Early Goodmans and Related Families of York and New Kent County, Virginia

From the original founding of Virginia, Jamestown was established as its capital. In 1676, the State House at Jamestown was burned during Bacon’s Rebellion, but many of its official records were saved. The Jamestown statehouse (capitol building) in Jamestown burned again on October 20, 1698, and it was not rebuilt. In 1705, Williamsburg was established as the new capital of Virginia, and it remained so for the remainder of the Colonial Period. A fire destroyed the Williamsburg capital building in 1747. It was rebuilt, but fell into disrepair after the American Revolution. These fires destroyed many of the earliest Virginia state records, including state tax lists, land grants, deeds and other official records, which is why we know so little about landowners during this period. The loss of county records due to accidental and deliberate fires, and destruction of county courthouses and parish churches in the York / New Kent / Hanover area during the Revolutionary War and Civil War has made the loss nearly complete. These losses make genealogy research in the early Virginia shires and counties difficult, if not impossible. As a result, many families with ancestors in these areas will never be able to firmly establish their ancestral lines with any degree of certainty.

County Formation and History

1634 Virginia was divided into 8 shires. Five of them, Elizabeth City, Warwick, James City, Charles City and Henrico were along north bank of James River. One, Charles River, was along the Charles River and was soon after called York. This is the origin of New Kent County.

James City County was one of the original eight shires established in Virginia in 1634. It was named for King James I. As initially formed, James City County included the town of Jamestown and was later bounded by York, Warwick, Isle of Wight, and Charles City counties. In 1652 James City’s lands south of the James River were taken to form Surry County. In 1720 the portion of James City west of the Chickahominy River was transferred to Charles City. in 1766 a boundary settlement between James City and New Kent saw the upper end of James City going to New Kent and the lower end of New Kent reverting to James City. In 1769 the land north of the Duke of Gloucester Street in Williamsburg, where the James City Court House and the City of Williamsburg was to be built was given by York County to James City County. Finally, in 1852 there was a boundary adjustment of the line in Williamsburg by which land was transferred again from York County to James City County. All of the early records of James City County were destroyed in the April, 1865 Richmond fire during the evacuation of the city during the Civil War.

In 1654, New Kent County was formed from the part of York County north of James City. It originally contained the counties of King William, King and Queen, all formed from New Kent. The Pamumkey River was the north border and the Chickahominy River was the southern border. New Kent also contained the village of Powhattan. It was later further divided, and its progeny counties included King William, King and Queen, Hanover (of St. Paul’s Parish), Goochland, and Louisa Counties. Albemarle County was just to the west of these, and part of Albemarle was included in Louisa County for a time.

In 1691 King and Queen County was formed from New Kent. The original county of King and Queen later was cut into King William, Caroline and much of Spotsylvania and Essex Counties. Further research needs to be done in these counties to determine if any applicable early Goodman records may have survived.

1720 Hanover County was established from New Kent, which had been part of York until 1654, and York was part of Charles River, one of the 8 original Shires established in 1634.

Bruton Parish, York County VA. Parish register transcriptions are available from 1662, when it was originally Middleton Parish, to late 1700s. Research need to be done on this parish for the Goodman and Gooch surnames, which might reveal additional families to research in early York County. Re: BRUTON PARISH, VIRGINIA REGISTER, 1662-1797, transcribed & edited by John Vogt. 2004.

St. Peter’s Parish, New Kent Co., VA, was on the eastern shore of the James River, and just north and west of James City County. Partial St Peter’s Parish Register records survived, but they are incomplete and difficult to read. The St Peter’s Vestry records, which could have revealed much about the Goodman families in that Parish and their neighbors, in the Parish Processioning, orders and returns, did not survive.

New Kent is a “Burned” county, so very few New Kent records have survived. However, a few of the State of VA land grant images found on the Library of Virginia web site are interesting:

• 8 Oct 1672, to Rowland Horsley and Robert Lancaster, 473 ac on the south side of Mattadequin Creek. VA Patents, 6, p.412.
  The Horsley family, and the Rowland given name, are thereby established as among the earliest inhabitants of this county, and later records in Louisa and Albemarle County associate this same Horsley family with the Goodmans.

