. She mentioned that she had bought the slave, Isaac, which she may have done after her husband died. We are not able to read some of the names of some of the slaves that PRESLEY NEALE-4 mentioned in his will. In any case, she obviously had more than a life estate in these slaves “received” from her husband.

Robert Sanford-1

Robert Sanford, Sr.-1; Robert-2; Margaret-3

We don’t know much at this time about MARGARET SANFORD-3 NEALE’s father, ROBERT SANFORD-2. The name is also spelled “Sandford,” “Stanford,” and several other ways. There is an earlier Robert Sanford whom we shall, for purposes of numbering, designate as “Robert-1,” but who may not be the father of ROBERT-2, the man we know is the father of MARGARET-3.

The earliest mention found by this researcher for the Sanford name [by various spellings] was dated 1673, when a man named Robert Stanford,[1?] the servant of Major Edward Hill, is brought up for swearing and using profane words in the pulpit of the parish church of Westover. He was to be whipped 30 lashes, but he got the execution stayed by reason of “indisposition” testified to by the local physician, Dr. Irby. This servant would have had to be born by 1653 [at least]. If he is the same man as our ROBERT SANFORD-2, who died in 1736/7, our ROBERT-2 would have had to be a very old man. It seems more likely that the genealogy goes Robert-1, who was the servant of Mr. Hill, and who had at least three sons, ROBERT-2, James-2, and John-2. [Family Tree Maker: Virginia Colonial Abstracts, Volume III, Charles City County Court Orders and Fragments 1664-1696, pg. 348.]

Mr. Edward Hill was also the master of Eleanor Newman who was slandered by the woman about this same time. [See mention above.] According to the 1673 deed-of-gift of John Sanford-2, he had two brothers, Robert-2 and James-2. Each of those brothers had a son named Robert-3. [so there would have been two Roberts in generation-three.]

Robert Sanford-1?

______________________________ |________________________ | | |

Robert-2 James-2 John-2

| |

Robert-3 Robert-3

In a will dated June 3, 1736, and probated 1737, [page 42, of Will Book VIII, Westmoreland County, Virginia] ROBERT SANFORD[-2 ?] mentioned sons Robert-3 Sanford, John-3 Sanford, and Joseph-3 Sanford. He also mentioned daughters Jemima [Sanford-3] Minor, Ann Sanford-3 and Elizabeth Sanford-3, and MARGARET [SANFORD-3] NEALE, as well as grandson, Joshua Sanford-4. His son, Robert Sanford-3, and PRESLEY NEALE were executors.

A poll [voting list] found for the election for Burgesses in Virginia in the year 1744 [Fairfax County, Virginia, Deed Book A-1, part 1, pg. 237] records the votes of Richard Sanford and Robert Sanford. These men would probably have been from the third [?] or fourth generation Sanfords.

Children of Robert Sanford-“2” and Mary Muse

1. Robert Sanford-3, died by 1738. His will is found on page 43 of Will Book VIII, Westmoreland County, Virginia, dated March 23, 1737, and probated August 29, 1738, and mentions sons Augustine and Joshua, “my mother, MARY [MUSE] SANFORD, now living,” son, Robert-4, and “my six daughters,” [which included] Elizabeth-4 and Mary-4. Executors, Edward Muse and PRESLEY NEALE [who was his brother-in-law, married to his sister, MARGARET SANFORD.]

2. John Sanford-3. There were several men with this identical name. The John Sanford, who deeded gifts in 1750, mentioned that he had two brothers, Robert and James. Each of his brothers had a son named Robert, called “Robert, Sr.”, and “Robert, Jr.,” and he left gifts to them. He also mentioned his own children, son, Willouhby Sanford, and daughter, Jemima, who was married to Thomas Spence, Jr. It is possible that this John Sanford was the brother of ROBERT-1, and the uncle of Robert-2, who died shortly after ROBERT-1 SANFORD, his father [?]. It is even remotely possible that our ROBERT SANFORD-1 is the man accused of swearing in 1673. It is also possible that there is an intervening generation, as mentioned above. So there are still several unanswered questions. Ann Butler, in a will dated 1763 [Will Book XV, Westmoreland Co., VA, pg. 67] mentions “granddaughter Sarah, daughter of Mary Sanford” and “Willoughby Sanford, son-in-law.”

3. Joseph Sanford-3

4. Jemima Sanford-3, married someone named Minor. Note that the John Sanford who gave the gifts [in #2] had a daughter named Jemima also.

5. Ann Sanford-3, unmarried at time of father’s will.

6. Elizabeth Sanford-3, unmarried at time of father’s will.

7. MARGARET SANFORD-3, married PRESLEY NEALE.

8. Unnamed daughter? who married Richard Morton. Will book VIII Westmoreland County, page 38, contains will of Richard Morton, dated November 18, 1732, which mentions wife, Massey, and “my children.” The executor was “father-in-law,” Robert Sanford, Sr.

MARGARET SANFORD NEALE’s mother was MARY MUSE. HENRY WISHEART bought 268 acres of land from Edward Muse in 1759 [Fairfax Deeds D:618.] This gives us a bit of information about HENRY, including that he was at least adult [age 21 by 1759] and that he was in the colony by that time or before. Edward Muse had bought these lands in 1751. [Fairfax Deeds C:278.] He was probably the Edward Muse who was an uncle of MARGARET’S.

