Norfolk County USGenWeb Archives History...Letters Extracted from the County Record Books; Lower Norfolk County, VA ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ Transcribed by Kathy Merrill for the USGenWeb Archives Special Collections Project Letters Extracted from the County Record Books William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine, Vol. 4, No. 3. (Jan., 1896), pp. 169-177. LETTERS EXTRACTED FROM THE COUNTY RECORD BOOKS. 1. Lower Norfolk County, formed in 1637 from Elizabeth City County. MRS. YARDLEY'S JEWELLS AND TOMBSTONE. Recorded 10 day of November Ano: 1652. Worthy Sr:(1) My husband having some business dowy ye river was gone from home two howers before your servants came soe I findinge what ye contents of your letter did import, have in my husband's absence made bould to answer it and withall I knowe he refers ye sale of them to me. Sir in regard you cannot mis out of your stocke no more than fower younge cowes and one elder and fower oxen I will not pres you beyond what you are willing to doe, but will accept your proffer by reason of my great want of cattle and withall I had rayther your wife should weare them then any gentlewoman I yet know in ye county, but good Sir have no scruple concerning theire rightness for I went mySelfe from Rotterdam to ye haugh, to inquire of ye gouldsmiths and found yt they weare all Right, therefore thats without question, and for ye hatbane yt alone cost five hunderd gilders as my husband knowes verry well and will tell you soe when he sees you; for ye Iuell, and ye ringe they weare made for me at Rotterdam and I paid in good Rix dollares for these: sixtey gilders, for the Iuell and twenty and two gilders for ye Ringe; which comes to in English monney Eleaven pounds fower shillings. I have sent the sute and Ringe by your servant, and I wish Mrs. Yardley health and prosperity to weare them in, and give you both thanks for your kinde token. When my husband comes home we will see to gett ye cattle home in ye meantime I present my Love and Service to yourselfe and wife, Mr. Chandler and his wife and ye younge Gentlewomen and old Capt and commit you all to god, and remaine your frend and servant. Susan Moseley Elizabeth River this last July 1650. Page 170. Recorded the 2d february A.o 1657. Whereas Mrs. Sarah Yardley late deceased did by her last will and testamt order yt her best diamond necklace and Iuell should bee sent for england to purchase six diamond rings and two blacke tombstones, as by ye sd will appeareth, now know you that I underwritten Nicholas Trott mrchant have received of Coll Jno Sidney Execr. of ye Mrs. Yardley her last will and testamt ye above menconed diamond neckalss and Iuell and doe by these psents, promise and oblige myselfe to make sale of ye above menconed Dyamond necklass and Iuell to purchase ye above menconed rings and tombstones (ye Dangers of ye seas ownely excepted) and to send them to Virga next shipping, especially ye two tombstones and to send also an acct. of ye Iust pduce of the abovesd Diamond necklass and Iuell. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand ye first february 1657. Nicholas Trott. Test. Tho: Bridge Cl. Cur Norfl Infer. NOTES. (1) This letter was written by Susan Moseley, wife of William Moseley, formerly of Rotter- dam, and at this time a prominent merchant of Lower Norfolk county, and founder of the dis- tinguished Moseley family in Virginia. It was written to Colonel Francis Yardley, son of Sir George Yardley, whose wife, Sarah Offley, married, firs, Captain Adam Thorowgood, who died in 1640; secondly, Captain John Gookin, who died before December, 1647, when she married Captain Francis Yardley. She dies in 1657, and many years ago her epitaph, from a tomb in the old Lynnhaven churchyard, was printed in the Richmond Enquirer as follows: Here lieth ye body of Capt. John Gooking and also Ye body of Mrs. Sarah Yardley, who was wife to Capt. Adam Thorowgood first, Capt. John Gooking & Collonell Francis Yardley, who deceased August 1657. The tome was stated also to bear arms; she appears to have had no children by Gookin or Yardley; but the Thorowgood children were Adam, Ann who married Job Chandler, Councillor of Maryland, Sarah, Elizabeth who married, 1, Simon Overzee, aged thirty years in 1657; 2, Major George