Goodman Road in New Kent County

Goodman Road is in current New Kent County, just south and east of the Hanover County line. See map below. Given its name, it is likely that this road was on or led to some of the ancestral Goodman lands in New Kent County, located near what is known as Orapax Farms. Powhatan, the paramount chief of many Virginia Algonquian tribes when the English first landed at Jamestown, lived near here from about 1609 to 1614, at the town of Orapax. In 1782 New Kent County VA Tax List, a Benjamin Goodman owned 80 acres of land, which may have been in this same vicinity. Goodman Road is at the SE end of State Rt 616, also known as Peace Road, and begins .66 mi. SE of the Hanover/New Kent border.

Directions: From Richmond, take I-64 east to exit 205, New Kent Hwy. thyen north on New Kent Hwy about .6 mi, and turn left onto Dispatch Road/State Rt 613. In about 2.6 mi. turn right on State Rt 611/Quaker Rd, then about .3mi to right on State Rt 616/Goodman Rd.

Capt. John Smith of the Jamestown Colony created a map of his explorations, identifying some of the topographical features and water courses, some of the Indian villages, with locations of Indian “Ordinary Houses” and “King’s Houses”. Of these, Orapaks is identified, and corresponds to the location of the Goodman Road, above.

Source: Virtual Jamestown – John Smith’s Map

Some Prominent Goodman and Related Families
of York and New Kent

The Emigrant Robert Goodman

Robert Goodman arrived in November of 1619 at Jamestown on the “Bona Nova” (its voyage of August 1619 from the Port of London under Capt. John Huddleston). Therefore, he was born ca 1600, presumably in England or Wales.

He is listed in the 1623 Colonial Census (LISTS OF THE LIVINGE & DEAD IN VIRGINIA, Feb. 16th, 1623) in Elizabeth City. He is also listed in the 7 Feb 1624/25 Muster, as “Robart Goodman”, age 24, a tenant on the Rent Roll of the Virginia Company, still living in Elizabeth City, VA, in the muster of John Ward, located: “beyond Hampton River Beinge the Companyes land”.

He is also listed in the book “Original Lists of Persons of Quality – 1600-1700”, probably extracted from the same sources as above. Elizabeth City, now part of the independent city of Hampton, is at the tip of the peninsula between the James and York Rivers. Robert Goodman is again mentioned as having land, possibly still Crown land, 1637, when his land is mentioned as adjoining another colonist’s grant. He was probably the same Robert Goodman of York County (adjacent to and just north of Elizabeth City) who was owed a debt by Richard Wyate (Wyatt) in 1646. York County was divided in 1654, with the northern parts becoming New Kent County.

John Ward’s 1200 ac plantation was located on what was than and still is known as “Ward’s Creek”, a few miles up river from Jamestown on the south shore of the James River, in what was then part of Charles City and later to become Surry County, VA. The Ward plantation was destroyed in the Indian massacre of 1622, but John Ward and Robert Goodman survived, as they are listed among the living in the 1624 census (ibid.), John Ward being “At the Indian Thickets”, and Robert Goodman being in the household of Walter Ely in Elizabeth City, as it seems Raleigh Croshaw may also have been, as his name is right below Robert Goodman’s.

These original source citations confirm that he had lands in York County, probably in what was to later become New Kent County, home of Benjamin Goodman (and his sons Samuel, Benjamin and Robert) family in the late 1600s and early early 1700s, and that he probably married, prospered, and had issue. Having arrived in 1619, he could very well have taken advantage of “The Bride Ships of 1620/21“, or may have married a Powhatan woman.

In Robert Hope Goodman’s letter to his daughter in 1873, he says:

“The Goodman family were among the early settlers of Virginia, or at least we can trace them back some 160 to 170 years, they settled in that part of the country between Yorktown and Richmond (RG: York and New Kent). They were well off, had fine estates and lived like Gentlemen and were well educated for people in that day and time, stood high as noble and true men. That branch of the family that my Father sprang from settled before his birth (which was 100 years ago) in Hanover County.”

