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Virginia Land Grants
Zane D.Perry
These are some abstracts of Virginia Land Grants that are on file at
the Virginia State Library in Richmond, Virginia. The list for the
Perry family is quite extensive, with some of the grants going up into
the 20th century. I am only listing a few of the older ones that gives
more food for thought. I am also giving a summary herein on some of
these entrys, as well as a discourse on where I believe Phillip Perry's
"Whitemarsh Plantation" was located.
Henry Perry
18 DEC 1637 Charles City Co.
2,000 Acres. Extending from the head of Herring Creek unto the Oldmans
Creek. "Son and heire to Captn. Wm. Pery, late of Virginia decd."
Patents 1, 1623-1643, Vol. 2, pg. 510.
Henry Perry
6 JAN 1639 Charles City Co.
3,500 Acres. Known by the name Buckland, being a neck that lyeth
between the Oldmans Creek and herring creek etc. Patents 1, 1623-1643,
Vol. 2 (a?), pg. 771.
Henry Perry
9 MAR 1639 Charles City Co.
2,000 Acres. Extending from the head of Herring Creek, unto the Old
Mans Creek and soe high as it ebbeth and floweth up these creeks.
Patent 1, 1623-1643, Vol. 2, pg. 702.
Isabella Perry
20 SEP 1628 James City Co.
200 Acres. Within the corporation of James City, on the southern side
of the river, at the plantation called "Paces Paine" & formerly granted
to herself and her late husband Richard Pace, decd. Patents 1, pg. 62.
John Perry
24 APR 1682 (county not given)
320 Acres. In the Upper Parish of Nanzemond near Humphrey Griffins.
Patent 7, pg. 166. For transportation of 8 people.
John Perry
20 OCT 1691 King & Queen Co.
321 Acres. On the head branch of Assatians Swamp beginning at Robert
Hills corner in a Pondy Branch. "formerly granted to Henry Bigg by
Patent dated 30th May 1679". Patent 8, pg. 189.
John Perry
11 JUL 1719 Nansemond Co.
220 Acres. Beg. at a corner poplar of Henry Hills standing at the
mouth of the Maherrin Swamp. Patent 10, pg. 445.
Joseph Perry
6 JUN 1699 (no county given)
150 Acres. On Warrick swamp and meadow. Patent 9, pg. 189.
Joseph Perry
20 JUN 1733 Nansemond Co.
191 Acres. Low poquoson land. Adjoining the land of William Wallace,
Henry Gewin, Nathan Newby, & John Denby. Patent 15, pg. 94.
Joseph Perry
7 AUG 1761 Nansemond Co.
116 Acres. Adjoining his own land. Patent 33, Pg. 1059.
Joseph Perry
21 APR 1690 Lower Norfolk Co.
50 Acres. Broken Lands called the Ragged Islands in Curratuck.
Patent 8, pg. 72.
Joshua Perry
16 JUN 1744 Isle of Wight Co.
200 Acres. On the North side of Meherrin River. Beg.g etc. by the
side of the Flatt Swamp, on the south side, adjoining the land of
Jacob Harris. Patent 22, pg. 68.
Joshua Perry
5 MAR 1747 Isle of Wight Co.
115 Acres. On the north side of Meherrin River. Beg.g etc. by the
side of a small branch in Henry Harris's Line. Patent 26, pg. 237.
Lewis Perry
26 MAR 1656 (county not given)
200 Acres. Granted on Indian Creek, a branch of the Western Branch of
Nansemond River. ( Patent number and page not given )
Nathaniel Perry
13 OCT 1727 Brunswick Co.
140 Acres. On the North side of Roanoke River.
Patents No. 13, 1725-30, pg. 183.
Nathaniel Perry
9 JUL 1724 Isle of Wight Co.
100 Acres. On the South side of Meherrin River. Beg.g etc. on the
south side of the Dutchman's meadow. Patents 12, pg. 88.
Nicholas Perry
11 MAR 1652 Charles City Co.
250 Acres. Swamp & marsh, on the south side of James River, on the
northwest side of upper Chipoakes Creek. Patents 3, 1652-1655, pg.76.
