Virginia focused genealogy and history
Category: Uncategorized
The Virginia legislature met from 18 April to 12 May 1705 at Williamsburg, which had been the capital since Jamestown was abandoned in 1699. During that session they considered a petition from a group of men “born in France and other foreign countries” asking to be made naturalized English citizens. Among them were my 8x … Continue reading My Huguenot Ancestors settle at Manakintown – the Dupuy, Le Villain & Remy families
When my 7x great-grandfather Michael Holland wrote his will in Goochland County, Virginia on 10 October 1746, he made land bequests totaling 6,622 acres to his wife, children and one grandson. His will also names 40 enslaved men, women and children who he divided among his wife and children. There were also other enslaved people … Continue reading Michael Holland of Hanover and Goochland Counties, Virginia (my 7x great grandfather) – Part 1
Among the witnesses was Judith Webster who testified that the now deceased Thomas Webster II told her that he was not giving any land to his son-in-law John Gibbs due to his “villainy in debauching a sister of his said wife Mary after their intermarriage.” Thomas Dyer testified that Thomas Webster II did not … Continue reading Webster Family of Henrico and Amelia County, Virginia (Part 2): a story of promises made, a marriage, an affair, an out of wedlock child, a disinheritance and the court case that followed
Today's post is about my 2x great-grandmother's rocking chair, which is a Christmas present to remember for me. Read on and I hope you have the merriest of Christmases.
Need to catch up? Click https://wordpress.com/post/asonofvirginia.blog/347 for Part 1! In Part 1, we learned that four of my Surry County ancestors and some of their relatives joined Bacon’s Rebellion, a 1676 uprising in the Virginia colony and that the uprising was unsuccessful. My interest is in why my ancestors were willing to risk not only … Continue reading Bacon’s Rebellion in Surry County, Virginia – Part 2 (meeting the ancestors)
My Dad was visiting from Florida last week and we took the opportunity to take a field trip to Surry County, Virginia where my grandmother grew up and our people have lived since 1618 well before it became a County in 1652. Accompanied by my wife and sister, we took the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry[1], which is … Continue reading A field trip to Surry County, Virginia
A letter dated 25 August 1939 from my great grandmother to my grandmother conveying family news
My 7x great grandfather Edward Rowell is first mentioned in the Surry County, Virginia records on 1 May 1677 when he appeared in court and entered into an agreement with Samuel Cornell [Cornwell] to serve a six-year term as an indentured servant: “Edward Rouwell, a youth servant to Samuel Cornell coming in without Indenture, the … Continue reading Edward Rowell of Surry County, Virginia (c. 1663-1729)
I was very fortunate to become interested in researching my family history when I was just 11 years old. I knew all of my grandparents and my grandmothers, in particular, were both interested in family history. When I began researching my family history, I also became interested in family photographs. Once I exhausted my grandparents … Continue reading Genealogy in Photographs
A Son of Virginia 