Therefore, this Robert Goodman seems to be a likely ancestor of the Goodmans of New Kent/Hanover, and probably of many of the other prominent Goodman lines of early colonial Virginia. Interestingly, just north of the Newport News airport, is Denbigh Blvd, which at its NE end, becomes “Goodwin’s Neck”. The extensive Goodwin families of York County is fairly well documented many times in the early York County records that I have personally examined, so this is not likely a transcription error in the records.

Other Goodman Emigrants and Residents in York and New Kent

These are excerpts from the Goodman Emigrants to Colonial America page on this site, with names and details for other Goodmans that were known or likely to be in the James City, York and New Kent areas before 1700, based on immigration records, ship passenger lists, transportation orders, and headright grants that mention those areas. Other that Robert Goodman, it is possible that one of these Goodmans could have been the original Goodman emigrant parent or grandparent of Benjamin Goodman of New Kent / Hanover.

William Goodman came to Virginia in 1651, per headright grant of Richard Coleman, of York County Virginia, 6 May 1651, lands on North side of Rappahannock River.

John Godsman (possibly Goodman), Edward Tirrell (Terrell) and Richard Bayley (Bailey) are listed on the headright grant of Joseph Crowshaw of York County, 8 Nov 1653, lands on S. side of York River (Pamunkey), later New Kent. One of Major Joseph Croshaw’s daughters married Robert Blackwell, grandfather of Lucy Blackwell, Benjamin Goodman of New Kent / Hanover’s wife. Was this John Godsman/Goodman his ancestor, perhaps serving for a a time as an indentured servant of Joseph Croshaw?

A Robert Goodman, probably born before 1652, was one of several persons transported to VA by John Page before 1672, when John Page was awarded 1900 ac and 1700 ac, by grant of 14 Mar 1672, both grants being in New Kent County Virginia.

John Page, deceased, and his son, Capt. Mathew Page, are mentioned in The Vestry Book of St. Peter’s Parish, New Kent Co., on 3 Nov 1688, as is one Henry Wyatt, perhaps a descendant of the Richard Wyatt who owed a debt to a Robert Goodman in 1646 in York County, mentioned previously. Mathew Page was a vestryman of St. Peters Parish, elected on 22 May 1686, in the place of Mr. James Turner, deceased, and Charles Turner was Clerk of the Vestry at that meeting. Others listed as being transported in the John Page grant include: Nicholas Hamner, Francis Williams, and Richard Drury.

Since Benjamin Goodman of New Kent / Hanover was probably born ca 1678, and was having his own children in New Kent County by about 1698, one of the above could have been his father. However, persons being transported were very often indentured servants for 7 years or longer to pay for their passage, so they are unlikely to have been wealthy enough to be land owners and planters.

The following three Goodman transportees were probably too late and too poor to be the father of Benjamin Goodman:

Richard Goodman was listed as transported by Abraham Weeks and Hugh Williams, in their 26 Sept 1680 grant of 109 ac in New Kent County Virginia, on Ware Creek, Tasatam (sp?) Creek, called Solomon’s Garden.

Thomas Goodman is listed as one of five persons transported on the 28 Apr 1691 headright grant of John Blackborne, who received 211 ac. in Charles City County, N. side of James River, in Westover Parish.

Jno. Goodman, 1696: Grant to “Mr. Richard Cocke, 975 ac Charles City County, on N. side of James River, 29 Oct 1696, p. 67. Beg. at Mr. Jno. Turner on Chicahominy Path, to place known by name of Arrow Reeds, up Fishing Run, on line supposed to be of Robt. Peake, to Thomas Murrell, &c. Imp of 20 pers. Danl. Carr, Jno. Goodman, Susana & Nicholas Lipscome, Wm. White, & 15 Negros.”… Wm White and Jno. Goodman also listed on grant of 20 Nov 1682 to John Parish, and similar locations, so Goodman and White were probably both in Charles City Parish before 1682.

