Dukes of Virginia, a Reassessment by Lynn Teague
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Duke Reassessment

On the South Side of the James River
William Duke and Hannah Grendon

A William Duke was assigned 600 acres of land on Chippokes Creek between Surry and Prince George Counties, later identified as escheated and claimed by his widow Hannah Grendon and her fourth husband, William Archer. William Duke was referred to as"of Martin's Brandon." Martin's Brandon is immediately east of Flowerdew Hundred in Prince George Co. VA, and immediately west of Upper Chippokes Creek.

The Virginia Colonial Records Project includes references to a William Duke, merchant, in a list of exports from the Port of London. Duke shipped goods in the Recovery, John Wood master, in 1674.¹

Wm. Duke ind.; 400 ells nar. Ger. llinen, per Peter Causton, 2 June last; 18 ells linen per William Jarrett; 3 June last; 2 pos. lockrams per William Berry, 16 April last; 75 ells Vittry canvas per David Conyard, 15 April last; late etc. dat. 8 Sept.

The individuals for whom Duke was shipping have not been specifically identified. However, the Jarrett family owned land near the Sunken Marsh Path in Lawnes Creek Parish, Surry Co, VA, near William Newsum, Robert Ruffin, William Harris, William Gray, William Carter, and Matthew Swan.²

Boddie described the family of Hannah Grendon.³ She was the daughter of Thomas Grendon, Sr., a London merchant who often lived in Virginia. He married Elizabeth Stegge, widow of Col. Thomas Stegge, Puritan Commissioner to Virginia. The Stegges were the parents of Grace Stegge who married John Byrd, goldsmith of London, father of the first Col. William Byrd of Westover.

Hannah Grendon married first Thomas Jennings of London, Merchant, by whom she had a son, Thomas, also a London merchant, said to have become a distiller in Isle of Wight Co VA. She married second William Bird of Martin's Brandon in Charles City, on the south side of the James, now in Prince George County. This William Bird represented the London merchants John Sadler and Thomas Quiney in Virginia, and was probably closely related to John Bird of London.

In 1671 William Bird purchased a grist mill at the head of Chippokes Creek, which divides Prince George and Surry counties (Surry Co VA Deed Bk 1, p. 387). By 29 Sep 1672 William Bird had died and his son Thomas Bird had inherited the mill.

Thomas Bird died by 5 Jan 1688, when his widow Mary had remarried to George Nicholson. He left three daughters, among them Elizabeth, wife of John Lanier, who with her sisters inherited Bird's land on the South Branch of Upper Chippokes Creek.

By 5 Mar 1674/5, William Duke had married the Byrd widow and was ordered to pay a debt due by Bird's estate. Duke died in 1678 and on 28 Nov 1681 Hannah's fourth husband, William Archer, was granted 600 acres of land that had been due his predecessor, William Duke.

The will of Thomas Grendon, Sr., proved in the Principal Court of Canterberry on 29 Oct 1680, provides for grandchildren Thomas Grendon, Thomas Jennings, and Rebeckah Symonds. He mentions only one child of Hannah Grendon's, Thomas Jennings, Thomas Jennings is listed in the records of the Company of Drapers, London, as living at Isle of Wight Co, VA, from 1616-1620, and a note in the records indicates that he died there. However, Hannah Grendon also had Thomas Byrd and Elizabeth Byrd. Elizabeth Byrd married John Lanier, and later Thomas Clary.

Thomas Duke of Nansemond

On 22 Oct 1667 Thomas Duke in the Parish of Chucktuck, Nansemond County, gave power of attorney to William Epam to receive cattle belonging to his wife Margaret that were in the care of Sylvester Thacker in Rappahannoch (Old Rappahannock Co VA Deeds Bk 3: 345). Silvester Thacker first owned land on Pagan Point in Isle of Wight Co VA.⁴

Page 291. Silvester Thacker & Anthony Fulliam, Oct. 24, 1643, 100 acres Upon Pagan Point Bay, adjoining the land of Thomas Davis and John Mahoone. William Mills, Feb. 10, 1643, 450 acres Upon the main head of the lower bay creek upon certain Beaver dams. Robert Lawrence, Sep. 12, 1644, 200 acres On the eastermost side of Lownes creek, adjoining the land of Mr. Harding & widow Bennett.

