Inscriptions on Old Tombs in Gloucester Co., Virginia Lyon G. Tyler William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine, Vol. 3, No. 1. (Jul., 1894), pp. 28-43. Page 28 Inscriptions on Old Tombs in Glouces- ter Co., Virginia. ________ COLLECTED BY THE EDITOR. ________ [Continued from the April Number] VIII OLD UPTON (1) In Memory of Fanny Wiatt Died Sept 8 1838 Aged 67 Years ______ In Memory of Peter Wiatt Born Aug. 1, 1799 Died Sept 25th 1824. ______________ IX OAKLEY [On the "Dragon Swamp." boundary between Gloucester and Middlesex Counties Here lies the Body of Peter Wiatt Who departed this Life on the 26th December, 1815 Aged forty-seven years. Here lies the Body of Frances L. Wiatt Wife of Peter Wiatt who departed this life 13th February 1817 AET. 47. __________________ X VIOLET BANKS. (2) Here lieth the Body of Edward Porteus of Petsworth Parish Gloucester County Merchant Departed this life the _____ Page 29 OLD TOMBSTONES IN GLOUCESTER. 29 169___, in the ____ Yeare of his AGe leaveing one only son Robert to Succeed him. ____________ XI ROBINS' NECK (3) In remembrance of Frances Robins daughter of Thomas & Mildred Stubbs born the 14 February 1745 & departed this life the 18th of July 1800 ______ In remembrance of Tho- mas Robins son of Wil- liam & Elizabeth Rob- ins born the 11th February 1745 & departed this Life the 8th November 1808 _____________ XII GLOUCESTER COURT-HOUSE. [Arms] Under this Marble are Reposed until ye Day of General Resurrection the Remains of Tho Reade (4) Gent Eldest son to Tho Reade gent of this place He was suddenly taken away By the hand of Divine Providence From this to a Far better Life on the XVII Day of April Ann: Dom MDCCXXXIX Aetate XLII To whose Dear Memory His loving And Disconsolate Wife Hath Erected this Monument ______ Here lies Mrs Lucy the wife of Mr John Dixon of Bristol Daughter of Mr Thos Reade of this place with Page 30 30 WILLIAM AND MARY COLLEGE QUARTERLY. two of their children Died Nov 22 1731 Aged 30 years; Near her is Mrs Elizabeth Dixon his sister Died Sept 8 1732 Aged 13 Years. _____ Here quietly reposes the body of William Smart Born in England of William & Mary Smart on the 20th of July 1784 In early life he emigrated to the United States and after sustaining an irreproachable reputation and a life of unexceptionable piety he died in certain hope of the resurrection of the just and eternal life on the 10th of February 1840 Let me die the death of the Righteous and let my last end be like his ______ In memory of Louisa The wife of William Smart Who departed this Life October 7th 1828 in the 34th year of her age She found redemption through Blood of the Lamb Reader---hast thou? ___________ XIII MT. PLEASANT. To the Memory of Doct. John Dixon only son of John Dixon & Sally Throckmorton of Airville Died June 24 1835 In the 23d yr of his Age _____ Page 31 OLD TOMBSTONES IN GLOUCESTER. 31 John Dixon only son of John Dixon and Elizabeth Peyton of Mount Pleasant who died Sept. 5th, 1830. in the 53d year of his age. His memory will long be cherished by all who knew him In him the widow and Fatherless always found a friend, This Tomb is erected by his daughter Harriet P. Sheldon in token of her ardent effection, He died in the full hope of a joyful resurrection He was the last male descendant of the Dixon family ___________ XIV. PETSWORTH CHURCH. (5) [Skull and cross bones] Here lyeth the * * * * Edward Sinclair * * * who departed * * * * 16 Nov * * * * * ______ Here Lies the Body of the Rev. Mr Emanuel Jones (6) the Husband of Mrs Anne Jones, who departed this life the 29th day of January in the year of our Lord Christ 1739 and in the 72d year of his Age. _______ [Arms] Here Lies the Body of John Jones The Eldest son of the late Reverend Emanuel and Anne Jones Page 32 32 WILLIAM AND MARY COLLEGE QUARTERLY. who departed this Life the 12th day of August 1715 (?) In the 27th year of his age _____ Here lieth the Body of John Wood who departed this life Janry 26, 1769 Age 56 years. ____________ XV. WARE PARISH