Re a reference: “In 1695, in the estate of Capt. John Goodman of York County, VA, two slaves were valued at 60 pounds sterling together (Records of York County, vol. 1694-1702, p. 410, VA State Library)”. Since this John Goodman is not listed as an emigrant, and was apparently wealthy enough to be a Planter and slave owner, he was probably the son or grandson of one of the earlier prominent Goodmans of York County, possibly the Robert Goodman who came in 1619. This record, and others in York County, indicate that we need to further research all available and surviving York County records. (Update: Thorough review of the few surviving York County records available did not find this particular record in 1695, but I did find it in 1697, on the same page as indicated in the original reference. There was no line item for slaves or any line item of the value indicated.)

The Virginia Company Rent Roll of 1704 lists Peter Goodman with 400 ac. in York County, and John Goodman with 275 ac in James City County. Both of these Goodmans are in the right location and time to possibly be related to Benjamin Goodman of New Kent County, and possibly also be descendants of the Robert Goodman who came to the Virginia Colony in 1619.

Gooch Family of York County and New Kent County

According to one researcher, with no original source cited: “GOODMAN, Anne, Date of birth: abt. 1630, Place of death: Yorktowne, VA. Husband: Major William Gooch, Place of marriage: Old Yorke Village, VA, Date of marriage: abt. 1642, as his 2nd wife, the first wife being named as Anne Hull. This source and the info in the gedcom file it came from are somewhat suspect, as it also has that Anne Goodman was Maj. William Gooch’s 2nd wife, that Lt Col Henry Gooch was a son of Maj William Gooch and Anne Goodman, and other things that do not match up with most other authoritative sources. For example, Henry Gooch was named as his brother, and as “Supervisor” of Maj. William Gooch’s estate, and was also named in York County records before 1650, along with William. So most sources say he was the brother of Maj. William Gooch, not his son. Some researchers, including the one who posted the gedcom file above, claim that Maj. William Gooch and wife Anne had a daughter, Anne/Ann b. 1650, and possibly also a son, William b. 1653, but no sources are cited for Willliam the son. Most other sources state that Anne was their only child, and those sources refrain from stating his wife’s name(s), possibly because of no record of it. Daughter Anne Gooch and her two marriages can be proved by other later records, as cited below, but son William is a mystery, if he even existed. Since Maj. William Gooch died early, at age 29, it is likely he died intestate. Since he died in 1655, and his tombstone inscription says he was 29 at the time, he was born in 1626.

Major William Gooch died October 29th, 1655. He is buried “At the Old Temple Farm – near Moore’s House”, known as the ols York Church ruins, Old Yorke Village, York County, VA, “where Wormely Creek enters the York River”. Although the exact size and population of Yorke Village is not known, history clearly indicates that during a major portion of the 1600’s it served as the social, municipal, and religious center of the portion of the York River area. The only remaining feature from either of the two churches from Yorke Village is the gravestone of Major William Gooch, who died in October 1655. The Gooch grave is one of the oldest legible tombstones in the New World. Its current location is within the US Coast Guard and Naval base at Yorktown, between the ball field and Boat Forces Center. More on this family. Lt. Col. Henry Gooch and his brother, Major William Gooch, came to the colonies prior to 1650, settling in York County, Virginia. Major William Gooch, born in England, was a member of the Virginia Council from 1652 to 1655 when he died at the age of 29 at his home in Yorktown. His brother, Henry Gooch, was named as Supervisor of his estate.

Maj. William Gooch Gravestone inscription:

Who was this Anne Goodman’s father? We don’t know for sure, but given that the Robert Goodman who arrived on the “Bona Nova” in 1619 and was the only “Goodman” known to be living in York County in 1637 and 1646, he seems to be the most likely candidate. He was single when he arrived in 1619, and may have married one of the 160 or so “virtuous maids” transported in 1620 and 1621 to the Virginia Colony to be wives of the colonists. The first shipment of ninety maidens was made by the “Jonathan” and “London Merchant,” vessels which arrived in May, 1620 at Jamestown. Another 11 maids and one widow arrived in early 1721 on the “Marmaduke”, and another 50 or so in the “Warwick” and “Tiger” in Sept 1621. All of these were in Jamestown and the surrounding plantations before the 1622 Indian attacks that killed 1/4 of the Virginia colonists.