In 1702 Thomas Duke was granted 350 acres at Barham in Nansemond County adjoning Peter Phalus, a atree in the line fo Richard Barfield to a branch on the side of Barham Swamp (VPB 19: 479).

Chuckatuck was the site of a substantial Quaker settlement.⁵

In 1678 the following patent is of interest: "10 Nov 1678. 176 acres part therof patented 10 Nov 1678 to Wm. Speight "at a place called Barbicue" . . . adj. Humphry Griffin . . . to an island in Cross Swamp, to the land of James Duke."⁶

John Duke, son of Thomas, had 400 acres by patent in 1703, and on 8 Apr 1711 Thomas Duke, son of Thomas, and John Duke acquired a grant along the line of Thomas Duke next to Francis Mace (VPB 10:397).

Capt. Henry Duke and Elizabeth Taylor Duke

Although it is unlikely that Hannah Grendon Duke was the mother, various authors have considered William Duke the father of a later member of the Duke family in the same area, Capt. Henry Duke. Capt. Henry Duke of Martin's Brandon, died in about 1718. There is ample documentation that this Henry Duke married Elizabeth Taylor, daughter of Capt. John Taylor of Flowerdew Hundred, son of Richard Taylor and his wife Sarah Barker, who was in turn daughter of William Barker and Elizabeth Langhorne. After the death of Richard Taylor his widow married Robert Lucy.

Captain John Taylor was a member of the House of Burgesses from Charles City County in 1692-99 and clerk of the county in 1699. He was captain of the ship Merchant's Hope. John Taylor married Henrietta Maria, commonly believed to have been Henrietta Maria Lucy. This is supported by the inheritance of land granted to Robert Lucy by Taylor, and subsequently by his daughter Henrietta Maria.⁷

John and Henrietta Maria Taylor had four daughters. Frances Taylor married a Mr. Greenhill. Elizabeth Taylor married Capt. Henry Duke and died after Oct 1732. Henrietta Maria Taylor married John Hardyman, and Sarah Taylor married Francis Hardyman. The two Hardymans were sons of John Hardyman Sr. and Mary Eppes, daughter of Francis Eppes and Elizabeth Worsham.

Capt. Henry Duke's estate was appraised in Prince George Co VA on 22 Jul 1718 at £ 202/11/5 by John Poythress, John Hatch, and Gilbert Hay. The inventory was presented to the court by Elizabeth Duke, administrator. At the same time, she attempted to separate slaves inherited from her father from her husband's estate.⁸

Elizabeth must have had a good head for business. On 4 Dec 1722 John Woofe of London, merchant, appointed Elizabeth Duke of Flowerdew Hundred his attorney in Virginia.⁹ She was also busy with her own affairs and those of her family. On 10 Oct 1721 Elizabeth Duke witnessed a deed for land on Powell's Creek for her sister Henrietta Maria and her husband John Hardyman. This deed includes a later memo dated 21 Oct 1721 and witnessed by William Jackson, among others.¹⁰ On 7 May 1725 Elizabeth Duke sold land on the north side of Blackwater Swamp, bounded by William Harris, to Robert Hall.¹¹ On 9 Jul 1725 Henrietta Maria and John Hardyman sold 300 acres at Flowerdew Hundred bounded on the west by Elizabeth Duke's land to John Poythress.¹² On 8 Apr 1726 Elizabeth Duke sold the remainder of her land on the north side of Blackwater Swamp to Robert Hall.¹³

In 1723 Elizabeth Taylor Duke joined with her sisters to sell land on Pigeon Swamp, south of the Blackwater River and west of Cypress Swamp, left to them by their father, Capt. John Taylor:¹⁴

p. 123 (p.493) 17 Dec 1723...John Hardyman and wife Henrietta Maria Hardyman, Francis Hardyman and wife Sarah Hardyman, Elizabeth Duke and Frances Greenhill to Nicholas Partridge . . . 262 acres on east side of Pidgeon Swamp and bounded by the Underground Branch and Richard Bland, decd. Wit: John Mason, John (X) Freeman and William (X) Raynes