CHURCH. (7) [Her]e lyeth the Body of [Jame]s Clack(8) son of William and Mary Clack [who wa]s born in the Parish of Marden * * * * Miles from the Devizes [In] the couny of Wilts [He] Came out of England in August [16]78, Arrived in Virginia upon New Years day following came into the Parish of Ware [on] Easter Where he continued Minister near forty five years till he Dyed He departed this life on the 20th day of December in the year of our Lord God 1723 in hopes of a joyful Resurection to Eternal Life which God grant him for his Blessed Redeemer's Sake, Amen. _______ Underneath this stone(10) lyeth the body of Amy Richards, the most dearly-beloved wife of John Richards, min- ister of this parish, who departed of this life 21st of November, 1725, aged 40 years "Near her dear mistress lies the body of Mary Ades, Page 33 OLD TOMBSTONES IN GLOUCESTER. 33 her faithful and beloved servant, who departed this life the 23d of November, 1725, aged 28 years. ______ Here lyeth the body of Mrs Ann Willis, the wife of Col. Francis (10) Willis, who departed this life the 10th of June, 1727, in the (32d) year of her age Also the body of A., daughter of the abovesaid aged 7 days ______ Underneath this stone lyeth the body of Mr. John Richards late rector of Nettlestead and vicar of Teston in the county of Kent, in the Kingdom of England, and minister of Ware, in the county of Gloucester and colony of Virginia, who, after a troublesome passage through the various changes and chances of this mortal life, at last reposed in this silent grave in ex- pectation of a joyful resurrexion to eternal life, He died the 12th day of November, in the year of our Lord MDCC * * * V, aged 46. _____ Here lyeth the body of Isabel, daughter of Mr. Thomas Booth, wife of Rev. John Fox, minister of this Parish; who with examplary patience having borne various afflictions, and with equal piety discharged her several duties on earth, cheerfully yielded to mortality, exchanging the miseries of this life for the joys of a glorious eternity on the 13th day of June, in the year of our Lord MDCCXLII, of her age 38. Page 34 34 WILLIAM AND MARY COLLEGE QUARTERLY. Here also lies the bodies of Mary and Susannah, daughters of the above mentioned John and Isabel. The one depart- ed this life on the 5th day of September 1742 in the 4th year of her age; the other on the 7th of October, in the 3d year of her age, MDCCXLIII. ___________ XVI. TIMBER NECK. Here lyeth ye Body of John Mann (11) of Gloucester County in Virginia Gent Aged 63 years who Departed this life Ye 7th Day of January Anno Domini 1694 ______ [Arms] Here lyeth Interred the Body of Mrs Mary Mann, of the County of Gloucester in the Collony of Virginia Gentle Wom who Departed this life the 18th day of March 170 3/4 Aged 56 yeares. ______ [Arms] (12) Here Lyeth ye Body of Elizabeth Page Daughtar of mathew page of ye Colony of Virginia Gentle man Aged three years who departed this life ye 15th day of march Anno Domino 1693. Page 34 NOTES BY THE EDITOR. (1) "Old Upton" is portion of an elder tract called "Boxley," long the home of the Viriginia Wiatts. The last is named after "Boxley Parish" in Kent Co., England, famous chiefly for three things, --1st, its ancient Abbey, where the blessed "Rood of Grace" wrought mira- cles, in the popular fancy only second to those of St. Thomas of Canterbury; 2nd. Penenden Heath, where the Norman Bishops met to try Odo, the half-brother of William the Conqueror, and Wat. Tyler rallied his Kentish mal-contents; and 3rd the Wiat family, who had their seat there for centuries, becoming possessors of the Abbey, after it was confiscated by the crown. The pedigree of Francis Wiat, Governor of Virginia from 1621 to 1626, and from 1639 to 1642, is Adam1, William2, Robert, Geoffrey4, Richard5, Sir Henry6, Sir Thom- as7, Sir Thomas8 the younger, George9, Francis.10 Of these, two names previous to our Francis, shine out conspicuously. -- The first is Sir Henry, who for his friendship to Henry VII underwent, at the hands of Richard III, severe imprisonment