The Muse Family

John Muse Sr.-1; John, Jr.-2; Mary-3

MARY MUSE-3 was the daughter of ANNE __?__ and JOHN MUSE, Jr.-2, who was the son of JOHN MUSE, Sr.-1. JOHN, Sr.-1, was born in England about 1633 [1623?], and was the founder of the Virginia MUSE family. Apparently, he is the only man by that name in early Virginia who left male issue. Though there were two or three other men named Muse who lived in the general area at the same time he did, there is no proof that these men died in Virginia or left issue.

The name Muse can also be spelled “Mewes” and several other ways. Wills from Northumberland and Westmoreland Counties in Virginia give us quite a bit of information about this family. The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Volume 53, page 132, gives a genealogy of “The MUSE [Mewes] Family of the Northern Neck of Virginia,” by Mary Hope West and Juliet Fauntleroy.

Children of John Muse, Senior-1 [1633-1723]

1. Thomas Muse-2 born about 1655, died 1732. He leased lands in 1718 from his brother, JOHN MUSE, Jr.-2. Thomas’ children are: John Muse-3, Thomas Muse-3, Christopher Muse-3; James Muse-3, Elizabeth Muse-3, Ann Muse-3, Mary Muse-3, Nicholas Muse-3, and Daniel Muse-3. He had several wives. Thomas Muse-2 and his brother, JOHN MUSE, JR.-2, were granted 265 acres of land in Westmoreland County “in swamp Rappahannock Creek. Their brother, Nicholas Muse, Sr., had also leased lands in the area. [West & Fauntleroy, “The Muse Family.” VMH & B.]

2. Jane Muse-2, married Christopher Prichett.

3. Ann Muse-2, married John Willson.

4. Mary Muse-2, married Humphrey Quisenberry.

5. JOHN MUSE, Jr.-2, born 1673, died before 1723, married a woman named ANNE, and predeceased his father. JOHN was not mentioned in his father’s will, but his father’s estate was left to his widow. He had been granted lands with his brother, Thomas-2, in 1711. June 7, 1703, his father, JOHN MUSE, SR., had granted him a patent of 360 acres in Richmond and Westmoreland Counties. The land was urveyed for said JOHN MUSE, SR., March 1692. [Northern Neck Grants, Book 3, pg. 2.]

6. Nicholas Muse, Sr.-2, not mentioned in his father’s will. In 1715, William Woodward bound his son, Thomas Woodward, to Nicholas Muse and Mary Muse, his wife, until age 21. Muse agreed to “learn him to read the Bible and also learn him the trade of a carpenter and cooper” Nicholas Muse signed with an X.

JOHN MUSE, Sr.’s will, written April 5, 1723, and probated October 8, 1723, mentions small bequests to “son Thomas; daughter Jane Pritchett, daughter Ann Willson, daughter Mary Quisenberry [all for one shilling] and “rest of estate to daughter-in-law ANN MUSE.” [Westmoreland Will Book VII, page 30.] Witnesses to the will included ROBERT SANFORD-2. JOHN MUSE, Sr., was about 90 years old when this will was written. The birthdate of JOHN MUSE, Sr., is derived from a deposition he made in Richmond County, October 2, 1715, in which he states that he was “aged 82 years.” [Richmond County Miscellaneous Records, pgs. 93-94.] It is also interesting to note that he still had enough of his mental facilities left to write his own will at the age of 90+ years.

We may wonder why JOHN-1 cut his children out of the will in favor of ANN, the widow of his deceased son, JOHN. Whatever the reason, we may be grateful that he did, as this left us at least a scrap of evidence for piecing this family together. The son of JOHN MUSE, Sr.-1, who was not named in the will was JOHN MUSE, Jr.-2, who married ANN __?__ and predeceased his father. JOHN, Sr.-1, had assigned a grant of 265 acres in Westmoreland County in the main swamp Rappahannock Creek adjoining on the north Thackers’ land to him. Another son of JOHN, Sr.’s, Nicholas Muse, Sr.-2, had leased for 50 years 179 acres on the branches of the Great Rappahannock Creek near Thacker, Thomas Muse-2 and JOHN MUSE, Jr.-2

JOHN MUSE, Sr.-1, married at least twice. We don’t know the name of the first wife, by whom he had children, but his last wife was a widow, Catherine __?__Moss-Talbott. On December 7, 1720, Catherine Moss-Talbott-Mewes gave her bond as administrator of Ann Lewis, deceased. JOHN MUSE -1 and Catherine had no children, and she may have pre-deceased him, as she was not mentioned in the will. He married Catherine apparently before 1698.

JOHN MUSE, Jr.-2, was born about 1673, and died intestate prior to April 6, 1723, when his inventory was returned. He was obviously one of the younger sons of his father. His father had given him lands, including 360 acres in 1704, which was partly in Richmond County and partly in Westmoreland. In 1712, he leased another 200 acres for his lifetime and the lifetime of his wife, ANNE, from Colonel William Fitzhugh.

These “Three Lives” leases were for the natural lives of the people leasing them. The people leasing the lands were required to improve the lands, build houses, and barns, plant orchards, etc. In addition, they paid a year’s rent at the time the lease was made, and a hogshead of tobacco per year thereafter. They held the lands for the natural lives of the people involved. If one of the parties died, or they wanted to renegotiate the lease [i.e., add another person to the lease] they could also do that at any time, by paying a small additional fee. Some leases required 10 year’s lease money at the time of the initial lease, and a hefty re-lease fee, but Fitzhugh had so much land, and needed settlers so badly, that he was willing to keep the rents and lease fees low to encourage people to settle his lands. He had one grant that was between 20,000 and 30,000 acres.

In December, 1707, JOHN MUSE, Jr., earned 1,200 pounds of tobacco for trapping four wolves.