p. 125-126 (p.529) 17 Dec 1723...John Hardyman and wife Henritta Maria Hardyman, Francis Hardyman and wife Sarah Hardyman, Elizabeth Duke and Frances Greenhill to John Mason...223 acres on east side of Pidgeon Swamp and bounded by Cattail Branch and Richard Bland, decd. Wit: Nicholas Partridge, John (X) Freeman, Jr. and William (X) Rayne Rec: 18 Dec 1723 and 15 Apr 1724

p. 126 (p.532) 17 Dec 1723...John Hardyman and wife Henrietta Maria Hardyman, Francis Hardyman and wife Sarah Hardyman, Elizabeth Duke and Frances Greenhill to Nicholas Partridge...262 acres on east side of Pigeon Swamp and bounded by Underground Branch and Richard Bland, decd. Wit: John Mason, John (X) Freeman, Jr. and William (X) Rayne Rec: 18 Dec 1723 and 15 Apr 1724

It will later be seen that the witnesses to these documents are important in reconstructing aspects of Duke family history in Virginia and in South Carolina.

On 6 Oct 1732 Elizabeth Duke of Prince George Co sold to Joshua Poythress, merchant, her share of the Flowerdew estate, inherited from her father John Taylor (copy of the original, Virginia Historical Society Library, Richmond, VA). Daniel Eelbanks, John Duke, John Taylor Duke, and Henry Duke were witnesses. Daniel Eubanks had married a daughter of Capt. Henry Duke. Shortly after this time, Capt. Henry Duke's sons began to acquire their own land and live elsewhere.

Elizabeth Duke also had time for a lively social life, perhaps as a means of recovering from the death of her husband. The diaries of William Byrd II of Westover document her frequent appearances at Westover for dinner, some times accompanied by her attorney, John Poythress, and other times by other friends and family members, especially members of the Hardyman and Eppes families.¹⁵ She took the ferry across the James River from her home at Flowerdew. These frequent visits appear to have begun in 1719, following the death of Capt. Henry Duke, and continued at least through 1721. Robert Munford and members of the Randolph, Bolling, Anderson and Harrison families were also frequent visitor at Westover.

One of the persistent questions surrounding Capt. Henry Duke is the identity of his sons. John Duke was his heir at law,¹⁶ and was a son of his first wife, who has never been identified. John Taylor Duke and Henry Duke were certainly his sons with Elizabeth Taylor Duke. It is also possible that William Duke, who first appears in the records of Brunswick Co VA in 1728, was his son. There may have been others.

Evelyn Duke Brandenberger did not accept this reconstruction, instead tracing Capt. Henry Duke through Col. Henry Duke of James City County VA, and identifying William Duke as son of Col. Duke's son James Duke and his wife Mary Byrd, daughter of William Byrd I of Westover.

John Duke , Son of Capt. Henry Duke

The sons of Capt. Henry Duke were apparently living on his Prince George and Surry county properties until about 1733. They appear elsewhere with their own lands, principally in Greensville Co VA, after the sale of the Taylor's Flowerdew estate in 1732.

On 5 Apr 1733 John Duke bought 285 acres of land on the north side of Three Creeks (Brunswick Co VA Deed Bk 1: 36-37).

On 24 Mar 1734 John Duke received land on Three Creeks, Rocky Run, adjacent William Raines, Col. [Benjamin] Harrison, and Thomas Jackson (VPB 15: 481-482). A deed dated 1 June 1750 shows John Duke adajcent Hinchee (Hinshaw or Hinchea) Mabry, John Pettaway, Charles Trunballs, and Thomas Deens on Rocky Run (VPB 29: 107-109). Others with land on Three Creeks were Jehu Peoples, Peter Simmons, Thomas Sissums, Whitmore, Richard Cocke, Richard Pace, Hambleton, Tapley, Charles Kimball, Thomas House, Isaac House, James Wyche, Robert Hix, William Batte, John Peterson, John Davis, Ralph Jackson, William Collier, John Raines, Sampson Lanier, and Richard Ransom. Specifically on Rocky Run we find land belonging to Hinchea Mabry, George Mabry, Charles Trunball, Thomas Deans, William Smith, Thomas Cocke, John Freeman Jr. (but he was still living in Sussex County in1760), Henry Freeman, Benjamin Harrison, Col. Nathaniel Harrison, William Raines, Thomas Jackson, John Cumbow, John Pettaway, John Williamson, William Collier, Hugh Drysdale, and James Washington.