and was saved from starvation by a cat which brought him food. The monumental inscription in Boxley Church to the Wiat family states this fact, and so does one of the "Wiat MSS." in possession of Lord Romney, the present repre- sentative of the Wiat family in England. The latter says: "He was imprisoned often; once in a cold and narrow Tower, where he had neither bed to lie on, nor clothes sufficient to warm him, nor meat for his mouth; he had starved there had not God * * sent * * a cat both to feed and warm him * * It was his own relation from who I had it. A cat came on day down into the dungeon unto him, and, as it were, offered herself unto him; he was glad of her, laid her in his bosome, to warm him, and by making much of her won her love. After this she would come every day unto him diverse times; and when she could get one, bring him a pigeon * * * and * * the keeper * * dressed for him from time to time such pigeons as his Acater, the cat, provided for him. Sir Henry in his prosperity would ever make much of a cat and perhaps you will never find a pict- ure of him anywhere, but--like Sir Christopher Hatton with his dog--with a cat beside him." After the usurper Richard fell on Bos- worth fields Sir Henry Wiat was raised to the highest honors--Knight of the Bath, Knight Banneret, Privy Councillor etc., and was execu- tor of King Henry. The second great representative of the Wiat family was Sir Thomas Wiat, the younger, grandson of Sir Henry. He attempted to raise a rebellion against Queen Mary in order to pre- vent her alliance with Philip of Spain, was captured and beheaded. His estates were confiscated, but Queen Elizabeth granted a revoca- tion of the bill of attainder in favor of George, Sir Thomas' eldest son and the representative of the house, and restored to him a portion of the old estate and the reversion of the Abbey house and land. Sir Thomas Wiat, Jr. married Jane, daughter of Sir William Hawte or Page 36 36 WILLIAM AND MARY COLLEGE QUARTERLY. Haute of Bourne, and George, his only son that lived to age, married Jane, daughter of Sir Thomas Finch and had Sir Francis, Hawte and Eleanor, [This is according to the Wiat monument and the "History of Boxley Parish," by Rev. J. Cave-Brown, M. A., vicar of Detling, Kent, 1892. According, however, to Wiat pedigree from Vincent's Kent 116 p. 73, printed in Works of Surrey and Wiat, edited by G. F. Nott, D. D. London, 1816, vol. II, there were also three younger sons, Henry, George and Thomas]. Sir Francis Wiat changed the spelling to "Wyat," and died in 1644 leaving the Boxley property to his eldest son, Henry. Henry was succeeded by his eminent brother Edwin, Chief Justice of the grand sessions for the counties of Carmarthen, Pembroke and Cardi- gan, Member of Parliament for Maidstone, etc. His sons, Francis and Richard, died without issue. The old site of the Abbey is now owned by Major Mawdestly G. Best, of Park House; and another portion of the ancient possessions, called Boxley House estate, which was bequeathed by Richard Wyat to his relative Robert, Lord Romney was recently purchased by Albert F. Style, great-grandson of the sec- ond Lord Romney. In the church, besides the monumental tablets to the Wiats, may be mentioned a tablet to George Sandys, who transla- ted the Iliad in Virginia and a tablet to the Athawes family, placed there in 1799 by Samuel Athawes, "son and successor of Edward Athawes, a Virginian merchant of London." The Wiat tablet, after stating that George Wiat was succeeded by "his eldest son, Sir Francis Wiat, twice governor, and married Marga- ret, daughter of Sir Samuel Sandys" [elder brother of the poet George] says that he, George, "left also Haute Wiat who died vicar of this parish and hath issue living in Virginia." The following is from Rev. J. Cave-Brown himself, who is fully informed on the Wiat pedigrees: "Detling Vicarage, Maidstone [Kent Co.]