JOHN, Jr.’s wife, ANNE, may have been surnamed Hopkins, as one of their sons bore that given name. That name was continued for three generations in their descendants.

The inventory of the estate of JOHN MUSE, Jr., was returned April 6, 1723. He was probably only about 50 years old at the time of his death.

ANN__?__MUSE, the widow of JOHN MUSE, Jr.-2, was also appointed the executor of the estate of JOHN MUSE, Sr.-1, in 1723.

Children of John Muse, Jr.-2., [1672-1723] and his wife, Anne

1. Edward Muse-3, of Westmoreland, was born at least by 1711, and leased land in 1732 from Henry Fitzhugh of Stafford County. It was the land where he “then lived.” [Westmoreland County, Vol. 8, pg. 525.] In May of 1749, Edward and his wife, Ann Sanford, daughter of Richard Sanford, Sr., conveyed the same lands to John Muse [Ibid, Vol. 11, pg. 118.] Edward’s will, dated November 14, 1781, probated in 1782, mentioned his wife, Ann, and sons Edward Muse-4, and grandson, Sanford Muse-5, son of William Muse-4.

2. William Muse-3, born by at least 1704, of age when his mother made her will in 1725, married Mary, daughter of Humphrey Pope, Jr. His second wife was also named Mary, but surname is unknown.

3. Hopkins Muse-3, the use of this surname as a given name may indicate that ANN’s surname had been Hopkins. He was still less than 18 years old when his mother’s will was written in 1725.

4. John Muse-3 born after 1707, was still less than 18 years old when his mother’s will was written in 1725.

5. Augustine Muse-3 born after 1707, was still less than 18 years old when his mother’s will was written in 1725.

6. George Muse-3 born after 1707, was still less than 18 years old when his mother’s will was written in 1725.

7. MARY MUSE-3, probably one of the older children, but very likely born after 1700, was the wife of ROBERT SANFORD, [Jr.] by the time her mother’s will was written in 1725.

8. Ann Muse-3 born after 1709, was still less than 16 years old when her mother’s will was written in 1725.

9. Sarah Muse-3 born after 1709, was still less than 16 years old when her mother’s will was written in 1725.

Will book VIII Westmoreland County, Virginia, page 34, lists the will of ANN __?__ MUSE, dated June 14, 1725, and probated June 28, 1726. She left to son, Edward Muse-3, the land of her deceased husband, and mentioned sons William Muse-3, Hopkins Muse-3, John Muse-3, Augustine Muse-3, and George Muse-3. Also daughter, MARY [MUSE-3] SANFORD, received “the bed now in possession of Thomas Muse, Jr.” She mentioned daughter, Ann Muse-3, and son-in-law, ROBERT SANFORD, and friend, Benjamin Waddey. Six of the children were under age at the time of her death.

ANNE left to her son Edward Muse-3 “my now dwelling plantation and half adjoining land, it being part of 200 acres leased by my deceased husband of Col. Fitzhugh. To son William, the other half of said land, but if he disturb my Exors or endeavor to claim my dwelling plantation, then said land to go to my son Hopkins. To son William 1,000 pounds of tobacco. And one iron pot in his possession. To son Edward a feather bed and furniture and black walnut table and chest that stands in the hall, 2 large pewter basons, diaper table cloth and half dozen napkins, one towel, four leather chairs and my gray mare. To sons Hopkins, John, Augustine and George when 18 years old each a cow and calf. To daughter MARY SANFORD, the bed in possession of Thomas Muse, Jr., oval table in hall, 5 leather chiars, my old side saddle. To daughter Ann Muse, bed and furniture in hall, and bedstead it lies in, trundle bedstead in chamber and bedstead it lies in and my trunk. To daughter Ann Muse, black mare and new side saddle and furniture. Son-in-law ROBERT SANFORD to have care and tuition of testatrix’s children Hopkins and George until they are 18 years old and of daughter Sarah until 16 years of age or marriage. Son Edward to have care and tuition of testatrix’s sons Augustine and John until age 18 and of daughter Ann until 16 years old or marriage. To son [in-law] ROBERT SANFORD and Edward Muse my stock of cattle and hoggs in equal division for support of my young children.”

The rest of the estate was to be divided between the younger children.

The family of ANNE NEALE-5, the mother of CHARLOTTE WISHEART, was quite an interesting and prominent one in Colonial Virginia and had been in the colonies for over a 100 years, and five generations, by the time CHARLOTTE was born. It is interesting to note that CHARLOTTE’s family did not pass on the names of her forebearers in the names of her children.

Though CHARLOTTE WISHEART and her sisters were left orphans at an early age, they had enough estate and prominent relatives that they were far from destitute. They probably lived with friends or relatives in the Fairfax vicinity, maybe even with the GEORGE SIMPSON family. Since all three girls married into the family, this might indicate that they lived with the SIMPSONS, certainly it indicates that they lived nearby.

Chapter VIII

The fly-leaf from AARON SIMPSON’s family Bible, with the dates of birth of the children, was sent with his pension application to Washington. It even had the times of the births recorded. Joseph testified in a deposition that he had possession of the Bible and the entries were in AARON’s handwriting. However, there are two distinct handwritings in the book, so someone else, besides AARON, also recorded some entries.

In addition to the births of the family’s children, between the years 1828 and 1831, the births of six slaves were also recorded on the family Bible leaf. Since earlier births of slave children were not recorded, it makes us wonder if these six were “special,” and maybe the offspring of one of the sons of the family. The spacing of the births of the slave children seems to indicate that the births must have been from at least two mothers. The time between the December 7^th birth of Siles and the April, 1831, birth of Jane is too short an interval to have been from one mother. AARON died December of 1832, so the birth in April of 1831 is the last one he could have written.