Obediah Perry
25 JUL 1749 Lunenburg Co.
150 Acres. On the north side of Otter River, including both side of
the Lick Run, adjoining John Phelps. Patent 27, pg. 257.
William Perry
10 AUG 1759 Lunenburg Co.
400 Acres. On both sides of Buffalo Creek, adjoining Hudson's Line.
Patent 334, pg. 441.
William Perry, Jr.
5 JUL 1751 Lunenburg Co.
50 Acres. On the south side of Otter River. Patent 30, pg. 484.
Some observations by Zane Perry of the aforementioned land grants.
1.) Firstly, Henry Perry mentioned above was Captain Henry Perry, son
of Captain William Perry. He married to Mr. George Menifie's daughter,
Elizabeth Menifie. According to "Virginia Gleanings in England:
Abstracts of 17th and 18th Century English Wills and Administrations
Relating to Virginia and Virginians", by Lothrop Withington, Baltimore
Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1980, the following is given about
George Menifie:
"George Menefie of Buckland in Virginia, Esquire. Will 31
December 1645; proved 25 February 1646-7. To be buried at discretion of
my wife in parish Church of Weston [Westover]. All debts in Virginia to
be satisfied. All Tobacco or money debts in England to be transferred
to my books, "The shipp Desire now lyeinge before Buckland may with all
possible expedition be dispatched way for England, and to bee part
loaded with what Tobacco is ready here above, and receive the remainder
of her ladeinge belowe, vizt, tooe hundred Hoggsheads on the partable
account" 100 hoggshead my own account and the rest by discretion of a
note to be found in a small book of tobacco shipped and to be shipped.
My 100 hogsheads and also my part in the ship Desire and cargo, and my
1-16 part of the William and George be consigned to Captain Peter Andrews,
he to give an exact account to my heirs and executors. To my daughter
Elizabeth Menefie all my land at Weston, att James Citty, and at Yorke
River. To my brother John Bishopp, the money he owes me, and one-third
part of my crop of Tobacco made the last summer at my plantation of
Buckland. My sheep at Buckland to be a joint stock between my daughter,
Elizabeth, and my son-in-law Henry Perry. To Mr. Jo. James L20 and
1000 lbs of Tobacco, he to preach a sermon at my funeral. Tom Mr. Jo.
converse, Chirurgeon, 2000 lbs of Tobacco. To my brother Roger Booker
L50, he to assist Humphrey Lister in collecting my debts. To Jo. White,
Merchant,L50, provided he continue one year longer in Virginia and
collect my debts as formerly. Tobacco not able to go in the Desire to
be sent in the Flower of London. Goods consigned in the William and
George to be returned in Kind. Everthing to my wife and daughter.
Executrix and guardian to my daughter; my wife Mary. Tobacco due to me
from Captaine Tho. Varvell shall be satisfied by Mr. Walter Aston.
Satisfaction to be made to Mr. Humfrey Adlington for his care in my
business concerning Chamberlaine, by Captaine Peter Andrews.
Overseers: friends Captain Peter Andrews, Richard Bennett, Esq.
Witnesses: Howell Prise, Humfrey Lister.
Fines, 31.
[George Menifie came to Virginia in 1625, was Burgess for James City
County, 1629, and member of the Council, 1635-1646. He was one of the
wealthiest men of his day in the Colony, and was probably the leading
merchant. In 1634 he lived at "Littleton", or "Littletown", not far
below Jamestown. His large garden here "contained fruits of Holland
and Roses of Provence". His orchard was planted with apple, pear and
cherry trees, and he cultivated here the first peach trees introduced
into America. Around the house grew, in the fashion of the times,
rosemary, thyme, and marjoram. He took a prominent part in the
deposition of Governor Harvey. Later he removed to "Buckland", an
estate of 8,000 acres in Charles City County. His only child, Elizabeth,
married Captain Henry Perry of Charles City County, member of the
Council. They left two daughter and co-heiresses: Elizabeth, who
married John Coggs, gent., of Rainslip, Middlesex, Esq., and Mary,
who married Thomas Mercer, stationer, of London.