. The Boxley Register imply that Haute Wiat married his first wife, Elizabeth, before he was ordained, and had by her a son Thomas--his wife dying 14 days after the child's baptism and the child himself on the 10th of the following April. By his 2d wife, Anne, he had a daughter, Anna; this wife died 12 days after the birth of the child. From the family pedigree I find he had by his first wife two other sons, George and Edward, and by his 2d wife a son, John. These must have been the "fons et origo of the Virginian Wiats." The tradition in the Gloucester Co., Va. family is that they derive descent from Rev. Hawte or Haute Wiatt, and the name of their old home is "Boxley." When their ancestry is traced, we find that their progenitor was Edward Wyat, who is found first with George Wyat, living together at this place (then called Middle Plantation) as early as 1645 (York records--Land Register.) Edward Wyat was adminis- trator in 1644 of John Clarke dec'd (who had also lived here), son of Sir John Clarke of Wrotham in Kent Co., England, the younger and only brother of Sir William Clarke of that place. In 1652 "Mr. Wiat" Page 37 OLD TOMBSTONES IN GLOUCESTER. 37 represented Hannah Clarke, [doubtless the widow of John Clarke dece'd] as the executrix of Sir Dudley Wyatt, whose will, dated 29th March 1650, was recorded at Jamestown 25 7 ber, 1651, and devises land near the "Middle Plantation" to her. Hannah sold the same to Dr. Jeremiah Harrison, of Queen's Creek. [In 1654 Mrs. Frances Harrison, widow, patented 1000 acres in Westmoreland, headrights Dr. Jeremy Harrison, Frances Harrison etc. John Harrison, patented 1000 acres in Westmoreland, failing his heirs to "his sister," Mrs. Frances Harrison, and failing her heirs to Giles Brent of "Peace", Westmoreland Co. (Land Register). Dr. Jeremiah Harrison married Frances, sister of Thomas Whitgreave of Mosely in Stafford County, England, who saved the life of Charles II after the battle of Worcester in 1651. (Burke's "Landed Gentry.") In 1652 Mrs. Clarke patented lands near Williamsburg adjoining the lands of Col. Philip Honiwood, who came with Sir Thomas Lunsford, and the lands of Joseph Croshaw, whose daugher Unity had married John West, nephew of Lord Delaware. Sir Dudley Wyat had also served in the army of Charles I.--See Clarendon's History. He was one of the grantees of the Northern Neck from Charles II, dated at "St. Germains" in France, Sept. 18, 1650, and he came to Virginia at once.] In 1663, "Edward Wyat, gentleman" patented John Clarke's land at "Middle Plantation," as an escheat, and subsequently, with his wife Jane, sold it in 1667 to George Poindexter and Otho Thorpe, of Middle Plantation. But the General Court decided 22 March, 1675-6 that the property belonged to John Clarke of Wrotham, in England. (York Co., General Court, and Land Records) In 1662 he patented lands in Gloucester, and subsequently hailed from there. In 1665 he was security for Edward Conquest, to serve James Miller of Surry "in sea affairs," for two years of his term assigned by "Capt. John Scott, Esq., of the Long Island." In 1672 Conquest Wyat, "son and heir" of Edward Wyat, patented lands on Hoccadie's Creek, near his old Plantation. Conquest was vestryman (1690), sheriff (1705) etc. Petsworth Vestry book shows that the following Wyats were vestrymen there: Francis from 1710 to 1728, Con- quest 1727, Capt. Edward 1740, Capt. John 1753; Peter 1763; Capt. John 1775; James 1787. From this parish a steady stream has been sent out all over the State. Rev. William E. Wiatt, pastor of Newington and Petsworth Baptist churches, is descended from Cap- tain John Wiatt of Gloucester, who married Miss Mary Todd and had Dr. William E. Wiatt, sheriff of Gloucester Co. in 1802. He married Mary, daughter of John Graham of Prince William Co., and had 1. John who m Cecelia Dabney 2. Dr. W. G. Wyatt who m. Louisa dau. of John S. Stubbs 3. Eliza who m. Walker Jones 4. Eleanor who m. Col. Scott of Petersburg 5. Col. Thomas Todd 6. Col. Hawte. George Wyat, "Coop" (Cooper) lived at "Middle Plantation" as early as 1645, had in 1660 a wife Susannah; in 1671 his son and Page 38 38 WILLIAM AND MARY COLLEGE