Coats-Of-Arms in Virginia; Wm. and Mary Qrtly., Vol. 1, No. 2, 1892

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Coats-Of-Arms in Virginia

   Lyon G. Tyler

   William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Papers, Vol. 1, No. 2.
   (Oct., 1892), pp. 112-121.

                     COATS-OF-ARMS IN VIRGINIA.

                           BY THE EDITOR.

   Coats-of-Arms were in the Middle Ages the distinctive signs of the "gentlemen"
in English Society.  The rigid etiquette observed in the County records of
Virginia for the 17th Century shows that these distinctions prevailed here as
well.

   None to my knowledge at this early period assumed the name of "gentleman"
without a claim to arms, and the bearer of arms was a "gentleman", according to
the original definition of Sir Edward Coke.  In the next century a latitude was
prevalent in the use of both the dignity of "gentleman" and the sign which 
distinguished him.  Still it has been generally agreed by English and American
wirters that in America the use of arms by a family previous to the Revolution
may be taken as evidence that the family had a right to the use thereof.  R. A.
Brock says that "in the use of coat armor there is more evidence of gentle
lineage in Virginia than in any other of the American Colonies."


   It is well known that the ruling class in Virginia were church of England
men, while the ruling class in New England were dissenters from the dominant
faith in England.  Converts to a new faith come chiefly from the lower strata
of society.  Frands are found everywhere.  An English coach painter came to
New England about 1750 and furnished a number of families with arms which have
been since discovered as bogus(1).

   Below will be found a partial list only of families in Virginia entitled to
arms.  The editor expects to add to the number as the opportunity occurs.  In
the compilation of the list he has been greatly assisted by Mr. R. A. Brock.

   It must be remembered that the list must always remain
_______________________________________________
   (1) Richmond "Critic", 1888, citing New England "Hist & Gen. Register".


Page 113.

imperfect.  Virginia was the especial scene of Thomas Jefferson, who, as "the
apostle of democracy", strove to do away with all distinctions in society.
Jefferson did away with the law of entail, and the Revolution impoverished some
of the old ruling families and actually destroyed others.  The old English 
Church, with its cavalier society and pedigrees, became prostrate before the
Baptists, Methodists and Presbyterians, who now constituted the majority in
Virginia.  The few who clung to the ancient faith were, if possible, greater
levellers than the other denominations.  This was especially true of their
Bishop, James Madison, who had been saturated with the new ideas from early
youth(1).  The result was that heraldry fell into utter disrepute.  Everybody
became a "democrat", "a patriot" and in the abstract at least "an advocate of
the rights of man".  Many families, who were properly entitlted to arms, lost
the evidence of it in the general neglect which blighted the tree of pedigree.
The distant manner, in which Jefferson in the opening of his autobiography,
refers to the subject of his own family descent is suggestive of the general
feeling prevalent in Virginia for many years after the Revolution.


   Judge N. Beverley Tucker prefaced a short account(2) of his family with the
following statement:  "At this day it is deemed arrogant to remember one's
ancestors. But the fashion may change, and should any one of my family ever do
honor to his race, the world may be curious to trace it.  In that event this
pedigree may be interesting."  The first Gov. Tyler, a warm and sincere
Republican, used to say(3) that he cared naught for any other ancestor than
Wat Tyler, the blacksmith, who had asserted the rights of oppressed humanity
and that "he would have no other device on his shield than a sledge hammer
raised in the act of striking."  It is true there was only an interval of 250
years (?) between Wat Tyler and the first known ancestor of the Governor, and
this acenstor called himself a "gentleman", as early
__________________________________________
   (1) See ante, leading papers in this number.
   (2) MS., property of Mrs. C.B.T. Coleman.
   (3) Letters and Times of the Tylers I., p.39.

Page 114.

as 1646, and held the post of one of his majesty's commissioners of the county
court of York County.