John Duke had many additional land transactions in the Three Creeks area (Brunswick Co VA Deed Bk 1: 455; Bk 1: 418; Bk 1: 442; Bk 18: 434; Bk 2: 78; Bk 2:249; Bk 3: 325-327; VPB 18:434).

The House family is well represented in Three Creeks grants. Lucy House became the first wife of Maj. John Duke, as the will of James Fletcher in 1733 and the will of her father, Thomas House, show.¹⁷ A grant in 1724/25 to John Davis "the Welchman" (VPB 12:165) is to the father of Rejoice Davis, who married John Duke after the death of his first wife. John Davis had come to Brunswick Co from Isle of Wight Co VA.

On 5 May 1743 John Duke purchased from John Taylor Duke 504 acres on Moore's Swamp (Brunswick Co VA Deed Bk 1: 277). On 6 Nov 1747 John Duke sold this land to Major Pryor (Brunswick Co VA Deed Bk 3: 425-426).

On 8 Oct 1750 John Duke received 500 acres in Lunenburg (now Mecklenburg) Co VA adjoining John Taylor Duke on Flatt Creek (VLP Bk 30: 229). In 1748 John Duke and his son, also John Duke, were on the list of tithables for that part of Lunenburg Co. that became Mecklenburg Co, on the North Carolina border. William Taylor, Thomas Lanier, John Freeman, John Davis, Thomas Jarrett, William Tucker, Owen Myrick, and Nicholas Major were neighbors there.

In 1752 Maj. John Duke is identified as a resident of Dinwiddie Co VA when he sold to Ephraim Mabry land on Flatt Creek in Lunenburg Co (Lunenburg Co VA Deed Bk 4: 19). The appearance of the name Charles Duke as a witness to this deed represents the first evidence of this son of John Duke.

In Aug 1753 Edward Goodrich (who may have married a daughter of Maj. John Duke) petitioned Brunswick Co Court for time to render an account of the estate of Susanna Duke, daughter of John Duke, deceased (Brunswick Co VA Order Book1: 171). The account was rendered on 26 Aug 1756. (Brunswick, Co VA Orphans Account Bk 5: 28).

John Taylor Duke, Son of Capt. Henry Duke

John Taylor Duke was the son of Capt. Henry Duke and his second wife, Elizabeth Taylor Duke, and was named for his maternal grandfather. It has been proposed by Patrick Anderson to the Duke list on Rootsweb that his wife was Jane Anderson. His argument is as follows:

Descendants of Jane Anderson

Generation No. 1

1. JANE5 ANDERSON (Thomas4, Thomas3, Thomas2, RICHARD1)1 was born Abt. 1705 in "The Cattails", Charles City County, Virginia. She married John TAYLOR Duke, son of HENRY Duke and ELIZABETH TAYLOR. He was born 1705 in Prince George County, Virginia, and died 1790 in Wilkes County, Georgia.

Notes for JANE ANDERSON:

My current theory is that Jane married John Taylor Duke. The connection is unproven but substantiated by the fact that she is born within a few years of John Taylor Dukes birth date and is a contemporary of his and her brother

Charles witnessed the 1727 sale of Richard Taylor's 1673 patent which descended to Elizabeth (Taylor) Duke wife of Henry Duke. John Taylor Duke and Jane Anderson definitely knew each other as teenagers but I am still seeking proof that she is his wife Jane.

Jane Anderson was the daughter of Sarah Barkers last child by her 2nd husband Robert Lucy and Elizabeth (Taylor) Duke was a daughter of John Taylor, Sarah Barker's first child by her 1st husband Richard Taylor. John Taylor, father of Elizabeth was the guardian for Mary Lucy the mother of Jane Anderson in 1694.