“One Negro girl named Ursula was born the 2^nd day of January 1828,

one Negro boy child named Denny was born the 16^th of April 1829.

The handwriting changes. The first two entries for the slaves’ births was in a finer hand than the rest of the Bible entries. The middle two, however, appear to be consistent with the rest of the Bible’s entries, i.e., in AARON’s handwriting. The last two entries for the slaves’ births, however, is consistent with the finer hand that recorded the first two slaves’ births. No mention is made of the names of the mothers or fathers of these children

One Negro boy named Siles [Siler?] born December 7, 1830

One Negro [Negro] gharel [girl?] named Jane was born the 11^th April 1831.

[Consistent with the handwriting of AARON]

One negro girl named Fanney born March 21 [31?] 1833,

One negro girl named Polly was born March 25^th, 1837.”

[Consistent with the handwriting of the first two recorded slave births.]

The children of Aaron Simpson-4 & Charlotte Wisheart Simpson

John Simpson-1; Richard-2; George-3; Aaron-4

Bible records taken from Revolutionary Pension of Aaron

1. Moses Simpson-5, born March 17, 1784, died November 18, 1818, Boone County, Kentucky.

2. Kitty [Katherine] Simpson-5 born April 27, 1786, died before 1826, in North Carolina.

3. Roger Simpson-5, born November 2, 1788, died August 31, 1870, Giles County, Tennessee. Married Peggy Williamson December 27, 1808, with Oliver Simpson, Bondsman, and Alexander Murphy, Witness.

4. Hayden [Hatin] Simpson-5, born September 10, 1790, died 1838, Boone County, Kentucky.

5. Penelope [Peney] Simpson-5, born August 28, 1793, died April 15, 1860, Sumner County, Tennessee.

6. Priscilla [Prasilla] Simpson-5, born August, 1795 [may have been born in North Carolina.]

7. ENOCH [Eanoch] SIMPSON-5, born November 1, 1797 [may have been born in North Carolina.]

8. Susannah Simpson-5, born July 18, 1799, probably in North Carolina, died October 2, 1805, North Carolina.

9. Baley Simpson-5, born October, 1801, in North Carolina, died June 18, 1803 in North Carolina.

10. Nancy Simpson-5, born July 28, 1803, North Carolina, possibly died 1836, North Carolina. Nancy married James Boswell December 11, 1823, and possibly moved to Tennessee. Erick Montgomery says he thinks she died in North Carolina in 1836.

11. Joseph Simpson-5, born April 7, 1805, North Carolina, died June 1, 1855, Orange County, North Carolina. Joseph married Susan Byrd Anderson in 1843 and inherited the “home plantation” and remained in Caswell County. He was one of the few, if not the only one, of the children of AARON-4 and CHARLOTTE who remained in North Carolina.

AARON and CHARLOTTE SIMPSON moved into North Carolina sometime in the last part of the 1790s. AARON may have moved from Fairfax to Orange County, North Carolina, into a part that became Caswell when the two counties were split apart, or he may have moved into Orange County near the county line, and then moved again. Most researchers tend to think that since his land was on the county line area that he was in one area and did not actually move, but his “address changed.” He was not found on the 1800 Fairfax census, so probably he had moved by then. He settled in an area called “Country Line Creek.” This creek is frequently seen as “County Line Creek” but this is an error in transcription. A deed in 1811, which documented a sale by AARON “of Caswell County” to Nathan Williams, for lands located in Caswell and Orange Counties on the west side of Stony Creek [Caswell County Deed Book B, pg. 112 & 226.] would indicate that his early lands straddled the county line.

AARON’s mother, SUSANNAH WHEELER SIMPSON, died sometime after 1787, probably in the Fairfax area. [Maybe as late as 1820!] In 1787, she was listed on the tax rolls in Fairfax as owning three slaves over 16 years old, and two under age 16, three horses, and 13-head of cattle. All her sons, and many of her grandsons, owned from two to eight slaves per household. From reading her husband’s will, and the fact that his estate was not fully settled until after 1820, it leads one to conclude that SUSANNAH may not have died until nearly 1820. If this date is correct for her death, she would have been nearly 100 years old!

AARON-4 bought 197 acres of land in Orange/Caswell, North Carolina, very near the county line in November of 1797. The land was located on the banks of Stoney Creek in the northern part of the state. [These are probably the lands sold in 1811]. He paid 215 pounds, 2 shillings and 7 pence for the land. In 1800, he added another 120 acres of land for $150, and another 24 ¾ acres for $46. Though we do not know the relative value of the money, we know the exact figures he paid.

AARON’s brothers, James Simpson-4 and William Simpson-4, from Fairfax also bought land along this creek in the winter of 1797 or 1798 from their cousin, Colonel Richard Simpson-4, of Caswell/Orange, and from Nathaniel Dickerson. Colonel Simpson’s father, Captain Richard Simpson-3, was a brother of GEORGE-3 SIMPSON’s, and had come there about 1751, almost 50 years before AARON and his brothers arrived. The area was no longer completely a wilderness, but had been inhabited for over 50 years when AARON and the others arrived. The courts and county seat were already well established. Even though the separations had been long, the family connections probably assisted the Simpsons when they arrived in the new area.

Captain Richard Simpson-3, GEORGE’s brother, left Fairfax and received a large land grant from the Earl of Granville and purchased additional land in Orange County. On Stoney Creek, where he became a planter, he built a huge log house with at least two, and maybe three, stories. Supposedly, the first story had no windows or doors, but was entered by a ladder that could be withdrawn at night, and had a cat-walk around the second floor where he could walk around and over-see his laborers and keep an eye out for Indians. [“Captain Richard Simpson,” Caswell County Heritage, article by Vance E. Swift, #643.]