Among the records of Rappahannock Co., the following: “At a Court held for Rappahannock County August 7, 1689, upon the humble petition of William Colston who married, and for and on behalf of Mrs. Anne Beale, relict of Mr. Thomas Beale, deceased, etc.”‘ [Capt. Thomas Beal’s tomb (1679) at ‘Chestnut Hill’, Richmond County, states that he married ‘Anne, daughter of William Gouge (Gooch)’. In the York Records 27 Feb, 1671-2., Thomas Beale Jr. is mentioned as “intermarrying Mrs. Anne Gooch.” Capt. Thomas Beal’s tombstone inscription: “Here lies the body of Capn Thomas Beale, Junr, gent., who tooke to wife Ann the Daughter of Coll. William Gouge [Gooch], and had by her two Sones [sons] and two Daughters, he departed this life [on] the Sixteenth day of October An D Mi [Anno dom] 1679– Aetatis suae 30.” So, Maj. William Gooch had at an only daughter Ann, who married about 1671 to Thomas Beale Jr., and after his death, she married 2nd to William Colston

Lt. Col. Henry Gooch, born 22 Jun 1619, was in Virginia before 1656 when he was appointed Justice of the Peace for York County, on the Governor’s Counsel in 1657, Commissioner of York County in 1658 and before 1662 was Sheriff of York Co. He sided with Bacon in Bacon’s rebellion of 1676, and at its conclusion, was fined “six thousand pounds of neate porke” and pardoned. He was lucky to escape with his life, as about 23 of Bacon’s con-conspirators were hanged. Henry Gooch and his wife Millicent, widow of possibly Robert Kinsey, had a son William. Lt Col Henry Gooch died 15 Jan 1683, age: 63. William Gooch, son of Lt Col Henry Gooch, married Ursula Claiborne, daughter of William Claiborne.

Relevant Grants and Land Records in New Kent

From one source: “… John Fleming also owned land adjacent to Resse Hughes [Sr.], LTC Gooch, William Pulliam, Edmond Price, and Cornelius Dabney. Other landowners in this neighborhood were Robert Anderson, Sr., Robert Anderson, Jr., Mr. Littlepage, James Turner, Thomas Glass, Charles Loving, John Sexton, Moses Davis, George Smith, John Langstone, Philip Honeywood, David Crawford, Sr., Mrs. Hannah Clark, George Phillips, Samuel Waddy, __?__ Bassett, Charles Fleming, John Lewis, William Winston, Stephen Tarlton, David Smith, __?__ Bouth, James Tate, George Lovell, and Charles Lovell. This neighborhood included the land along the southern or southwestern side of the Pamunkey River, including the Totopotomoy Creek and the Black Creek, and the land in between, which includes the Whiting Swamp and Matedequin Creek. The Totopotomoy, Whiting, and Matedequin Creeks were in St. Peter’s Parish, New Kent County, until 1704, were in St. Paul’s Parish, New Kent County until 1720, and were in St. Paul’s Parish, Hanover County, beginning in 1720. ”

William PULLAM, 1000 acs., New Kent Co., 20th January 1657, Patent Bk No. 4 – pg 359, pg 147 {215} on S. side of York Riv., & N. W. side of Black C., beg. at Southermost cor., Of land surveyed for Mr. Joseph Croshaw. Trans. Of 20 pers… and: Pat. Bk No. 6, pg 170 {4} Wm PULLUM, 260 acs., New Kent Co., on NW side of Black Cr., 24 Feb. 1675/6, pg 588. Beg., at Mic Tucker’s corner to Hubard’s land; along Will Oens {Owens} line to Mr. Mohun; to Jno Boughan, on Cattaile Br.,&c., 70 acs.”. Black Creek is located in the northwest part of current New Kent County, VA, near the Hanover County line. It runs northward into the Pamunkey River. The town of Tunstall Station is just west of the creek.