Richard Taylor and Robert Lucy obtained side by side patents along the Blackwater RIver in 1673 and in 1683 Thomas Anderson patented the land above them along Cattail Creek. ________________________________________________

Prince George County, Virginia, Wills & Deeds 1710-1713, page 161 Inventory of all Jean Anderson, daughter to Thomas Anderson, dec'd, her estate, bequeathed to her by the said Anderson in his last will & testament. One featherbed in the trundle bedstead with the furniture thereunto belonging,, one cow with calf & heifer of Two years old, one chest, one silver tumbler, one small iron pott and pott hooks, two pewter dishes. Pr. Geo County Court the day of [?] 1712.

This above written acctt of estate of Jean Anderson was presented into court by Cornelius Cargill her guardian and ordererd by the justices to be truly recorded - Edward Goodrich

More About JANE ANDERSON:

Living: 1712, Prince George County, Virginia

Linda L. Clements <clements@sierra.net>

John Taylor Duke was born between 1705 and 1710 in Prince George County, Virginia, and was named after his maternal grandfather. He married Jane. He owned land and live in several different counties in Virginia. He seemed to move quite often. Before 1769 he had left Virginia and lived in both North and South Carolina. By the end of the Revolutionary War John Taylor Duke was living in Georgia. (from Duke web site (http://www.geocities.com/WallStreet/Market/4071/Duke.html presumably taken from a Duke family history book, accessed 7-99)

Endnotes

1. Thomas Anderson, 1711 Will of Thomas Anderson, (1710-1713 Will Book, Page 36, Prince George County, Virginia).

Patrick J. Anderson

http://members.aol.com/patander73/home.html

Like his brother John, John Taylor Duke purchased land in the Three Creeks area (later Greensville Co VA) in 1733.¹⁸ In 1738 he made an additional purchase.¹⁹ In 1741 he had moved on to land on Old Field Branch (VPB 20: 135). He sold that tract as well as a previous grant on 4 Feb 1733 to Richard Lanier and James Cocke.²⁰

John Taylor Duke then moved on to Lunenburg (later Mecklenburg) Co VA near the North Carolina boundary, purchasing land on Flatt Creek, a tributary of the Roanoke River.²¹ As previously noted, there were numerous relatives in the same area, including the Taylors and Masons. His brothers John and Henry joined him there. It was here that long-standing connections with the Crenshaw and McKee families were formed.

By 1769 John Taylor Duke had moved to Camden District, South Carolina. Evelyn Duke Brandenberger has identified the sons of John Taylor Duke as Robert, Henry, Thomas, James, Edmund, and John.²² Ultimately he and many of his descendants moved on to Georgia.s

Henry Duke, Son of Capt. Henry Duke

Henry Duke bought his first land in Brunswick Co on 1 Jun 1748, on the south side of Three Creeks (Brunswick Co VA Deed Bk 3: 469). This land adjoined that of John Duke. On 6 Sep Henry Duke of Lunenburg County and his wife Elizabeth sold to Edward Goodrich the same land (Brunswick Co VA Deed Bk 3: 393). Henry Duke was on the list of tithables for Mecklenburg Co as late as 1764, along with Daniel Hazelwood; John Davis; Edmond, James, William and Thomas Taylor; Joshua Mabry; John Freeman; and Nathaniel Edwards. The Taylors and Nathaniel Edwards were related through Capt. Henry Duke's sister, Elizabeth.

Daughter of Capt. Henry Duke and Elizabeth Taylor Duke

A daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Duke married Daniel Eubanks or Eelbanks. Daniel Eelbanks had witnessed the sale of Elizabeth Taylor Duke's property at Flowerdew Hundred to Joshua Poythress in 1732, as previously noted. On 9 Nov 1724 Daniel Eelbank witnessed the will of Richard Washington, recorded in Surry Co Will Bk 7, p. 583..²³ Richard Washington was the father of Elizabeth Washington, who married Sampson Lanier, Sr.

James Duke : Another Son of Capt. Henry Duke?

An individual named James Duke appears in Surry Co and Brunswick Co VA records. Who was he?