QUARTERLY heire", Henry of Gloucester, sold his land here to John Page (York records.) Henry was born in 1647, and lived with wife Alice in New Kent Co.; vestryman of St. Peters in 1686. In 1705 Richard Wyat's son Henry of New Kent, was legatee of Henry W. dece'd. In 1728 Henry of Prince George released a mill in New Kent. (Henrico Co. records, Adams MSS.) Other early Wiatts in Virginia were (1) Ralph who leased land on Appomattox river in 1636; wife was widow of Capt. Wil- liam Button (2) Richard patented in Gloucester in 1645, and ordered by York Court to pay a hogshead of tobacco to Dr. Thomas Eaton of London, "cururgeon," His son and heir, Thom- as, patented in Gloucester in 1665. (3)William, evidently a kins- man of Edward Wyat, was witness to a deed in 1655 to "Mr. Edward Wyat" from the "Chiscoyake" Indians; major and sheriff of New Kent in 1671, married before 1674 Anna "the mother of Anna Jackson" (York records); had a son William jun. who patented in 1670.(4.) Anthony was burgess from Charles City in 1645, '55, '56, was called Major, and had son, Capt. Nicholas, active in Bacon's Rebellion, who patented in 1686 "Chaplin's Choice" etc. (5) Christopher, 26 in 1672 (York records,) probably a son of one of the preceeding. (6) Thomas patented in 1643. [For notices of later Wyats in Virginia see W. G. Stanard's Paper in Richmond Critic, Dec. 10, 1889 and R. A. Brock's notes in New Eng. Hist. and Gen. Register, vol. 40, p. 43, and Virginia Hist. Soc. Coll. VOOO, p. 102. The following in addition may not be without value: From Abingdon Parish Register: Mr. Francis Wyatt mar- ried to Miss. Lucy Row, Oct. 30, 1742 Mary daur. of Mr Francis and Lucy Wyatt, Anne daur. of Mr Francis and Lucy Wyatt From St. Peters Parish Register: Peyton son of Joseph and Dorothy Wyatt born Nov 15, 1763, The Wyatt arms are: Party perfesse, azure and gules, a barnacle argent. The Hawte arms are: Or a cross engrailed gules. The name of the Wiatt family variously spelled in our records, but the spelling of the Gloucester branch seems now to be "Wiatt."] (2)"Violet Banks" is the modern name of the house of Edward Porteus, the emigrant. It is an old square brick building, two stories and a half, with four rooms to a floor. Though abandoned, it still retains the fine panelling and interior carving of the long past. It fronts York River and on the west is Poropotank Creek. Robert Porteus, his, son lived at "New Bottle," subsequently called "Con- cord." In 1693 Edward Porteus was recommended by the Governor of Virginia for appointment to the Council (Sainsbury MSS.), ves- try man of Petsworth Parish in 1681 (vestry book). He married "the Relict of Robert Lee," who left in his will seven pounds to the poor of Petsworth (ibid). His only son, Robert Porteus, Esq. was vestryman in 1704, mem- Page 39 OLD TOMBSTONES IN GLOUCESTER. 39 ber of the Council and removed to York, England; and in the Cathe dral at Rippon is an inscription on the walls to his memory. (Spots- wood's Letter, II. 54.) He had nineteen children, the youngest of whom but one, Beilby Porteus, was born at York, May 8, 1731, and died May 14, 1808. He became bishop of Chester and of London, (Chalmer's Biographical Dictionary.) This College, however, owes him no thanks, for he boasts of having induced Lord Thurlow to exclude it from all share in the fund of the Honble Robert Boyle long used for education of Indians and diverted after the Rev- olution, at the suggestion of Porteus, to the conversion and relig- ious instruction of the Negroes in the British West Indies (5 Versey jr's Reports; Brown's "History of the Propagation of Christianity," II p. 625). What a contrast this action to the splendid conduct of the English Court in 1867, when the Mary Whaley fund for the estab- lishment of a free-school in York and James City Counties, after lying forgotten of men in the Bank of England for 136 years, was turned over to the control of the College for the purpose indicated. Robert Porteus married the daughter of Edmund Jennings, Esq., son of Sir