The 1800 North Carolina Census lists AARON-4 living in Orange County. It states that he has two males under age 10; one male in each of the other categories of 10-16, 16-26, and 26-45 years old. There were three girls below age 10, one each in the previously mentioned age categories. He also owned nine slaves. From available deed records, it appears likely he did actually live in Orange, and then move the few miles into Caswell.

Richard Simpson, Jr., AARON’s cousin, was shown on the same census with a large house full of people. He had, besides himself, eight males, and four females, along with six slaves.

In addition to the many upstanding and prominent members of the Simpson families of Caswell County, there was one member known as “Devil Dick [Richard]” Simpson. He drank to excess and was an embarrassment to his family. We don’t know which one of the men named Richard Simpson that he was, but he may have been Colonel Richard, himself. In any case, “Devil Dick” was tired of hearing his relatives encourage him to give up the bottle and go to church, so one day when he was well into his cups, he mounted his horse and rode it into the church shouting “Well, you wanted me to come to church, and here I am!” Supposedly, he moved to Kentucky and got out of the family’s hair. Colonel Dick [Richard] Simpson is also supposed to have moved to Kentucky. Kentucky, at that time, was called Kentucky County, Virginia. [Caswell County Heritage.]

After living in Caswell County, North Carolina, for 30 or more years, AARON died December 11, 1832, leaving a will dated December 6, 1832, which left CHARLOTTE all his estate until her death, then it was to be sold, except the land, and divided between the children. By that time, most of the children had large families of their own, and some of them had moved to other areas. ENOCH SIMPSON and the CARTER family of his wife had long-since departed for Tennessee.

AARON SIMPSON’s son, Moses Simpson-5, was deceased by the time his father died, but Moses left children, including a son, John- Simpson-, who were included in AARON’s estate for one-ninth part. Moses’ wife was Delphey Florence, whom he married October 22, 1804, in Caswell, North Carolina.

Kitty Simpson-5 married John Boswell, October 5, 1805. Theda Womack reports that Kitty and her husband moved to Tennessee with several other family members in the 1820s. She died in 1826 in Giles County, Tennessee. ENOCH had also lived in Giles County for a while about this time, before he and his wife, and her CARTER relatives, moved to Sumner County about 1825.

Roger Simpson-5 married Margaret Williamson on December 23, 1808. He and his family lived in Giles County, Tennessee, where he moved about 1819. He died in Giles County, Tennessee, August 31, 1870.

Hayden Simpson-5 married Mary Ann Marshall [“Polly”] in Fayette County, Kentucky. She was his first cousin, the daughter of Robert and Mary Ann Simpson-5 Marshall. Hayden-5 died in 1838 in Boone County, Kentucky, according to data submitted by Erick Montgomery.

Penelope Simpson-5 married Azariah Graves, son of Thomas and Hannah Simmons Graves, and they moved to Henderson County, Tennessee. There were several men in Caswell named Azariah Graves, including Thomas Graves’ brother, Azariah; and a third was Azariah Graves, son of Azariah. They were all descended from a John Herndon Graves and his wife, Hannah. With the families usually numbering from six to ten children each, it did not take long before the proliferation of family-heirloom names became a problem for genealogists. Penelope died in Henderson County, Tennessee, July 18, 1856. She had moved there in 1838.

In his will, AARON SIMPSON also left $100 to his “niece,” Surbina Graves-6. At the time his will was written, this was the term used to denote a grandchild [female] and not the offspring of a sibling. She was Penelope’s child.

CHARLOTTE WISHEART SIMPSON survived her husband by several years. The pension application for her was still being actively pursued in November of 1843. She would have been quite an elderly woman at this time. We can estimate her birth at around 1760 to 1765, so she was nearly 80 years old when the pension applications were made.

Priscilla Simpson-5 married Francis L. Simpson December 16, 1815, in North Carolina. He was the son of Moses Simpson, of Guilford County, who wrote the affidavit for CHARLOTTE’s pension application. He was the Moses who had fought with AARON during the Revolution. Moses was from Fairfax County and had been raised with or near AARON. We do know this Moses was not AARON’s brother, but may have been a cousin. Priscilla died April 15, 1865, in High Rock, Rockingham County, North Carolina, and is buried in the Simpson Cemetery, Guilford County, North Carolina.

ENOCH SIMPSON-5 married ELIZABETH CARTER, the daughter of JOSEPH CARTER and his wife, ANN MALLORY CARTER, on December 29, 1818. Probably within the year, the families departed for Tennessee.

The author’s thanks go to Erick Montgomery for his research giving many of the death dates and places for this sibling group. Erick is the “resident expert” on the Simpson line.

The executors of the estate of AARON were his son, Joseph, and son-in-law, Francis L. Simpson.

Tyree Harris

Tyree Harris was an “interesting man” from Caswell County who was connected to the Simpsons. He married Mary Ann Simpson, the daughter of Richard and Mary Kinchloe-Simpson, and received a grant from Captain Richard as a “deed of gift” which Richard had received as a grant in 1761. Tyree was a land speculator, among other things, and bought huge tracts of land from “Colonel” Richard Simpson, his brother-in-law. Tyree’s home was on the headwaters of Country Line and Stoney Creeks, a near neighbor to where AARON would later settle. He was also the infamous High Sheriff of Orange County during the turmoil and turbulence of the Regulator uprising, when “Orange County” embraced all the area comprising the present counties of Alamance, Caswell, Chatham, Durham, Orange, Person, and parts of Guilford, Lee, Randolph, Rockingham, and Wake.