The site of old Westover Church, near the house at "Westover", still
contains a number of tombs formerly in or near the old building. The
name John James supplies information as to one of the early ministers
of the parish. John Bishop was an early resident of Charles City County,
as was Walter Aston. Howell Price was once clerk of the county.]"
Note
Unless Captain William Perry had another son other than Henry (which
he does not appear to have had), then it appears from the above
documentation that the Perry surname ended with Henry Perry. I
believe, therefore, that William Perry would not be the ancestor of
Phillip Perry of ye Whitemarsh.
2. Secondly, the Isabella Perry mentioned above was the wife of Captain
William Perry, and the step-mother of Captain Henry Perry. According to
the "Minutes of the Council and General Court of Colonial Virginia" for
the 21th of January 1627,
"At this Court Richard Richards & Rich: Dolphenby came and did
freely and fully surrender & giue vpp all their right tittle and
interest in one hundred acres of land belonging & graunted by Patent
vnto Francis Chapman planter & scituate nere vnto Paces-Paines vnto
Izabella the wife of Willm Perry of the same place gent & to hir heires
and assignes for euer."
The following account is given of Isabella Perry and William Perry
from the "Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents, Virginia Magazine of
History and Biography, Volume I, for the Year Ending June, 1894,"
pp. 451-2,
"(57) Isabella Perry, wife of William Perry, gent., [I] (as
her first dividend), 200 acres in the Corporation of James City on the
south side of the main river, formerly granted to her and late husband,
Richard Pace, deceased, December 5, 1620. Said land adjoined westerly
that of John Burrowes, now in the tenure of John Smith, and thence
extending east to the land granted George Pace, "bearing date with
these presents" - 100 acres due for her own personal adventure as an
ancient planter, and the other 100 as the dividend of Francis Chapman
(granted him December 5, 1620), and by him made over to Richard
Richards [2] and Richard Dolphenby [3], and by them granted unto said
Isabella Perry, at a court at James City, January 20,1621. Granted by
Francis West, September 20, 1628.
Note
[I] Captain William Perry came to Virginia in 1611 (Hotten); was
Burgess for Pace's Paines, 1629, 1629-30; and member of the Council,
1632-'3, &c. (Hening). He was buried at the Church of Westover parish,
at the site of which his tomb (the oldest in Virginia) remains. The
epitaph is now (it is believed) illegible; but Campbell, the historian,
states that it then bore a shield and the following epitaph:
'Here lyeth the body of Captaine
Wm. Perry who lived neere
Westovear in this Collony
Who departed this life the 6th day of
August, Anno Domini 1637'
He had (as far as is known) an only son, Captain Henry Perry, who was
a member of the House of Burgesses for Charles City County, 1652-'4,
and of the Council, 1655-1660 (Hening). Captain Henry Perry married
the daughter and heiress of George Menifie, Esq., of "Buchland",
Charles City (and acquired with her that estate which still bears the
name, and is the property and residence of Mr. Wilcox), and left two
daughters and co-heiresses: (i) Elizabeth, alive 1684, married John
Coggs, gent., of Rainslipp, in the county of Middlesex, England;
(II) Mary, alive 1684, married Thomas Mercer, citizen and stationer,
of London. (See there power of attorney, August 20, 1684, to John
Bishop, of Weyanoke, Charles City County, Virginia, planter, in which
they are described as surviving children and co-heirs. See the Byrd
book of land titles in Virginia Historical Society Collection).
[2] Richard Richards came to Virginia in 1620; was Burgess for
"over the water against James City, 1631/2 and 1632."
[3] Richard Dolphenby came to Virginia in 1618.
(58) George Pace, son and heir to Richard Pace [I] (as his
first dividend), 400 acres in the Corporation of James City, on the
south side of the river at the plantation called Pace's Paines, and
formerly granted to his deceased father, Richard Pace, December 5th,
1620; adjoining on the west the lands of his mother, Isabella Perry,
and on the east the lands of Francis Chapman, now in the possession
of Wm. Perry, gent., his father-in-law; and bounded on the north by
the main river. Granted by Francis West, September 1st, 1628.