   The spirit was different in New England, which was the headquarters of the
British party and the aristocratic Federalists.  It is said that the brother of
John Randolph, at the first inaguraton of Washington, was spurned by the coach-
man of the Vice President, John Adams, for coming too near the arms emblazoned
on the escutcheon of the Vice-regal carriage.  And yet William Grayson(1), one
of the two first Senators from Virginia, sneeringly asked in regard to this
distinguished New Englander, "Is it not strange that monarchy should come from
the East?  Is it not still stranger, that John Adams, the son of a tinker and
the creature of the people, should be for titles and pre-eminences and should
despise the herd and the ill-born?  It is said that he was the primum nobile
in the Senate for titles for the Presidnet, in hopes that in the scamble he
might get a slice for himself."

   Unquestionably a reasonable pride in one's ancestry is as natural as a 
reasonable pride in one's father.  Perhaps the Virginians have been entirely
too democratic on this subject.

   1.  Instances of the use of arms in Virginia, previous to 1776.

Archer; book plate of Wililam, of Chesterfield Co.
Andrews; book plate.
Ambler; tomb and book plates.
Armistead; book plate of William of the Revolution.
Ashton; tomb of Col. Henry, 1731, Westmoreland.
Bacon; tomb of Col. Nathaniel at King's Creek, dated 1692.
Ball; original parchment copy, (Hayden's Genealogies).
Berkeley; seal to will of Edmund, 1718; later wills.
Bland; tomb of Theoderick at Westover, 1672.
Bray; tomb of David at Williamsburg.
Byrd; tomb of William at Westover.
Bassett; tomb of William at Eltham, New Kent, dated 1722.
Bolling; tomb of Robert, formerly at Kippax, Prince George, dated 1709; book
         plates of Robert of Chellowe; seal to
__________________________________
   (1) Letters and Times of the Tylers, I. 169.

Page 115.

         will of Mrs. Jane (Bolling) Randolph.
Baradall; tomb of Edward at Williamsburg, dated 1743.
Boush; plate with arms (mentioned in will).
Bannister; book plate of Col. John of Revolution.
Bayley; of the Eastern Shore, book plate.
Brodnax; family Bible and Berry's Kentist Genealogies.
Ballard; Inventory of Mathew of York Co., mentioning his silver plate and seal
         with his arms upon them.  1720.
Bridge; seal to will of Francis of Midd'x.
Beverley; seal to bond of Wm., 1736: book plates of Robert and Henry Beverley.
Brent; see MS. History of Family by J.C. Brent.
Brimage; book plate.
Bathurst; book plates; see also Burke's Extinct Baronetage.
Burk; book plate.
Burwell; tomb of Lewis of Carter's Creek, Gloucester Co., dated 1653; of James
         at King's Creek, dated 1718, &c.
Claiborne; tomb of Thomas of Sweet Hall, 1684.
Carter; tomb of Robert at Christ Church, Lancaster Co., seals and plate.
Corbin; pedigree in Herald's College.
Cary; tomb of Miles at Windmill Point, Warwick Co., dated 1667.
Cole; tomb of William at "Bolthorpe", Warwick, dated 1694.
Cole; Richard of Westmoreland, his will dated 1674.
Custis; tomb of John at Arlington, Northampton, dated in 1713.
Curle; tomb of Thomas at Hampton, dated 1700.
Chichester; old plate.
Chew; old seal in Thomas' Chew Genealogy.
Campbell; Beattie's Life of Thos. Campbell, and Meade's Old Churches, &c.
Clopton; tombstone at St. Peter's Church in New Kent Co.
Cocke; family of Dr. Wm.; seal; see "Descendants of Roger Jones."
Cabell; plate and book plate.

Page 116.

Churchill; bond of William of Midd'x, 1691-2, and plate.
Coke; (See History of Coke Family).
Conway; seals of Edwin, dated from 1700 to 1732.
Clayton; see drawing of arms and pedigree from Thomas Clayton of Clayton Hall,
         England, in Wallace's Va.  Historical Magazine, October, 1891).
Davenport; book plate.
Digges; tomb of Dudley at Bellfield, York Co., dated 1710.  Descendants of Sir
        Dudley Digges.
Dinwiddie; book plate.
Farrar; the family arms named in Inventory in Henrico, 1682.
Fairfax; seals; roved identity with Lord Fairfax, Burke's Peerage.
Fitzhugh; tomb of Edwrd Barradall, 1743, impaled with Fitzhugh arms; plate.
Fauntleroy; old plate, seals, confirmation of arms to Moore, the immigrant.
            (See Wallace's Hist. Magazine, July, 1891).
Fox, of Gloucester Co; old emblazoning.
Fontaine; York Records, mentioning the arms of the family.
Flood; will of Dr. Nicholas of Essex Co., 1777, names plate "with his arms."
Flower; tomb of Abingdon parish, 1726.
Fowke; seal to deed, 1672.
Gilmer; old seal, book plate.
Gooch; tomb of William at "Temple Farm", York Co., dated 1655.
Gordon; tomb of Samuel, at Blandford Church, Petersburg.
Gordon, of Lancaster Co.; plate.
Griffin; will of Corbin, 1701, with seal.
Hill; tomb of Col. Edward at "Shirley", Charles City Co.
Holladay; book plate.
Herbert; tomb of John at Puddledock, near Petersburg, dated 1704.

