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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