Edmund of Rippon, England. One of his places in Gloucester county was called "New Bottle," after a place of similar name in Scotland owned by him. The Bishop, his son, had "a singular picture which though not in the best style of coloring was yet thought valuable by Sir Joshua Reynolds as a speci- men of the extent to which the art of painting had at that time reached in America, and he himsself very highly prized it as exhibiting a faithful and interesting representation of his father's residence." (See "Life of Bishop Porteus," by Rev. Robert Hodgson.) The neighborhood of the Porteuses in Virginia was certainly respectable. At an interval of a mile along the York River shore, or up the numerous creeks were well built brick houses, some few of which still remain. Going down the river from the Porteus Mansion, one passed successively the lands of the Smiths of Purton, the family of Capt. John Stubbs, the Burwells of Carter's Creek. the War- ners, of Warner Hall, the Pages of Rosewell, the Manns of Tim- berneck, the Perrins of Sarah's creek, etc., while on the opposite shore, were the houses of Edmund Jenings, Nathaniel Bacon, Dudley Digges, the Ballards, the Reades, the Smiths, Chismans, Calthorpes etc.--families of first consequence in the colony, having good libraries, most of them of proved descent from respectable En- glish gentlemen, and all of them displaying coasts-of-arms of un- doubted authenticity. (3)For an account of the Robins family see Richmond Critic Aug. 14, 1889. The imigrant was John Robins of Elizabeth City, whose son, Dr. Thomas Robins, married Mary, sister of Major Thomas Hansford, the first Virginian born ever hanged; and settled in Robins. Page 40 40 WILLIAM AND MARY COLLEGE QUARTERLY. Neck, Gloucester County, where his descendants resided until the present time. (4) Col. George Reade was brother of Robert Reade, private Sec- retary to Windebank, Secretary of State to Charles I. and married Elizabeth, daughter of Capt. Nicholas Martian and had 1. Mildred, who married Augustine Warner, 2. George, living in 1655, 3. Robert, who married Mary, daughter of John Lilly (who married the heiress of Edward Malson, a cooper of York county living in 1657,) 4. Francis who married 1st, Jane Chisman, daughter of Capt. Thomas Chisman and had Mary who m. Edward Davis of K. and Q., and Eliza beth who married Paul Watlington before 1707. He married 2dly Anne--, before 1693. He had also George and Anne. He died about 1694, leaving a son Benjamin living in 1715. 5.Benjamin married Lucy before 1692. In 1691 he sold fifty acres for the site of Yorktown, and after living about forty years later died, and in 1738 his eldest son Gwyn Reade, who married Dorothy--, sold five acres as a commons for the citizens of Yorktown. 6. Thomas Reade married Lucy Gwyn, daughter of Edmund Gwyn, and had Thomas (tombstone) died with- out issue, and Rev. John of Kind and Queen, dead before 1769, leaving an only daughter Sarah who married John Rootes. 7. Elizabeth who married Capt. Thomas Chisman. Robert, the eldest son, died in 1712, and had John of St. Stephen's parish K. & Q. Co., Robert, George, Samuel, Francis, Thomas, Mar- garet married Thomas Nelson and Mildred married 1st James Good- win 2d Capt. Lawrence smith. Robert had Robert who had Elizabeth who married 1st Rev. Richard Hewitt 2. Col. Edward Harwood. Samuel, another son of Robert Reade, married Mary Nutting, and had Frances who married Major Anthony Robinson. There were other Reades in York county contemporaneous with George Reade Esq. Thomas Reade, called in the records his "kins- man," lived in Warwick and married Elizabeth, daughter of John and Ruth (Beale) Tiplady. According to the will of Mrs. Alice Beale, wife of Col. Thomas Beale of the Council, and mother of Ruth Tiplady, he had living in 1702 two sons, John and Thomas Reade. Ben- jamin Reade, probably a brother of Col. George Reade, (will proved in York Co. Jan. 24, 1692/3) cakks "Mr. Robert Reade and Mr. Francis Reade" kinsmen" and their sons "nephew;" calls Elizabeth, daughter