Page 117.


Harrison; tomb of Mrs. Mary (Digges) Harrison in 1744, at Denbigh Church,
          Warwick Co.
Hubard; old book plate.
Heyman; tomb of Peter at Hampton, 1700.
Isham; seal in Henrico County Court.
Jaquelin; paper in the Va.  Hist. Soc. with arms attached.
Jameson; tomb stone of Mildred Jameson, Temple Farm, 1778.
Jones; book plate of Gabriel, of the Valley.
Jones; "Descendants of Roger Jones: for description of arms in 1728.
Jones; tomb of John Jones (1715), son of Emanuel, at Petsworth Churchyard,
       Gloucester.
Johnston; book plate of Robert of Turkey Island.
King; book plate of Miles of Norfolk.
Kingston; book plate.
Kingsmill; tomb (1691) of Mrs. Elizabeth (Kingsmill) Bacon, formerly at King's
           Creek, York Co., and now at Norfolk.
Lee; numerous early seals, book plates, description of arms by herald Gibbons,
     1680.
Leiper; book plate.
Ludwell; tomb of Philip at Jamestown; book plate, and seals.
Lightfoot; tomb of Philip at Sandy Point; dated 1748; his book plate.
Lewis, of Eastern Virginia; silver plate and old emblazoning.
Lindsay; See Lindays' of Virgnia.
Landon; will of Thomas, 1700.
Ludlow; arms of, impaled with those of Robert Carter (who married Sarah Ludlow;
        on a tombstone at Christ Church, Lancaster Co.
Luckin; tomb of John Page's wife, Alice, at Williamsburg, 1698.
Manning; book plate.
Milner; book plate.
Mackay; book plate.
Moncure; silver plate.
Magill; book plate.

Page 118.

Mercer; book plate of Gen. Hugh.
Mercer; book plate of John, the lawyer.
Mayo; tomb of Joseph at Powhatan.
McKenzie; book plate of Dr. Kenneth.
Maury; see Huguenot Emigrants.
Murray; book plate.
McCarty; tomb of Daniel.
Meriwether; see Genealogy of the Meriwether family.
Nelson; tomb of Thomas at Yorktown, 1745.
Neville; tomb stone of John at Hampton, 1697.
Nicholas; seal (Hardesty's Encyclopedia).
Norton; seal.
Nott; tomb of Gov. Edward at Williamsburg.
Page; tomb of John at Williamsburg, 1691-2; book plate of "Francis of the
      Middle Temple, 1703".
Peachy; seal; book plate of John Peachy; will of Samuel Peachy of Richmond Co.,
        1711, names plate "with his arms upon it."
Perrott; seal to will of Richard of Midd'x.
Parke; will of Daniel, Jr.
Power; book plate of James of King William.
Poythress; tomb in Blandord Churchyard.
Pratt of Gloucester Co; seals (see Descendants of Roger Jones.)
Rae; tomb of Robert at Williamsburg, 1753.
Robinson, of Hewick; plate; Burke's Baronetage, and Landed Gentry; seal.
Ring; tomb of Joseph, 1702, at King's Creek, York Co.
Randolph; tomb of William of Turkey Island dated 1711; find impression of his
          his arms attached to a paper in Richmond dated 1698.
Rice; seal to deed of John of Rappahannock, 1686.
Roscow; tomb of William, Blunt Point, Warwick, dated 1700.
Rose; MS. Hist. of family showing descend from Rose of Kilravock, Scotland.
Stith; book plate of Rev. William, historian, seals.