Note
[I] Richard Pace was an early settler at a plantation on the
south side of James river called Pace's Paines. In the massacre of
1622 he saved Jamestown, and many of the Colonists. A friendly Indian
named Chanco revealed the plot to him, and after providing for the
safety of his own family, he went to Jamestown and warned the people
(Smith and Stith). He married Isabella ____, and died in or before
1628, leaving a son, George Pace, the patentee."
Please note that all of the parentheses given above, e.g. [ ] and ( )
are exactly as given in the aforementioned text.
3. Thirdly, the John Perry patentee listed above is believed to be
John Perry, son of Phillip Perry of ye Whitemarsh. Please note that
this John Perry was receiving grants in Nansemond Co., as well as
King and Queen Co. For those of you unfamiliar with Virginia geography
King and Queen Co. is adjacent to Gloucester Co.. As I have indicated
on former posts, I have found indications that the Perry family of
Nansemond Co. was associated with the Throckmorton family of Gloucester
Co., and had given previous posts stating that my own family's history
indicated a tie in the early Perry ancestry with one Ware family. I
repeat myself in stating that the early Throckmorton family of
Gloucester Co. donated the land whereon Ware Parish Church in
Gloucester Co. was built. I now have a theory that not only was the
family of Phillip Perry tied in with the Gloucester Co. Perrys, but I
also believe that "ye Whitemarsh" may have actually been located in
Gloucester Co., rather than in Isle of Wight Co..
According to the "Minutes of the Council and General Court of Colonial
Virginia" for April the 20th 1670 the following is given:
"April the 20th 1670, present, Governor Sr. Hen. Chickley,
Thos. Ludwell, Secr Edwd Diggs, Major Genll Bennett, Major Genll Smith,
Coll Swann, Coll Warner, Theo Bland, Hen. Corbyn, Coll Bacon, Coll
Willis, Coll Beale, Esqrs.
Comicon of Admicon is granted Major Thomas Walker on all and
singular the estate of Thomas Perry decd he giving caution according
to Law. And whereas the Court of Gloster by ordr from the Honble
Governor for preservation of the the said decds estate appointed
Mr. Lawrence Smith and Mr. Edward Booker to manage the same. It is
therefore ordred that Mr. Smith and Mr. Booker or any other person
whatsoever who are possessed with any part or parcell of the said
Perryes estate that they deliver the same unto the said Major Walker.
And whereas the said Booker and Smith hath shipped home for England
divers hhds of Tobo belonging to the said Perryes estate and consigned
them to their owne correspondts and for their ordr to their Correspondts
to deliver the said Tobo to the said Major Walker or order he paying the
freight and dutyes and the resonable expenses they have been at about
namageing the said Deceds estate Lt Coll Cutberth Potter and Coll Robert
Abahall hath made bond to this Court for the true performance of the
Admicon. And it is further ordred that Mr. Thomas Steven, Tho. Mynor,
Peter Richards, Thomas Oliver, & Mr. Willm Thornton or any foure of
them meet at the house of the said Perry upon the 28th of this Instant
to Inventory and appraise the said decds estate when at the next Court
it is to be presented upon oath of the said Walker. Capt ______ and
Capt Ramsey are desired to be present and to administer the appraisors
their oathes."
Note
The above documentation is an absolute windfall. Let me start out
proving my theory by first making this absolutely ironic statement. I
(Zane Perry)lived in Whitemarsh, Virginia for almost 10 years!! That's
right. I lived in Whitemarsh, Gloucester Co, Virginia for approximately
10 years. Our immediate area was known locally as Whitemarsh, due to
the location of the local US Post Office in Whitemarsh, VA. Our home
was situated on Robins Neck, two houses down the road from Warner Hall.
I drove by the Whitemarsh plantation house on many occasions (daily,
actually),and not until the other night did it occur to me that the
sign in front of that home included the name "Burwell". Well, I went
back to the library this past weekend and found out that the plantation
"Whitemarsh" in Gloucester Co. Virginia was owned by, none other than..
.. Lewis Burwell.