James Duke appeared in 1727 in Surry Co VA records, as a witness with Dasey Southall and John Ellerbee for a deed from William Rainey to Francis Lightfoot for 100 acres on the south side of the main Blackwater Swamp (Surry County Deeds, Wills, Etc. Bk 7, p. 759). In 1723 William (x) Rayne was a witness with Nicholas Partridge and John Freeman to a deed from Elizabeth Duke and her sisters for 223 acres on the east side of Pigeon Swamp. The property was bounded by the mouth of Cattail Branch, Richard Bland, decd., and the Underground Branch, and was sold to John Mason (Surry County Deeds, Wills, Etc. Bk 7, p. 491 and p. 529). The Raines family was also closely related to the Myricks. Mary Myrick later married John, son of William Duke. The Myricks were from an area on the boundary of Surry and Isle of Wight counties.²⁴ The 1727 Surry County reference to the deed from William Rainey to Francis Lightfoot therefore places James Duke in the company of associates of the family of Capt. Henry Duke and his wife Elizabeth Taylor Duke.

Raines or Rainey also owned land near the Greensville Co area where John Duke, Henry Duke, and John Taylor Duke settled for several decades. His land was on the south side of Three Creeks and the north side of Little Creek in Lawnes Creek Parish, bounding land sold by James Washington to Nathaniel Harrison on 14 Jun 1725, with Sampson Lanier a witness (Surry County Deeds, Wills, Etc. Bk 7, p.591). Raney also bought 150 acres on the south side of the main Blackwater Swamp bounded by William Jones and Henry Jones from George Pasamore (Surry County Deeds, Wills, Etc. Bk 7, p.76). Robert Wynne, Burrell Green and William Green were witnesses. George Pasamore's land bounded that of Thomas House Jr., and William House on Three Creeks (Surry County Deeds, Wills, Etc. Bk 7, p.714).

In 1732 the following is found in the Brunswick Order Book I, page 3:

"John Ross is appointed Surayor of the Road from Reedy Creek to the courthouse and is ordered that he with male Laboring Fit persons belonging to Joseph Warborton, John Evans, James Arnato, James Duke and William Duke, John Edwards, . . ."

EDB (Vol.II:13) interprets this James as the son of Col. Henry Duke, in keeping with her theory that William Duke was the son of James Duke and his wife Mary Byrd Duke of James County Parish. However, it seems more likely that this is the James Duke who appeared a few years earlier in Surry County with associates of the Capt. Henry Duke family.

An alternative possibility is that this James Duke is a son of John Duke of York County, VA, who in turn was probably a son of Thomas Duke who settled in that area with Thomas Hampton. A 6 Jun 1651 deed recorded by William Byrd in his title book documents this:²⁵ "Patent to Mr. Thomas Hampton, Clerk, and Thomas Duke for 430 acres containing two necks of land lying on Warreny Creek on the east side of the Chickahominy River, James City County, bounded NW and SSE on a swamp dividing it from land of Edward Cole; ENE upon land of Mr. Soane's; and due said Hampton and Duke by assignment of rights of transportation of nine persons into the colony by Mr. William Barret. Dated june 6, 1641." Thomas Duke's widow subsequently married, after his death, a Wade. A patent was issued to Mrs. Mary Wade for 463 acres on a branch of Tiaskun Swamp, formerly patented to Thomas Hampton who assigned his patent to her (VPB 7: 174). It is likely that Mary Duke Wade was a daughter of Thomas Hampton, to receive hundreds of acres of land from him.

A probable son of Thomas and Mary Duke, John Duke, received land on Tyaskon Swamp in 1673. This was on the line dividing New Kent and James City counties. On 15 Dec 1673 he received an additional 136 acres in the same area bounded in part by Joseph Wade (VPB 6:504).

On 19 Jul 1670/71 John Duke received 107 acres in York County VA on the east side of Otter Dam. This was witnessed by Thomas Bushrod and John Scarsbrook (York Co VA Records 1664-1672: 436). John Duke's wife was Jane Scarsbrook. When the will of John Scarsbrooke was proved in York County Court, John Duke Sr. was already dead, and his widow had remarried, to Thomas Mountfort (York Co VA Probate & Adm. Bonds beginning 1679, p. 174). The will mentioned minor children of John and Jane Duke, but not by name.

On 24 Jan 1692/93, John Duke, son of John Duke of York Co., dec'd, age 21 years of thereabouts, provided a deposition for York County courts (York Co VA 1690-1694, p. 196). John Duke Jr., married Susanna Goodwin, daughter of Maj. James Goodwin. In 1694 a Henry Duke was witness for a document relating to John Duke Jr., suggesting that he might be another son of John Duke Sr. (York Co VA 1693-94, p. 272).