Colclough. Adam, the sone, married Frances Yardley (daughter of Argall Yardley, eldest son of Sir George). In his will is this paragraph, which refers to his tombstone: "My will and desire is before the signing of this my will that my executrix after my decease cause my body to be interred in the Church of Linhaven in the grave of my fahter and that shee cause a tombstone of Marble to bee sent for with the coat-of-arms of Sr George Yardley and myselfe and the same inscription as upon the broken tombe and the same to bee layd over my Grave and the other one over the grave of my mother upon brick". Dated last of Oct. 1670; proved feb 1685/6. Mr. Stanard has an interesting ac- Page 171. count of the Thorowgoods in Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. II., pp. 414-418, but does not state the name of Job Chandler's wife correctly, and omits the name of the wife of the second Adam Thorowgood. The nut for genealogists proposed by Mr. Stanard in Vol. I., pp. 200, 448 of the same magazine, may be "cracked" as follows: Colonel Isaac Allerton married, first, Elizabeth be- fore 1652. She was certainly Elizabeth Willoughby for divers reasons. Thomas Willoughby calls Allerton, "brother". An Elizabeth Willoughby was among the headrights to Thomas Willoughby. The son of Colonel Allerton was Willoughby Allerton. Allerton married, secondly, Elizabeth Thorowgood, widow of Simon Overzee, of Maryland, who died in 1660, widow also of Major George Colclough, who died in 1662. (Norfold county and Maryland records). George Colclough had a first wife, Ursula Bysshe, the mother of Captain Thomas Willoughby's wife, Sarah. She, Ursula, married, first, Richard Thompson; second, Colonel John Mottrom; third, Major George Colclough. (Northumberland county records). HOW THE SON OF A JUSTICE WAS BROUGHT UP. In Yarmouth the 6th December 1653. Capt. Willoughby(1), Mr. Lem Mason(2), and Mr John Holmes And Loveinge ffreinds & kinds. I kindly salute you desieringe yor helth in ye Lord yor letter dated ye 11th July I have Reced concerninge yor desire of an accout for ye tob: wch I have Received for Henry Sewell(3), as alsoe what I am out for him, the wch you shall receive heerinclosed & wch you will finde there is 64: 3: 00L & due to me I have put to accout 25L p. Ann: for all ye wch when I was in holland cost me more, it cost me 200: gil, p: Ann: for his scholeing & diet besides clothes, & doctors & other charges, I can truly say yt I have done for him as if he had beene my owne, & as I ded & doe by any of my family soe I hope you will consider it, alsoe yt I have been out of my monney a longe time, its reason if I stand to ye venture yt I should have Tobaco, at 2d pd, but if otherwise then you must send soe much tob. as will make ye some out wth consideracon for ye time, but I know you are Justitious men and will doe what is reason, soe I refferr myself to you for yt pt. I pray what Tobacco you send lett it be good, all yt I had yeth hath bene verry poore, if you send good it shall be advanced accordingly I have as you ordered Take fraught by Capt. Phillip Ewens, in the shipp called ye William of London, as p. the coppie of an agreemt. sent you Mr Marson will appeare, for ye farther, dispose of ye youth you have resolved verry well for his good, for it wear pittey he should goe to Virginia till he be able to manage his owne businesse, for if he should, he would Page 172. soone lose all yt he hath gayned, I doubt not but he will gaine more in one yeere now then in two yeeres before, he hath beene hitherto verry sickly, he brought a distemper uppon him from Virginia wch hath stuck by him almost all this time, wch was a hardnesse in his boddy wch is now desolved & doth begin to threive, he can wright and siffer well & could have spoake french and dutch, but I am afraid he will forget both, but I shall doe my best yt he doe not, for his future dispose seeinge I have kept him all this while I doe not much ceare if I take him to bee my prentice if you will allowe me yt is fitt. I could have 100 lb wch a prentice, if you please to give me 4 hhd of good tobacco: p. Ann. for fower yeeres & seaven yeeres service. I will take him, I doe not doubt but soe to bringe him upp yt he shall be able to live of himselfe & soe soone as I find him capable I shall send him on to Virginia wth