As chief-lieutenant of the Royal Governor Tyron, Sheriff Harris, by his ruthless tax-collection policies, was said by many to have been partially responsible for the Regulator uprisings that culminated in the Battle of Alamance on the 16th of May 1771. As High Sheriff in 1766 and 1768, he crossed wills with the Regulators by seizing their horses and other property for non-payment of taxes, and by levying a penalty for late payment, and adding further to the problems of the cashless farmers.[Caswell County Heritage.]

For years, the public officials, including, and especially, Tyree Harris, had robbed the farmers. The land agents of Granville had charged double, or more, fees for land grants. Fees for all legal works, marriage licenses, etc., were inflated by the corrupt officials. The governor refused to listen to the pleas of the people who eventually arose in arms against the officials, but proclaimed themselves loyal to the king. Six men were hanged for their part in the uprising, the rest were pardoned. On the gallows, one man proclaimed that the blood shed by the Regulators would be “good seed sown in good ground.”

The Regulator uprisings pitted the farmers and planters against the government’s most corrupt and greedy officers. It was quite bloody and some say was the first blood shed in the Revolution. Some men, who were later great patriots of the Revolution, were against the Regulators and persecuted them quite harshly. Richard Caswell, who was later one of the most loyal revolutionaries and a popular general, was quite against the Regulators. [Hunter, Sketches.]

The patriots from the seacoast were looking toward oppression from England and the patriots from the western part of the country were fighting persecution from within the bounds of the colony itself in the form of misrule of the officers of the province. Cyrus L. Hunter says in Sketches of Western North Carolina, on page 12,

Had Ashe, and Waddell and Caswell understood all the circumstances of the case they would have acted like Thomas Person of Granville, and favored the distressed, even though they might have felt under obligations to maintain the peace of the province and due subordination to the laws.

Thomas Person was the business partner of the McGeehee family in Granville. The McGeehees are the author’s ancestors on ARBY GRAY’s side. [See Volume I of the Foundation Stones, Hetrick]

In the days under colonial law, each plantation owner was required to set aside a burying ground, and to fence it in for the interment of his family and his slaves. The burying ground set aside by the hated Harris, in which he was buried in 1789, is located a short distance from his plantation house. Tradition says that several Regulators who were killed in the Battle of Alamance were buried there, and that on dark and foggy nights in the season of the year when the battle was fought, Regulators could be seen with torches held high over the grave of Tyree Harris to make sure that the hated sheriff did not escape his grave.

Book B, Caswell County Records, page 320, dated 1790, “allots to Simpson Harriss his part of Negro from the estate of his father.” At the estate sale of Tyree Harris, held March 8, 1787, Ede Harris, Lydia Harris, Robert Harris, Simpson Harris, and Tyree Harris, Jr., were mentioned. Ede was underage and Tyree Harris, Jr., was the guardian.

The SIMPSON men of our immediate family were not yet living in North Carolina at the time of the Regulator uprising, but we may imagine that Sheriff Harris’s father-in-law, Richard Simpson-3, was not in favor with his neighbors in the Regulator movement.

The Simpsons and the Carters

AARON-4 and CHARLOTTE SIMPSON’s son, ENOCH-5, married ELIZABETH CARTER in Caswell County, North Carolina. She was the daughter of JOSEPH CARTER and his wife, ANN MALLORY CARTER. ELIZABETH was a descendant of GILES CARTER-1, a very early settler in the Jamestown Colony.

The Carters

Giles Carter-1; Theodorick-2;Theodorick-3; William-4; Joseph-5; Elizabeth-6

The CARTERS have been a very interesting and challenging line to trace and the author has been assisted very much by Sue Gunter who helped find an out-of-print book, Giles Carter of Virginia, Genealogical Memoir, by General William Giles Harding Carter, Lord Baltimore Press, 1909. The author of this early book researched his subject very well and we have attempted to confirm and add to his research findings with recently discovered records to which he did not have access. It has not been a solitary work, however, and assistance has been given by various other CARTER researchers who are descended from the “Giles line” of the CARTERS.

Though the pre-American origins of our GILES CARTER-1 are not absolutely known, according to General Carter and other researchers, the Carters of Glouchestershire, England, by the seventeenth century, had lived in that area for several centuries. They used “Giles, William, and John” as heirloom names for generations. Those names were passed from generation to generation in the blood-lines and carried over into the families of the daughters with different surnames. General Carter states that these Christian names were unique to that group of Carters. This gives us reason to believe that there is some connection to our GILES CARTER and to the Giles Carter found in Virginia in 1620, before the birth of our GILES.

There were two or three other lines of Carters in early Virginia, principally the line of John Carter and his fifth wife, Sarah Ludlow. This line descends through Robert “King” Carter, who was probably the richest man in Virginia. This Robert Carter owned lands near our relatives in Fairfax, bought in the name of his three-year-old son, Robert, Jr. If our GILES has any connection with the line of “King” Carter, it is probably very remote. Robert Carter died at age 69, possessed of hundreds of thousands of acres of land, over 1,000 slaves, and it is said, 10,000 pounds sterling in cash. The separateness of the two lines is underscored by GILES’ connection to the rebels in Bacon’s Rebellion and the other Carter’s connection to the Government side.

There were several “William Carter” lines that congregated principally in Middlesex County in the 1700s, but there does not appear to be any close connection to our lines, except for the repeated use of the name William. That “William” line, however, did not also use our other heirloom names of Giles, Theodorick, and Francis.