The above Virginia Council court record of April 20, 1670 included
Colonel Warner, who was actually Augustine Warner, Sr., as well as
Major General Bennett, who was Richard Bennett of Isle of Wight Co.,
and Colonel Bacon, who was Nathaniel Bacon of Isle of Wight Co. and
also of Bacon's Rebellion Fame. Augustine Warner owned "Warner Hall",
which is located 3 miles down the road from Whitemarsh in Gloucester
Co., Virginia. In front of Warner Hall is a sign explaining that
during Bacon's Rebellion, Warner Hall was Nathaniel Bacon's Head-
quarters. Warner Hall Plantation and Whitemarsh Plantation actually
abutted each other. One of Nathaniel Bacon's other supporters was
Colonel Joseph Bridger. John Perry, son of Phillip Perry of ye
Whitemarsh, sold land in Nansemond Co. to this same Col.Joseph Bridger.
I quickly perused a book in the library titled "Virginia Plantation
Homes", and in it is a picture and article on "Whitemarsh". The
article explains that the land for Whitemarsh was originally deeded
in the 1640s, and was owned in time (not originally) by the family of
Lewis Burwell, and also by the Whiting family.
The next link between the Whitemarsh Plantation of Gloucester Co. and
the Perrys is contained in the next entry for the Virginia Council of
October the 26th 1670, wherein it states:
"October the 26th 1670, present, Governor Sr Hen.
Chichley, Major Genll Smith, Coll Swann, Coll Bacon, Lt Coll Parke,
Thos. Ballard Esqrs.
The difference betweene Majr Tho. Walker admr of Mr.
Perry decd and Mr. Henry Whiting is referred to the third day of the
next Genl court to be heard in equity."
Note
The next entry is contained in the Virginia Council Meeting Minutes of
September 22th 1671, wherein it states:
"September the 22th 1671, present, Governor Tho. Ludwell,
Secr Major Genll Smith, Coll read, Coll Bacon, Coll Swann, Lt Coll
Parke Esqrs.
In the Difference betweene Mr. Henry Whiteing, and
Major Thomas Walker admr of Thomas Perry decd about a bond of forty
pownds Sterl for the cure of the sd Perryes wife of a distemper was
this day fully debated in Court and it is ordered that the said Major
Walker as admr aforesaid pay unto the said Whiteing by good and
sufficient bills of Exchange the Sume of ten pownds Sterl for full
satifaccon of the said bond and each party to beare his owne charges."
Note
The next entry tying the Perrys into the Gloucester Co. area is given
in "William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine", Vol. III,
1894-1895, pg. 49, in an article written about "Throckmorton of
England and Virginia", wherein it states:
"Gabriel Throckmorton of Ware parish, Gloucester Co.,
Virginia, born 1665, 'aged 19 in 1684, then in Virginia'. He married
in 1690, Frances Cooke, daughter of Mordecai Cooke, of Ware Parish,
Gloucester and died in January, 1737. His obituary in the Virginia
Gazette states that he had long been presiding Justice of the County,
and that he died in his 77th year (a mistake as to his age). Issue:
Frances, married to John Perry, and had a daughter Frances, who
married Francis Whiting."
Note
Further research I have performed also shows that the Throckmorton
family also owned land in the Isle of Wight Co./Charles City Co. area
prior to purchasing land in Gloucester Co.. In the Virginia Council
Meeting Minutes of March 7th, 1628, Mr. Henry Thockmorton was
commissioned the commander of "Sherley Hundred Island and his owne
plantacon", while Mr. William Perry was commissioned the commander of
"Paces Paines and Smythes Mount" at the same time. These two areas
adjoined one another.
I have also found documentation where the Burwell family of Isle of
Wight and Gloucester Cos. had ties in Nansemond Co., Virginia -- the
location of our John Perry in the latter 1600s and early 1700s. In the
book titled "Virginia Heraldica; Being A Registry of Virginia Gentry
Entitled to Coat Armor, With Genealogical Notes of the Families",
edited by William Armstrong Crozier, Second Edition, Southern Book
Company, Baltimore, 1953, the following entry is made on the Burwell
Family:
"BURWELL - Gloucester County. Arms: Paly of six, argent
and sable on a bend or a teal's head erased azure. Crest: A lion's
gamb erect and erased or, grasping three burr leaves vert. The
immigrant, Lewis Burwell, was born 5 march, 1621, died 19 Nov., 1653.