of Capt. Thomas Chisman "niece" and makes his two kinsmen, "Mr. Robert and Mr. Francis Reade" executors. Other persons mentioned in will are "niece Anne Cary, daughter of Mr. Henry Cary," "James Manders brother of my deceased wife,""Mrs. Elizabeth Flowers, moth- er of my deceased wife," "aunt" Mary Myhill, Ralph Flowers jr. and Samuel Flowers. Gives 20 L to the poor of Mulberry Islands parish, and has lands in England and Merchants' Hundred, James City Co. [Hening's Statutes V. 68; VIII. 483; wills of Elizabeth Reade, widow of Col. George, pr. Jan. 24, 1686-7, of Robert Reade (1712), of Page 41 OLD TOMBSTONE IN GLOUCESTER. 41 Mary Reade (1722,), of Samuel Reade, 1758 etc.] (5) Petsworth was probably pronounced "Petsoe" as the vestry book calls the parish by the last name. The parish was probably named for the Bernard family who came from Petsworth, Bucking- hamshire. Mr. W. G. Stanard writes: "From Chester's London Marriage Licences, license Nov. 24, 1634, to Richard Bernard, of Petsoe, Bucks, Gent. widower, 26 [years], and Anna Corderoy spinster, 22, dau. of Mr. [blank] Corderoy Esq. decd. [to be married] at St. Andrews-in-the-wardrobe. There is a pedigree of Bernard in Lipscomb's History of Bucks I. 519, 521 and of "Cordray" in the visitation of Wiltshire, 1623." There is a grant to Mrs. Anna Bernard in which Richard Bernard, Mrs. Anna B., Cordery B., Edward Cordery, etc., are head-rights. >From a deed [1653] found in Westmoreland it appears that Mrs. Bernard had a daughter, Ann Smith; probably in this way Purton came to the Smiths. In York records Richard Bernard purchased Pryor's plantation in 1647. The clerk makes a drawing of his arms on the scroll in the Record Book, which is clearly a bear rampant and common to families of the name in Bucks, Lincoln, Northants etc. "Anna Barnard of Purton" in 1662 sold Pryor's Plantation to Capt. Robert Baldrey. In Westmoreland Co. records, Richard Bernard of Petsoe parish, Gloucester Co. empowers in 1689 William Buckner of Stafford to receive 400 acres granted to Ann Bernard and assigned to said Richard. Barradall's Reports (1738) show that in 1651 and 1654 Anna Bernard obtained patents for land, which on her death des- cended to her son Richard, who died in 1691, leaving the land by his will to sons Philip and John. John had the whole by survi- vorship and died in 1709, devising the land to his son Richard, his heir, aged 25 when the suit was brought.--Legan, lessee of Richard Bernard plt vs. Washington Parish, Dishman, Weeden, John and William Brown defts. Hening shows that William Bernard of Gloucester (will made 1704) had son Robert alive 1734. [Bernard, Barnard, Barnett were the same.] Richard Barnard was vestryman of Petsworth in 1677 (vestry book.) Mr. William Barnard was churchwarden in 1695. Peter Bernard of Gloucester was Captain in the Revolution. His brother and heir, John Bernard of Buckingham, was sheriff there in 1781, and married Heningham dau. of Col. George Carrington. Capt. Peter B. had a sister, Margaret, who married in 1764 George Carrington. There have been numerous representatives of the Ber- nard name in Virginia. Col. William Bernard, of the Council, had a son George living in 1653, and was then husband of Lucy, widow of Lewis Burwell. Col. William died in 1662. Capt. Thomas Bernard was burgess for Warwick in 1642, 1643, and 1645. Nothing now remains of old Petsworth church, of which Meade Page 42 42 WILLIAM AND MARY COLLEGE QUARTERLY. gives an interesting account. There is near by a famous spring of cool water. 6. See Jan. Quarterly, 1894, for notice of the Jones tombs. 7. Ware Parish church is built on land granted to the church by the Throckmorton family. It is a rectangular brick building and is in good repair. Rev. Mr. Lee now officiates here, and at Abing- don church, and York church. 