a cargoe & then he may doe some thinge for himselfe alsoe & I shall further him therein as well as I can for his best advantage, I pray wright yor minds wth the first, I shall order my kinsman John Scapes to come to you to know yor resolution therein this being in some hast I rest. Yor Lovinge ffrend to use Billy Scapes directed To ye Worpp Capt Tho Willoughby & mr Lemuell Mason, & mr John Holmes marchts in Virginia. NOTES. (1) Thomas Willoughby was born in 1601, and came to Virginia in 1610 (Hotten), and after reaching manhood was, for a number of years, one of the leading merchants of the Colony. He was a justice of Elizabeth City, 1628, member of the House of Burgesses "for the upper part of Elizabeth City", 1629-1632, and when Lower Norfolk county was formed from Elizabeth City county, in 1637, one of the first justices. Councillor from 1644 to 1646, and in 1650. He patented large tracts of land in Lower Norfolk county. See, for a full account of him and his descendants, Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. I., pp. 447-450. (2) Lemuel Mason was son of Lieutenant Francis Mason, who came to Virginia in 1613, with his wife, Mary, and daughter Anne. He married, secondly, Alice, and was sheriff and justice of Norfolk county. He had by his first wife Francis (probably ancestor of the Surry Masons), and Lemuel by his second. He died about 1648. Lemuel Mason, born after 1625, was justice, sheriff, member of the House of Burgesses, colonel of the militia, etc. His will was proved in 1702. See virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. II., p. 386. Page 173. (3) Henry Seawell the elder, merchant, was burgess for Elizabeth city in 1632, and was elected burgess for Norfolk county in 1639. He died about 1644, and a settlement of his estate was held at an orphan's court held Feb. 25, 1649, as follows: 'having mett Concern- ing the Estate of Hen: Seawell deceased, by the opinion of hte cort and Consent of Jno Holmes, overseer, and Mr Lemuel Mason who hath Intermarried with Anne the daughter of the said seawell It was agreed as follows: - The estate of Mr Mathew phillipps late decd to be re- sponsible for estate of said Hen: Seawell as it was left at the decease of Alce ye wife of ye said H. S. by Inventory &c and differences to be decided by 4 Indifferent men chosen on ye behalf of ye Orphants of ye said Seawell & Mrs Anne Phillips afds Administratrix of said Mr Mathew Phillips". The four arbitrators were, Mr Jno Hill, Mr Theo: Lambard (Lambert), Jn Homles and Tho: Ivy. The son, Henry, was ordered to be sent to Holland for his education, in charge of Mr Tho: Lee, who is spoken of as "his kindsman and seeming very desirous to have the youth with him". He seems to have been placed under the charge of one William (Lilly?) Scapes, merchant of Yarmouth in England, and 22 March he was bound apprentice to him for four years, and seven years' service by consent of the court. A deposition taken June 18, 1662, shows that the son, Henry, was born May 1, 1639, and another, August 16, 1672, mentions Henry Seawell, the younger, as late deceased, and that his sister and heir, Anne, now the wife of Colonel Lemuel Mason was born about thirty-seven or thirty-eight years since. "Seawell's Point", at the mouth of the Elizabeth River, was named for Henry Seawell, the elder, who was perhaps connected with Thomas Seawell, who patented four hundred acres on Pocoson River, York county, in 1635. The relationsihp with the Phillips' family does not appear, but it seems probable that Alice, widow of Henry Seawell, married Mathew Phillips, who, on her death, married Anne, and she survived him as his administratrix. The letter in the text was ad- dressed to Captain Thomas Willoughby, justice, burgess, councillor, etc., Lemuel Mason, who married Anne, the sister of Henry Seawell, Jr., and John Holmes, who was overseer of Henry Seawell's estate. 2. NORTHAMPTON COUNTY FORMED IN 1634. A Mother's Letters to her Daughter and Son who came as Servants to Virginia(1). Daughter Margarett I have recd yor Lres & have sent you answr by mr Husband And by him I have sent you divrs things of wch I have sent you a pticular (lease ye other should miscarry) that is to saye L s d 5 yards & 1/4 of Broad Tabbee which cost 3 8 3 8 yards of snuff cullured silke mohaire 1 16 0 One Ell of Taffatie sarstnett 0 08 0 Alsoe Silvr pchmt Lace 0 07 6 4 pr of gloves 0 08 8 2 pr knotts 0 02 0 Page 174. 