John Carter, the father of “King” Carter, was probably from Middlesex County in England, whereas according to General Carter in his book, our CARTER lines appear to have come from Gloucestershire County in England. It is quite certain that John Carter of Corotoman had Royalist sentiments and our group in Henrico County fraternized with the opposition to Sir William Berkeley, the Governor of Virginia. James Crewes, one of the men tried and executed in Bacon’s Rebellion, one of the chief leaders of the rebellion, left GILES CARTER’s family a significant portion of his estate in his will.

The perpetuation of Christian names serves to greatly facilitate the identification of family lines in all the records and contemporary history. In several families of Carters of Virginia certain Christian names peculiar to each family occur in each generation, while other names, such as John and Robert, are quite common in all the families, even where no relationship exists. The name “Giles” and “Theodorick” have not been found in any other branch of the Carter family, and both of these names have appeared generation after generation. The naming of a son Francis in our particular line of the CARTER families is another important clue for us in pin-pointing our particular lines, and in separating them from other lines that frequently use William and John as given names for their sons.

While perpetuation of Christian names serves to identify families, it also leads at times to serious embarrassment, from the viewpoint of the genealogist, unless contemporary records are available to unravel the multiplication of identical names. General Carter

Though the pre-colonial ancestry of the CARTERS has not been proven, we will also include here some of the data and conclusions that have been compiled and hope that at some future date another researcher will definitely untangle the web of this family. There are some current researchers on this line that think that our GILES was a nephew, not a son, of the original Giles Carter of Virginia. Research, and “pedigrees” of these Magna Carta, and other lines, is filled with error. Pre-colonial pedigrees in general are not accurate, but they are sometimes interesting to read in any case.

The Carters of Gloucestershire and Berkeley Hundred Colony

Twelve days after the sailing of the Mayflower, Thomas Parker, Major of Bristol, England, cleared the ship Supply, destined for Berkeley Hundred on the James River [Jamestown Colony]. The gale which had carried the Mayflower well to sea before its first tack had now died away and the Supply was destined to linger in the Avon and Severn from the 18th of September until the 25th awaiting a favorable breeze. The voyage of the Mayflower across the Atlantic will go down the ages to typify the flight of a band of men and women who dared all for conscience’ sake and won. The Supply sailed under different auspices, more akin to those which have since characterized the passage of untold fleets, conveying millions upon millions to America, the land of hope and opportunity.

Captain Newport’s historic fleet had dropped anchor off Jamestown Island a dozen years before the sailing of the Supply, yet all the efforts of the Virginia Company had resulted in locating only a few hundred colonists in the immense area then passing under the title of Virginia. But the seed had been planted and, cost what it might, there was determination that not a foot should be receded to the grasping Spanish gold seekers hovering about the coasts, and whose daring explorers had already penetrated from the land of the Aztec to New Mexico, Colorado and the Great Plains, and had learned that the western ocean lay several thousand miles from the Virginia Coast.

In 1618 a partnership, having for its object the establishment of a plantation in Virginia, had been entered into by Sir William Throckmorton, Richard Berkeley, George Thorpe, and John Smyth, all of Gloucestershire, and John Woodleefe. Upon the advice of Sir Edwin Sans an interest was reserved for Sir John Yeardley, then serving in Virginia as governor of the colony, but this was subsequently surrendered by Yeardley.

During the year 1619, a ship, the Margaret of Briston [47 tons] was sent out with thirty-two colonists under John Woodleef, with instructions to establish the town of Berkeley and the Plantation of Berkeley Hundred on the James River. John Woodleefe sailed on the Margaret September 14, 1619, in charge of the expedition, and arrived in the James December 10th, the same year. George Thorpe followed on the Merchant of London March of 1620.

Ferdinando Yate, Gent., who came over in the Margaret was commissioned to keep a record of the voyage, which he prepared under the date of November 30th, 1619, and which closes with this glowing tribute, “If I had the eloquence of the skillful art of Apellese I could not pen neither paint out a better praise of the cuntrie than the euntic it selfe deserveth.”

At the session of the court of Virginia Company, of January 26th, 1619, an indenture was granted to William Tracy, esq. Of Halees, Gloucestershire, a brother of Sir Thomas Tracy, baronet, for the establishment of a colony of five hundred persons in Virginia, and on May 7th, 1620 Sir William Throckmorton transferred his interest in the plantation of Berkeley Hundred

At the subsequent session of the court of the Virginia Company, on June 28, 1620, and upon the recommendation of Governor George Yeardley as to the need of a council, George Thorpe and William Tracy were, with four others, constituted the Council of the State of Virginia.

William Tracy was a cousin of Richard Berkeley. John Smyth was an Oxford graduate and the legal adviser of his friend Lord Berkeley, and both he and Sir William Throckmorton were connected with Tracy by family ties.

There are but few details known of the voyages of the many ships which sailed across the Atlantic during the first half century of settlement - - if all the frail boats of thirty tons and upwards may be properly characterized as ships. Owing to the partnership agreements and the correspondence attending the assembling of the colonists from Gloucestershire who comprised the small company of the Supply, and who constituted the advance guard of the five hundred persons whom William Tracy undertook to embark in his scheme of colonization, certain records were preserved which enable a fairly correct understanding to be had of his expedition.

The mayor of Bristol, in clearing the Supply, retained a list of those embarking, and upon arrival of the ship in the James, Sir George Yeardley furnished a certificate with the names of those who arrived safely at Berkeley Hundred. An examination of correspondence and available county records makes it very evident that William Tracy organized the first detachment of his five hundred colonists mainly from his kinsmen and neighbors in Gloucestershire. William Tracy was descended from Sir William de Tracy, one of the four knights, who, in 1170, at the instigation of King Henry II, assinated Thomas a Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury. The family connection, especially in Gloucestershire, was very large.