James Duke and Susanna Duke, children of John Duke and Susanna Duke, ere mentioned in the will of Rachel Porter Goodwin, second wife of Maj. James Goodwin, father of Susanna (WMQ ). Although Henry Duke continues to appear in York County records for many years, there is no further record of this James Duke in York Co. VA, or of his father John Duke Jr. The James Duke of Surry could be this James Duke of York Co VA.

Elizabeth Duke and James Mason, Ethelred Taylor, and William Edwards

Elizabeth Duke was the sister of Capt. Henry Duke of Prince George County, VA. She married first James Mason, of Matthews Mount in Surry Co. Mason was the son of Francis Mason, born in 1594 and died about 1648, who came to Virginia in 1613 and was a magistrate, vestryman, and sheriff in Lower Norfolk.²⁶

James Mason of Southwark Parish, Surry County, and Elizabeth Duke had a son James Mason Jr., who married Mary Petway, daughter of Robert Petway Sr. and Ruth Gwaltney.²⁷ They also had sons Francis and John Mason. James Mason Jr. became prominent in Greensville Co VA affairs; Greensville Co Order Book 1 contains numerous references to his public functions and offices. James Mason died in about 1701. Elizabeth probated his estate on 18 Jul 1701.²⁸

Elizabeth then married Ethelred Taylor. ²⁹ On 2 Mar 1702 Ethelred and Elizabeth Taylor presented an inventory of the estate of James Mason, deceased. Ethelred was a first-generation English emigrant, appearing in the Surry Co VA records in 1702. In 1714 he purchased 332 acres in Lawnes Creek Parish from Nathaniel Harrison, William Robinson, and Nathaniel Ridley. William Edwards, who was later to marry his widow, witnessed the deed.³⁰ Nathaniel Harrison's grants were in the upper parish adjacent Owen Myrick and William Simons (VPB 9 p496) and near Charles Jordan on Stony Run (VPB 10 p152-153).

Elizabeth and Ethelred Taylor had sons Ethelred, Henry, William, and Samuel. Ethelred Taylor owned many hundreds of acres of land in both Surry and Isle of Wight counties. In 1710 he posted bond as sheriff of Surry County.³¹ He was frequently called upon for public functions.³² With Robert Lancaster he witnessed a deed for land on the south side of Blackwater Swamp (Surry County Deed & Will Book 7 p. 685).

He died in 1716. His will gave lands on Poketank or Pohatink Swamp and the same side of Coker's branch, purchased from the trustees of Joseph John Jackman, to son Samuel; Coker's Branch adjoining John Bruton and Samuel Cornwell to son Henry; and to Ethelred Taylor II land on Lightwood Swamp (on the boundary between Surry and Isle of Wight Co VA), and other locations (Surry Co VA Wills and Administrations Book 7, p. 19).³³

These place names have not been relocated. However, Jackman bought his property from William Butler in 1713 (Surry Deed & Will Book 6 p155). A William Butler obtained his grant in 1643 adjacent William Lawrence at the head of Lawnes' Creek (VPB 1 p900). In 1709 Joseph John Jackman sold land on Swans Point in Southwarke Parish to George Marable (Surry Co VA Deeds, Wills, Etc. Book 5 p. 419).

John Coker was listed as transported by Justinian Cooper in exchange for land at the head of Lawnes' Creek, which is at the boundary of Surry and Isle of Wight counties. However his own land grants were south of Cypress Swamp and north of the Blackwater River in Surry Co, adjacent the lands of Merriwether, Brown, Warren and Foreman (VPB 7 p371, SY#255B).

Ethelred Taylor II lived in Southampton Co and married Patience Kinchen, daughter of William Kinchen and Elizabeth Joyner. In 1735 he was granted land on the Nottoway (IW DBk 4 p476-477). They had numerous children: Ethelred, Henry (married Temperance Peterson), William, John, Kinchen, Jane, James, Mary (m. Batte Peterson), Sarah, Elizabeth (m. Miles Cary), and Richard. These children and their descendants are subsequently found in close proximity to the Duke family in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. Ethelred Taylor II served in the House of Burgesses from Southampton Co in 1753, 54, 55, and 1756-58. His son Henry Taylor served there in later years.