Page 119.

Smith; book plate of Thomas of Gloucester.
Smith; seal of Major-general Robert Smith.
Semple; book plate.
Shelton; plate of James the immigrant.
Skelton; book plate of Reuben of Hanover.
Scott; tomb of Rev. Alexander at Dipple.
Swann; tomb of Col. Thomas Swann, of Swann's Point, Surrey Co; his seal de-
       scribed in Descendants of Roger Jones.
Stott; book plate of Ebenezer.
Spencer; descendants of Spencer of Cople, Bedfordshire,  See Waters' Gleanings.,
         New England His. and Gen. Register.
Thoroughgood; see visitation of Middlesex, 1663.
Threckmorton, from Throckmorton of Ellington, Huntingdonshire, confirmation of
      arms granted to John of Gloucester Co., Va.
Thruston; book plate.
Turner; tomb of Henry at "Smith's Mount" Westm'd, 1751.
Turberville; book plate of George.
Tayloe; seal of Joseph, of Lancaster.
Taylor, of Norfolk; tomb of John, St. Paul's Churchyard, 1744.
Thompson; tomb of Edward of London, 1674, Middlesex Co.
Thompson; book plate.
Thornton; book plate of William.
Temple; Burke's Landed Gentry.  Temple of Bishopstrow House.
Tazewell; book plate of John.
Timson; tomb of Samuel, 1694, at Travis' Point, York Co.
Terrett; plate.
Tucker; seal of Tuckers of Norfolk; book plate of Judge St. George Tucker.
Vaus; seal to will of John Vaus of Middx., 1679-80.
Willoughby, of Norfolk; seal.
Woodford; seal of Gen. Wm; see Descendants of Roger Jones.
Wormeley; book plate of Ralph.
Wilson; tomb of Willis, formerly at Hampton, dated 1701.
Wray; tomb of Geo. at Hampton, dated 1758.

Page 120.

Woodhouse; old emblazoning.
Washington; old seals; tomb of Catharine at Highgate.
Wise; seal of John the immigrant.
Wallace; see Hayden's Va. Genealogies.
Waller; book plate of Judge Benjamin.
Wyth; book plate of George.
Yuille; tomb of John at Williamsburg, 1746.
      Total - 156.


   II. Instances of Families entitled to arms by proved descent.
Bickley; baronets, Burke's Extinct Baronetage.
Batte; see visitation of Yorkshire.
Beckwith; baronets.
Chicheley, Sir Henry.
Calthorpe; descendants of Col. Christopher, intermarried with Howards Yc.
           LeNeve's Pedigrees of Knights.
Carrington; from Carrington of Barbadoes, who use arms.
Fleet; descendants of William gent.  Brown's Genesis, Richmond Critic.
Fleming; descendants of Thomas, second son of John Fleming, 1st Earl of Wigton,
         Scotland.
Graham; descendants of John of mackinston, Perthshire, Scotland.
Jenings; pedigree in Heralds College, Le Neve.
Lunsford; descendants of Sir Thomas, intermarried with Lomax.
Montague; see visitation of Bucks, 1623, as to Peter, the immigrant.
Peyton; baronets, Hayden's Va. Genealogies.
Spotswood; descendants of Gov. Alexander Spotswood.
Skipworth; baronets, Burke's Peerage.
West; descendants of Capt. John West, brother of Lord Deleware.
Wedderburne; Burke's Peerage and Baronetage.
Wyatt; descendants of Rev. Hawte, brother of Sir Francis.
Yeardly, descendants of Sir George.
      Total, 19.  Total of both classes - 175.

Page 121.


   III.  Instances of families who claim arms, but the authority is not known
to the editor at the present writing.

   Balch, Bolton, Booker, Booth, Browe, Clay, Champion, Dulany, Dupuy, Garland,
Garlick, Guy,  Henley, Jackson, Lyons, Markham, Mason, Meade, Morton, Moseley,
Moore of Chelsea, Munford, Newton, Sheild, Saunders, Scaarburgh, Taliaferro,
Talbot, Trevillian, Williamson, Wyche, Walker, &c.