3 llaces 0 00 09 3 llaces more 0 01 0 6 yards of breads 0 0 6 One ounce of Threade 0 0 6 1/4 of threade 0 0 6 3 pr of Hose 0 13 0 One Ell of Hollan 0 15 0 1 yard 1/4 of tape (?) 0 05 0 Towe Taffatie hoods & 2 Lace hoods wth towe Taffatie Handkerchiffs 0 16 0 4 pr of shoes 0 13 0 One Greene scarfe for yor Husband One Hundred of Needles 0 2 6 5 thousand of pinnes 0 04 06 In a chess 0 04 06 __ __ __ 10 13 00 (sic.) I heare by mr Husbands & others yt servants would bee more advantageous unto you then any other comoditye Nowe if you had writt to me I should have sent you towe or 3. I recd ye muske goods & Letter But ye other is lost. I cannot heare of it I heare yor husband is an honest man And gave a great price for you; therefore (I hope) you will be a Dutifull & Loveinge wife to him And if you will have me to send you any return either in Servants or comodityes then your Husband must send a certiffic signed undr both yor hands that you are married And a Lre of Attorney to mee wch may satisfye ye Cort of Aldermen that you gave me ordr to receave yor porcon And to laie it out (as you shall direct me) yor ffather & I & yor Brother & sister & all yor ffreinds are here in good health (praysed be god) & rejoyce to heare of yor welfare And desires to be remembred unto you Mr Ashfield hath sent to you a suite a Doublett of Sattin & a pr of Breeches hee desireth you to put them off to ye best Advantage And send him a Returne either in very good tobacco or Beavr skinne I send you alsoe a Grogrun gowne of mine to make you a gowne to weare everye day therewth My kind love remembred to you & my prayers to god for you I commend you to god I pray rememer you me to yor Husband (unknowne) mr Ashfield Wm Cornibye (?) Thomas Jordan & all yor freinds here desire to have their love remembred to you I Page 175. pray sned to yor Brother Jno & bee loveinge to him If I send any servants ovr to you I desire yt yor Brother may come to live wth yor husband & leave one of htem in his roome And soe once more I commend you to god to rest. Your Loving mother Katheryne Hunlocke. August 3 1648. lloveinge Daughter My Blessings I give unto you wth my prayr to god for ye continuance of the blessings upon you and yor Husband hopeing to god that you are both in goode health as I am att this prsent I sent to you comodityes yt you writt unto mee for in ye good shipp called ye Katheryne & Jno (whome god prserve to her desired portts) And finding an opportunitye I have snet you a Lettr by mr Husbands mr who is bound for Acomacke And you shall receive here Inclosed a true coppie of ye Bill of Loadinge ffor ye originll I shall keepe And with all a note of ye pticulars you write to me for Bags & trimeings But what use it is for I knowe not therefore I pray by the next returne send mee what use it is for I question ot to satisfye yr desires therein I pray send a Release by the next Returne ffor yor portion & tell some seamen of the shipp (or ye other) bee witness therunto So yt they maye witness ye same to be yo Act & Deed here (upon Oath) wch will be much satisfacon to Mr Edlyne (?) & myselfe soe desireinge god to goe along wth you I rest. Yor assured loveing mother Katheryne Hunlocke. August 1st 1649 London. I have sent but one sert this yeare a good lusty ladd And I understand yt yor Brother is well & well beloved in ye country And ye next year I will send you one servt more & another to Release yor Brother Mr Hatton caused mee through his great oppertunitye to send by the Katherine & John or else I had sent by ye maystr of Mr Husbands all yor things. But ye Jno & Kathrine went 3 weeks before And I did indevr to send by the first I am advised not to take freight for if I should & you not to send any I am bound to pay dead freight But ye mayster of Mr Potts hath promise (By gods grace) to delivr safety what you send me. [There is recorded 23d February, 1650: "The Invoyce of goods sent unto Virginia unto Stephen Taylor directed unto Accomack By Mrs. Kathrine Hunlcoke", containing beds, bolsters, shoes, thread, powders, etc., amounting in value to L35, 11s 7d.] Page 176. LLOVEING SONNE My love to you hopeing yt you are in good health as I & hor Brother John & yor Sister Stockdale & her husband at att this prsent (thanks bee to god) But for yor fathr in lawe he dyed some 16 weeks ago I have reced yor Letter wherein I doe understand yt you were in good health att ye tyme wch was a great comfort unto mee to heare Any my prayr to god shall be for to continue his goodness to you in prservinge of you And for yt you wrote to me yt you shall be out of yor tyme next Springe wch I am very joyfull to heare And I hope I shall not bee a mother wch shall be forgetfull of you for I am very sorry yt yor mayster was so unkind unto you yt hee would not allowe you tyme to look after yor systers estate seeing there is noen of any indred there to enjoye it; (but only you) And especially beinge it was of such a vallue, for I sent ye goods to neere ye vallue of one hundred pounds, wch is a greeife to mee that others wch bee strangers hsould enjoye my labour And likewise I sent a servt to release you besiede. I am att this prsent in llondon about bussiness & I went to ye Exchange, & there I did speak wth Capt. Potte And hee hath give mee Accott yt hee hath pceeded soe farre as possiblye he can in ye llawe, but hee telleth me yt hee doth not believe that (if you looke after it) you maye enjoye it still; wch is my deisre you shoud doe. you writ to mee to knowe whether yt yor sister did live where she did wch I desire you to take notice yt she liveth in ye same house, in Bishopps gate streete: I pray Sonne let me heare from you by the ferst: whether the shipp come to London or plimouth (or any other ports) it will come safe to mee by the carryer of Execeter; Mr Ashfild & Thomas Jordan & his wife doe remebr there loves to you thus desireinge ye god of heaven to bless you & keepe you in all yor pceedings wch shall be ye daily prayers of I yor mother I rest & remayne yor loveinge mother till death llondon this 4th KATHRYNE HUNLOCKE. September 1652 Rec. 15 Octobr 1653 P me Edw Mathew cl. cur. Northampton co. 1st March 1652. Upon ye humble pet. of Jno Edwards sonne of Mrs Kathryne Hunlocke Authorized by her to call Mr Jno Edwards Chirurgeon admrstra of hte Estate of Stephen Taylor deced to render an Accott thereof; the court takeing into consideracon that ye plaintiff is a stranger in this county his residence beinge in ye Baye And yt Page 177. pcrastinacon may bee great damage to the complainant his bussinesse in this county att prsent being solely to Agittate & Act concrnige ye estate of mr Stephen Taylor who marryed the sister of ye supplicant Jno Edwards plantr the sd Mr Jno Edwards formrly often refuseinge to bee arrested to ye court (to be responsible for ye sd Taylor's Estate accordinge to lawe) It is therefore ordrd that ye sd Mr Jno Edward Chirurgeon shall at ye next court make his psonall appance to answr ye suite of ye sd Jno Edwards upo: an Accon of Accott And if it shall happen that ye sherr cannot Arrest him, the it shall be siffitt notice to leave his ordr att his house. [On March 28, 1653, an order was entered for "John Edwards Chirurgeon to deliver to John Edwards planter the assetts of ye sd Stephen Taylor his Estate being found to bee sixe hundred nynty sixe pds of Tobac & one bill of Wm Hoplye for 400 lb of Tobacco."] NOTES. (1) These letters are interesting as showing what kind of people sometimes went to Virginia as servants. Margaret and John Edwards, children of Katharine Edwards, who married, secondly, a man named Hunlocke, were servants in Virginia, the former till she was redeemed by a planter named Stephen Taylor, who married her, and the latter till his term expired. Before that time his sister died without issue, and it is a curous part of the history that another John Edwards put in a claim for her property, but was exposed and foiled in his attempt. It would appear, too, that Katherine Hunlocke's social standing was good, and that service in Virginia was not dishonorable, as she was able to command more than L100, the equivalent of $2,500 for investment in the colony. (2) This has reference to Captain Francis Pott, whom the Land Records state was "brother and heir" of Governor John Pott. Captain Pott was for sometime commander of the Fort at "Point Comfort". His will was proved in Northampton county in 1658. In his will he mentions his nephew, John Pott, who was a councillor in Maryland in 1657. (See Maryland Archives).