A grant to Frances Burnell 18 Feb 1660 references his lands as adjoining Capt. Gooch: “1000 ac, James City Co., Upon N. side of Chicahominy main Swamp, beg. at cor. tree of Capt. Gooch & William Pulliams land, N.N.E. &c over a branch called by the Indian name Towenywinch &c. “. Then on 3 May 1661, Edmond Price‘s land is described as near Towywick or Weywick Swamp and begins at “Richard Scruggs corner gum by an Indian path.”.

In St Paul’s Parish 1710 Processioning: “The lands of William Pulliam, John Turner, Thomas Lankford, Arthur Winchester, Benj. Goodman and Edmund Smith lying Adjacent to each other, being made one precinct of which the said William Pulliam, and John Turner were appointed Overseers who made the return on the back of the order, viz every man has processioned in our precinct excepting the Land of Mr. Thomas Graham’s and the orphans of James Turner, being Objected against by Mr. James Blackwell for not being firmly laid out, this is done by us the subscribers. Subscribed by all the said parties.”.

In the St Pauls Parish 1711 processioning: The lands of James Blackwell, George Turner, James Blackwell Jr., Robert Blackwell, Thomas Graham, Rees Hughes, William Pulliam, Charles Fleming (poss son of John), John Turner, Benjamin Goodman, Cap Nath West, John Howard, Mr. Booths and George Jones being made one precinct, whereof James Blackwell & George Turner were appointed Overseers

These land references, taken together with the families named therein, firmly establish that Benjamin Goodman of New Kent resided in the same St Peter’s (later St Paul’s) Parish precinct as many of the same neighbors of Capt. Gooch (William, husband of Anne Goodman), and later of Lt Col Gooch (Henry), all of which lived in close proximity to each other in the area of New Kent that later became St Paul’s Parish.

Goodmans in New Kent Tax Lists and Census Records

In the 1782 New Kent Tax list, Benjamin Goodman is recorded with 80 ac.

In the 1791 New Kent Tax lists, Benjamin Goodman is recorded with 80 ac. and 2 black slaves over 16. In those same tax lists it is noted for John Goodman “Removed to Henrico County” and Charles Goodman “Removed to Hanover County”.

In the 1810 thru 1840 New Kent census, Benjamin Goodman families are recorded, but those census lists were alphabetized, so they provide no indication about where he lived or who his neighbors were.

In the 1810 census, only Elisabeth Goodman is listed, with one son and 4 daughters. She may have been the widow of the Benjamin Goodman in the 1782 and 1791 tax lists.

In 1820, Benjamin Goodman is 16-26, as his wife, and they have one son under 10. James Goodman is 26-45, as is his wife. They have two sons under 10 and one daughter 10-16.

In 1830, Benjamin Goodman is 30-40, as is his wife. They have two sons under 5, one son 5-10, two daughters 5-10. James M. Goodman is 40-50, with wife 30-40, one son under 5, one son 5-10, one daughter 15-20, one daughter under 5.

In 1840, Benjamin Goodman is 40-50, wife also 40-50, 2 sons 10-15 (gone by 1850), 3 sons under 5 (Benjamin, Charles, Levon?), 1 daughter 15-20 (later Sarah Baker?). Ann S. Goodman is in her own household, age 45-50, with daughter 20-30.

In 1850: Benjamin Goodman is 53 (b. ca 1797), wife Agnes A. Goodman (2nd wife) is 40, Sarah A. Baker, possibly a daughter, 22, children Benjamin E. 15, Charles H. 14, Levon D. 13, Maria A. 9, Wm. H. 7, Jas. E. 5, and Louisa V. 2. Also in the 1850 census, Nancy Goodman, 54, possibly 1st wife of Benjamin Goodman, is living with Susanna Boswell 32 and her husband William S. Boswell 33 and their family. And also in 1850 is the family of Wm. M. Goodman 29, wife Virga A. Goodman 27, children Angelica 7, Sarah E. 5, Wm. H. 3, Jno. H. 1.