Finally, Elizabeth married William Edwards. On 23 Mar 1715/16 William Edwards had been granted land on the Nottoway River in Isle of Wight County for transporting Elizabeth's previous husband, Ethelred Taylor, to Virginia (VPB 10 p270). William Edwards, husband of Elizabeth Duke Mason Taylor Edwards, was granted land on Pigeon Swamp on 20 Apr 1684 (VPB 7:368).

There is no record of William Edwards and Elizabeth having had children; both were older at the time of their marriage. William Edwards represented Surry Co in the House of Burgesses in 1706. He married first Elizabeth, a daughter of Col. Benjamin Harrison, a member of the Royal Council of Virginia. She died at the age of 17. Edwards apparently married a second time, perhaps to a daughter of Micajah Lowe, nephew of the prominent London merchant Micajah Perry.³⁴ With her he had William, Micajah, Mary, Elizabeth, Ann, and Sarah. Elizabeth was apparently a third wife. His will dated 9 Jan 1722 was proved in Surry Co on 25 Feb 1722 (Surry County VA Deeds, Wills, etc. Book 9, p. 389.).³⁵ He left lands throughout Surry County in many locations, including Pigeon Creek where Elizabeth Taylor Duke inherited lands from her father Capt. John Taylor. John Edwards and Nathaniel Edwards were among the witnesses to his will.

William Duke of Brunswick Co VA and Warren Co NC

William Duke was in Brunswick Co VA on Reedy Creek, near the modern town of Lawrenceville and the historical Fort Christiana in 1728. The earliest mention is in a deed to Capt. James Baker of Isle of Wight County, on the north side of the Maherrin River on Rocky Creek, adajcent William Duke (VPB 13:187).

A James Baker was an original trustee of Smithfield.³⁶ In 1740 James Baker was an executor, with Charles Binns and John Ruffin, of the estate of James Ransom.³⁷ In 1739 James Baker acquired land in Isle of Wight County on the Circular Tract adajcent Benjamin Ruffin. In 1747 "James Baker Gent." was the surveyor for a parcel in the Circular Tract, Assamasook Swamp, Southampton Co, VA, sold by the Nottoway Indians to Thomas Cocke, John Simmons, and Benjamin Edwards, and by them sold to William Bailey (IW Deed Bk 7: 244-245). Ethelred Taylor II owned land on Assamasoon Swamp, Circular Tract, by 1740/41 (IW Deed Bk 5:3-5).

On 28 Sep 1728 William Duke acquired land adjacent Nathaniel Green on Reedy Creek (VPB14p31). John Duke acquired land adjacent William Duke and James Baker on the same day (VPB14p59). John Duke sold this property to Sterling Clack in 1745 (Brunswick Co VA Deed book 3:96-98).

In 1747 Sterling Clack obtained addition land adjacent John Duke, John Edwards, and Robert Munford (VPB 28:155-156). In 1756 Charles Edwards obtained land on Reedy Creek adjacent John Edwards (VPB33p261-262). In 1762 John Edwards obtained land adjacent Charles Edwards (VPB34p1053-1054). Edward Tatum acquired land on Reedy Creek in 1756, near Robert Munford's line and adjacent Peter Tatum (VPB33p105-106). George Standback (VPB18p168-169), Sterling Clack (VPB28p155-156), and Capt. James Baker of Isle of Wight Co (VPB13p187) also owned land in the immediate vicinity.

In 1774 Robert Ruffin was granted land on Reedy Creek previously granted to William Duke in 1728, John Duke in 1728, and Samuel Duke in 1747 (VPB42p735-737). At this time the land was adjacent Morris, Herbert, and Edwards.

Other relevant Brunwick Co grants: Edward Freeman received 300 acres near Thomas Eave on Buck Quarter Branch in 1768 (VPB 38:458-569). He had land near Sexton, John Knotts, John Wall as early as 23 Dec 1754 on the road to Fort Christianna (PB32p430-431). The town of Freeman, named for the family, is the only town on Reedy Creek, about 4 miles east of the present town of Lawrenceville.

Footnotes