He was the son of Edward Burwell and Dorothy Bedell of Bedfordshire.
He married Lucy, only daughter of Capt. Robert Higginson and grand-
daughter of Thomas Higginson of London. He had issue: Lewis Burwell,
member of the Council in 1702, died 19 Dec., 1710, who married, 1st,
Abigail, daughter of Anthony Smith of Colchester, Eng.. She died 12
Nov., 1693. His second wife was Martha, daughter of Col. John Lear,
of Nansemond county, and widow of Col. William Cole. By his first wife
he had known issue four sons and six daughters and by his second wife
two sons and three daughters. Upon the tomb of the first Lewis Burwell
at Carter's Creek (Gloucester Co.) are the above arms."
Note
As noted above "Upon the tomb of the first Lewis Burwell at Carter's
Creek are the above arms". Since Carter's Creek is a distance of about
5 miles distance from Whitemarsh, and since he was not buried at
Whitemarsh in 1653 when he died, it would seem that Whitemarsh was
still in the possession of the original owners at that time. I believe
that is because Whitemarsh was in the possession of the Perry family.
It is important to remember that although Phillip Perry's Will was
entered in Isle of Wight Co., it does not state that Whitemarsh
plantation was also in that county. The Will simply states "Phillip
Perry of ye Whitemarsh". Remember again that this was in 1669 - only
one year before Thomas Perry of Gloucester Co. passed away. I have
looked on some early colonial maps, and Whitemarsh is in fact shown in
Gloucester Co. Virginia during very early times - with no indication
of a Whitemarsh plantation in Isle of Wight Co.. It seems highly
irregular that two plantations would exist in the same time frame in
Virginia with the exact same name given to these two plantations. I
believe that there was only one Whitemarsh Plantation, and it was the
same Whitemarsh that exists to this day in Gloucester Co., Virginia.
One book states that Confederate General Robert E. Lee once visited
Whitemarsh, and commented that it was "the loveliest plantation he had
ever seen".
Whitemarsh plantation is privately owned today. Of further irony is
the fact that when I lived in Whitemarsh, Virginia, my neighbors were
the family of Captain George Whiting. Mr. and Mrs. Whiting were both
genealogists, and they invited my family and I to their home on
occasion, including Christmas Eve celebrations. The Whitings are still
very involved in Gloucester Co. history, and insisted that I must be
of some relation to them, because there were Perrys in their heritage.
Unfortunately, at that time I did not know of any connection between
my North Carolina Perrys and their Gloucester Co. Perrys. Now that I
do, I think I will be contacting the Whitings again.
(Trivia - Captain George Whiting was a POW of the Japanese during WWII,
and has a photo of himself being decorated by Pres. Harry S. Truman at
the surrender of the Japanese on the ship USS__?__).
4. Fourth, and lastly, the Land Grant given for Nathaniel Perry above
indicates that he was indeed granted land in the 1720s. This would
give creedence to the timeframe of 1690 - 1700 for his date of birth.
It appears that this is the same Nathaniel Perry that made his way out
of Isle of Wight Co. (later that part of Isle of Wight was sectioned
of into Brunswick Co) and into Granville Co., NC., as well as later to
Franklin Co., NC.
To summarize, the above Land Grants are available for copy through
the Virginia State Library. I do not have a copy of the complete Land
Grants themselves -- only these given abstracts that I gathered from
that library's computer base. I would recommend that we get copies
made of these Land Grants, as I am sure they will give additional
clues to where these Perrys owned land, and the circumstances around
their receiving the land. I also believe emphatically that Whitemarsh
was in Gloucester Co., Virginia, and I will try to make a trip to the
Gloucester Co. Court House in the near future to find additional
information that will help tie Phillip Perry into the Gloucester Co.
area.
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