8. Meade prints the name James Black, which is a mistake. William Thornton Sen. (William1 Thornton, William2, Francis3) married Jane Clack, of Brunswick Co., born June 9, 1721 (Family Bible.) She was perhaps a grand-daughter. James Clack was living in Gloucester in 1740 (York records), guardian of Charlotte, d. of Robert Ballard, dec'd, of York. 9. This and the three subsequent inscriptions are taken from Meade, the original stones being concealed under the church floor. 10. Francis Willis was an early settler in York County, Virginia in which he had a patent for land in 1642. In 1640 he was removed from his office as clerk, for abusing governor and council and burgesses, and punished by having to stand at the court-house door with a paper in his hat and disabled from being a clerk or attorney in any court, pay a fine etc. In 1645 he was Justice of York County, and in 1652 burgess for Gloucester Co. The will of Richard Sim- ons (dated 13 July, 1647), who was brother and heir of Thomas Simons deceased, mentions his eldest son Richard in England and his brother, Francis Willis, and makes Mr. Thomas Curtis, of the new Pawquosin parish, supervisor of his will etc. The will of Francis Willis, his son, shows that he left 1. Francis, died in 1691, 2. Henry who had Susannah, Mary Herren, Alice, Francis, William 3. William who had William (New Eng. and Hist. Gen. Register, Vol.41, 257.) York records mention in 1732 Henry Willis of Spotsylvania and Mildred his wife, (late widow of John Brown, dec'd in 1726); that Francis son of Francis, of Gloucester Co., married Elizabeth, daughter of John Perrin of Gloucester about 1767. Abingdon Parish Register shows that "Mr. Francis Willis mar- ried Elizabeth Carter Sept. 30, 1742." 11 Mary Mann was widow of Edmund Berkeley, deceased, before 1674. The will of John Mann, her second husband, was proved in, Gloucester County court 13 Feb., 1694. and the original paper preserved bears date 6 Jan., 1694-5, gives his cousin Mary Hampton 500 L sterling, son-in-law Edmund Berkeley 50 L sterling; god. dau. Ann Booker 20 L sterling; 1/3 of the rest of his real and personal estate to his wife, Mary, and the balance to his daughter, Mary Page, and for want of heirs to go equally to my son-in-law Edmund Berkeley and my cousin Mary Hampton, and for want of heirs to go to my two grandchildren Joseph and Edmund Ring, and for want of heirs then to the College "for ye mainenance of Poor children"; mentions Page 43 LIBRARIES IN COLONIAL VIRGINIA. 43 Mr. John Williams, son-in-law Matthew Page; Mr. Stephen Ford and Capt. Richard Booker to see this will performed, Witnesses Richard Booker, George Jonson, Willock Bostock. P. Beverly cl. cur. Joseph Ring's will was proved in York Co. May 24, 1703--he was justice, burgess, and recommended to the council; five children Edmund, Joseph, Elizabeth, Sarah and Mary, legacy of 100L to Isaac Sedgwick, and appoints his loving brothers, Capt. Matthew Page and Mr. Edmund Bartlet (Berkeley is often spelt this way) exors. [Isaac Sedg- wick was a lawyer and brother of William Sedgwick, clerk of York county, who in his will calls himself of Burlen Hall, in Lincolnshire. Hottens' "Immigrants" has John Mann, aged 21, transported to Bar- badoes in 1635. Feb. 1, 13 Charles II, John Mann, gent. appointed chief surveyor of Jamaica.] For description of the arms on Mary Mann's tomb see "Coats-of Arms" in last Quarterly. 13. This tomb has arms different from the usual Page arms; being within a lozenge a cross engrailed, in the right hand corner a conch shell. _________ Libraries in Colonial Virginia. (continued) [SELECTIONS FROM LOWER NORFOLK COUNTY LIBRARIES, COMMUNICATED BY EDWARD W. JAMES.] VII. July 22nd 1648 John Kemp, inventory: "Item seven books of Chriurgerye viz his works, the Surgions mate, two of Barrowes method of phisick pte of l tob the Regimt of health, Aristotles problems 200 Item five Divinity books: vizt a small bible Mr. Calvins Institutions ye practice of piety yet true watch Christs Combat with Satan the effec tual Calling 250 Item some small books of small valew 50 Pastalls abridgmt of ye Statutes & pt of ye Court Baron & Leet 200" VIII Dec 15th 1648 Mr. Richard Waked, inventory: "three bibles two & twenty small bookes a bible"