In 1860, Only members of the Benjamin Goodman family are recorded.

In 1870, None of the 1850 Goodmans are recorded. Some of them must have been in the county, and not enumerated, as a couple re-appear later:

In 1880, James E. Goodman, probably the one of the same name in the 1850 Benjamin Goodman family, is in the Black Creek District, age 35, with wife Mary C. 36, daughter Agness A. 8, son A.L. 5, son Joseph E., 3.

In 1900, Thomas Goodman age 27 (b 1873) is in the Black Creek District with wife Bettie M. 23, son Harry M. 3, and son Ryland 1.

In 1910, Thomas Goodman, age 38, has remarried, and is with new wife Mary B. 29, son Harry M. 11, son Ryland 10, and son Howard N. 9.

Conjecture

After the death of Lt Col Henry Gooch, and in the St Paul’s parish records, his lands in New Kent are no longer mentioned as being the same precinct with his previous neighbors. Therefore, his lands, and those of his deceased brother Henry Gooch, were probably sold or otherwise disposed of by the time we see the St Paul’s Processioning records. Prior to those Processionings in the early 1700s, no Goodmans are mentioned as living near those same other families. Did the Goodmans inherit at least part of their New Kent lands through Anne, relict of Maj. William Gooch? Or did Anne Goodman, supposedly the 2nd wife of Maj. William Gooch, bring lands into the marriage in her own right?

Other Records

In 1695, in the estate of Capt. John Goodman, two slaves were valued at 60 pounds sterling together (Economic history of Virginia in the seventeenth century: …, Volume 2, By Philip Alexander Bruce, citing: Land Records of York County, vol. 1694-1702, Microfilm Reel #5, part 2, p. 410, VA State Library). More York County records at VASL.

Other Families

The Lewis family, which later intermarried with Terrell and Goodman families, was in New Kent County and in St. Peter’s and St Paul’s Parish records before 1700. About 1650, John and William Lewis, whose family were French Huguenots who had fled France for England and Wales, left Wales for America. John Lewis settled in New Kent / Hanover Co., where he died. David Lewis, b. ca. 1685, was the fifth son of John Lewis. He moved from Hanover Co., VA to Albemarle Co., VA about 1750, where he d. in 1779. His first wife was a Miss Terrill. William Terrill Lewis, eldest son of David Lewis and Miss Terrill, b. 1718, moved from Hanover Co. to Albemarle Co., and was the third settler in that county. (Some Prominent Virginia Families). He later moved to Dobbs Co., NC. Also from the Albemarle branch of this family came Col. Andrew Lewis of Botetort Co., commander at the Battle at Point Pleasant in 1774, Merrweather Lewis, the famous explorer, Col. Fielding Lewis, and many other Generals, Colonels and other officers of the Colonial militia and Rev. War. This family also intermarried with the Talliaferro and Conway families of VA, who also provided many high ranking Colonial Militia and Rev. War officers.

The Terrell Family was also in York and later New Kent, Hanover and Albemarle Counties. Miss Terrill, first wife of David Lewis, was descended from either William, James or Thomas Terrill, who were brothers, and who were descended from Sir Walter Tyrell, a Norman knight who came to England with William the Conqueror, AD 1066. They came to America about 1650, as huntsmen for King James II. They were rewarded with 1500 ac., of their own choice, and settled in Gloucester Co., VA, just across the York River from New Kent Co. Tyrell Co., NC is apparently named for the members of this family, who were probably among its first settlers. Many Goodman families were also among the first settlers of Tyrell Co. A William Terrill pat. 27 Sept 1756, lands northeast of the Peedee river in Anson Co., NC, as referenced in other land transactions since. This is probably a descendant of one of the previously mentioned Terrill brothers, who removed from Gloucester Co., VA to NC, perhaps with the Henderson, Williams and Goodman families of New Kent / Hanover / Louisa Counties of VA, about 1750-56.