Under date of July 5th, 1620, Tracy wrote to Smyth:

“My household will be wife, dauter, and sune, 4 mayd servants and 6 men; so then for ye rest as mani or as few as yo wil. Mr. Palet & Mr. Gilfort must be twoo more of my compani, so I shall be 16 persons at least. My meaning is all these shall be imploed in ye common business.”

A post script was added:

“I would cari 10 or 13 dogs yt would be of great youse to us -- let me know if they will let us cari them.”

Delay in the date of sailing caused Tracy to grow more impatient and in his next letter to Smyth he wrote:

“You have Nibli, he [Richard Berkeley] has Stoke, I have nothing but Virginia and it am I held from to live in shame and disgrace in England.” The outlook of younger sons was never more gloomy in England than during the period coverd by the early emigration to the colony of Virginia. The list of Berkeley colonists comprised many men whose social station was attested by the addition of “gentlman” to their names and who engaged to remain for periods of from two to seven years in the colony. The word servant of the Virginia Company, so often used, did not imply that the person referred to was a menial.

The Supply [80 tons] Captain Tobias Felgate, was chartered from William Ewins of Bristol, England, and was fitted out at that city for the voyage to Virginia. Owing to its restricted accommodations and the well-known results of overcrowding such ships on long voyages at that time, a number who had prepared to sail were left behind to follow on the next ship. The fitting out of the Supply embarrassed Tracy financially, but his kinsmen came promptly to the relief. The remarkable health record on the voyage was almost wholly due to his wise forethought and able preparation.

With the colonists went books on English husbandry and the care of silk worms; a great quantity of garden seeds and “a reasonable quantity of the seed of cotton wool.” Mr. Smyth sent from his own nurseries “a great number of the young stocks and of apple trees grafted with pippens, pearmaynes and the other best applies, which he hopeth for his own humor and affeccon sake therein you will have somewhat more care of, as also the bagg of abricots, damosell, and other plum stones he now sendeth.” ....

The Town and Hundred of Berkeley on James river --- the present landing for this ancient plantation known as Harrison’s landing-- had been previously under the management of Captain Woodleffe but as the Supply brought the revocation of his appointment and the new commissions of William Tracy and George Thorpe to be governors of Berkeley Town and Hundred...

Soon after the arrival of the Supply a census was taken ... and showed that only 843 survived in March of 1621....

Tracy gave every evidence to his followers that he had come to cast his fortunes with the new country for his wife, a son Thomas, and a daughter, Joyce, and one of her young kinsmen accompanied him. Not many months after his arrival, his daughter married Captain Nathaniel Powel, a member of the council in 1621 and for a time governor of the colony, and her young kinswoman, Francess Grevell, married De la Warr...[Lord Delaware.]

The death of Tracy proved the first blow, soon followed by the apearance of ... “the Indian Question.”... On April 21, 1622, the Indians throughout the tidewater region fell upon the scattered settlers, and those who had come with Tracy ... of the fifty who arrived on the Supply, more than half fell by the hand of treachery ... George Thorpe, Tracy’s daughter, Joyce, and her husband Captain Nathaniel Powell [died] ... several of the party, including Tracy’s son Thomas, made their way back to England. [Carter, General William Giles Harding, Giles Carter of Virginia, Genealogical Memoir, 1909.]

General Carter gives his interpretation of the genealogy of the first Giles Carter who came to Virginia with Tracy. This Giles went back to England and never returned to Virginia. The GILES who we find resident in Virginia in 1653, who we know is our ancestor, is possibly the son or nephew of the original Giles Carter of 1622 Virginia.

Giles Carter was recorded as one of those who made his way back to England. Giles Carter married Elizabeth Tracy, daughter of Sir Paul Tracy in 1623 in Gloucestershire, England. Giles was the son of John Carter of Gloucestershire, who died in 1627. John Carter’s wife, the mother of Giles, was Mary Lawrence, the daughter of Robert Lawrence and his first wife. John Carter was the son of Gyles Carter of Badgworth, Gloucestershire, who died in 1585, His wife was not known. The line is “traced” back to a signer of the Magna Carta and other “interesting ancestors.”

Of the 35 colonists who had sailed from Bristol in 1619 on the Margaret, and the 50 who sailed on the Supply in 1620, the majority were from the Gloucestershire area and were related. Giles Carter’s sister-in-law, Barbara Tracy, also a daughter of Sir Paul Tracy, had married Richard Smyth. Sir Paul Tracy was the head of the Stanwaye branch of the Tracys, and William Tracy was from the other branch of the Tracys, the Tudington group. William’s father was Sir John Tracy, and his mother was Ann Throckmorton.

After returning to England, Giles was the head of the family after his father, John’s, death in 1627, which may be why he never returned to Virginia. About 1649, during Cromwell’s great rebellion, when King Charles was beheaded, Giles Carter was sequestered and made to pay a fine of over 900 pounds. Our GILES CARTER [born about 1634] found in Virginia about 1650, is very probably the younger son or nephew of this first Virginia traveler, Giles Carter. General Carter makes a case for GILES being the son of the first Giles, and needing to emigrate due to the poverty of the family, and also because our GILES would have been a younger son [given the ages, etc.] Other researchers seem to think that GILES was probably a nephew of the original Giles. Apparently, no one has a definite proof either way, so at this time, we are still unsure of the exact connections, however this give us a basis for future research.