Robert Henderson settled in New Kent Co. before 1650, about the same time as his brother, Alexander Henderson. They may also have had a brother William Henderson, who was also in New Kent Co. about 1650, according to land records. Robert Henderson had sons Thomas and James. James Henderson owned lands in Hanover Co. in 1715. Also in New Kent Co., Capt. George Keeling, a vestryman of St. Peter’s Parish, married Ursula Fleming, and about 1676, their daughter Ursula Keeling, aged 15-16 at the time, married Thomas Henderson, son of Robert Henderson, the emigrant. Thomas Henderson was parish collector for St. Paul’s Parish, and their neighbor.

Mary Keeling, sister of Ursula, married John Williams, who was either son or grandson of Humphrey Williams, who had been in New Kent Co. as early as 1638. Ursula Henderson was daughter of Thomas Henderson and Ursula Keeling, and sister of Richard Henderson of Hanover and Goochland, VA. Ursula Henderson married Daniel Williams (1710-1758) about 1730. Their daughter Marya (Maria) Williams, b. about 1732, married about 1753, Benjamin Goodman, who was b. about 1730, the son of Samuel Goodman of New Kent / Hanover, and grandson of Benjamin Goodman of St. Peter’s Parish, New Kent Co. VA.

Many wills, court records and land transactions in later Hanover and Louisa Co., some described in their respective web pages on this site, clearly establish the close proximity and friendly relations of the Goodman, Anderson, Overton, Terrill, Clarkson, Richardson, Hart, Williams, Gentry, Rhodes, Carr, Horsley, and other families of early New Kent, Hanover and Louisa Counties, whose descendants often intermarried as they moved westward through Virginia and into Tennessee, Kentucky and other western states, and passed each others surnames on to their descendants. For example, the later names of Anderson Goodman, Overton Goodman, Bartellot Goodman, Fielding Goodman, Horsley Goodman, Ansel Goodman, and others in Barren / Hart Co., KY, IN, and IL, were clearly derived from these closely related Virginia families. The will of Rosa Gaskill, dated 4 May 1914, proved and recorded in Galesburg, Knox Co., IL, identifies her sister Matilda as the wife of Anderson Goodman, and their issue as Anderson Goodman, Jr. and Kitty Goodman. This adds further evidence that the Goodman families of Knox Co., IL, probably including that of my ancestor Socrates Goodman, were descended from these early Goodmans of VA, some of whom later resided in Barren , Hart and other nearby counties of KY.

The Clarkson family, at least one of which later inter-married with Goodmans of later Louisa County and its progeny Albemarle County, and which included an Anselm Clarkson, b ca 1730, and a soldier in the French and Indian War, was in New Kent and St. Peter’s Parish records before 1700.

Please see the other Virginia County pages on this site for additional details and supporting documentation.

Anselm Bayly / Bailey /Bayley of New Kent

20 Oct 1689: land patent exists for New Kent Co. for Henry Waring. 500 acres. Stratton Major Par., upon Pianketank Sw (swamp). 20 Oct 1689, p. 23. Adj. David Bram’s land, &c. Granted to Mr. George Burge, 16 Apr 1683. deserted, & granted sd. Waring by order, &c. Imp. of 10 pers: James Nicholson, Jno. Richards, Israel Sheppard, James Welch, Andrew Neech (or Welch) James Rogers, Sarah Ellis, An. Jordan, Moses Roper, Anselm Bayly.

This patent appears to be the second and younger Anselm Bayley/Bailey emigrant, the first being into Surry County VA about 1661.

More on this Anselm Bailey/Bayley of New Kent and his descendants in Rootsweb archives (Now discontinued).

More York County Records that need Research:

YORK COUNTY, VA RECORDS, 1659-1662 by Benjamin B. Weisiger, III, 1989.
YORK COUNTY, VA RECORDS, 1665-1672 by Benjamin B. Weisiger, III, 1987. (Record Book #4)
YORK COUNTY, VA RECORDS, 1672-1676 by Benjamin B. Weisiger, III, 1991. (Record Book #5)