Among the Gentry of Colonial Virginia — John Chiles

B. about 1666 in Jamestown, Virginia^1,2
M. (1) before 29 Sep 1693 in (probably) King and Queen County, Virginia²
Wife: Mary _______
M. (2) before 23 Oct 1698 in (probably) King and Queen County, Virginia^2,3
Wife: Eleanor (possibly) Webber
D. about 1723 in King William County, Virginia²

The House of Burgesses in colonial Virginia was a legislative body that worked in tandem with the English crown, giving the men who lived in the colony a voice in their own affairs. Inspired by the English House of Commons, it would in turn one day inspire the creation of the U.S. House of Representatives. And one man who served in it during the early 18th century was John Chiles.

John had been born in about 1666 to Walter Chiles and Mary Page, the second of their two children.¹ He was likely born at Kemp House in Jamestown,² which claims to have been the first brick dwelling in America.⁴ His father and both of his grandfathers had also been members of the House of Burgesses,² and his paternal grandfather was elected to it the first year it existed.⁵

All of John’s heritage was from the gentry class of Virginia, defined as large land-owners of English descent who were not of the nobility. The colony was founded in 1607 by a rougher mix of men; the success of it didn’t take hold until the 1620s and 1630s when men with a little money came over and acquired huge amounts of land. The families of these settlers would dominate Virginia for centuries, and many of course were among the founding fathers of the United States. Unfortunately slavery was also a big part of their story, and accumulating wealth off the labor of others allowed the gentry class to participate in local government.

In addition to inheriting Kemp House after his father died, John owned over 1,200 acres in what is now King William County, Virginia.⁶ This was a narrow strip of land formed by two small rivers (the Pamunkey and Mattaponi) coming together to form a larger river (the York). Wealthier Virginians were acquiring rich-soiled farmland along the rivers and turning them into successful tobacco plantations, and this seems to be what John did.

There is only sketchy information about John’s two marriages and his children. We know that his first wife was named Mary from a document dated September 29, 1693,² and that by about 1697, they had produced a son and two daughters. The girls aren’t identified by their first names, but the boy was called Walter.² Then Mary died, and John married a woman named Eleanor,² with whom he fathered four more children. As with most families of colonial Virginia, the lack of vital records doesn’t offer us complete lists of offspring, and there may have been many more children in John’s family.

As early as 1693, John was elected to the House of Burgesses.⁷ Twice he was mentioned as a messenger, which was a person who sometimes interacted with other English colonies. And in 1702, John performed the duties of “mace bearer.”² The mace was a ceremonial staff which represented the authority who ruled above the House — in this case the crown of England. When the members gathered, the bearer marched in holding the mace in front of him, to signal that the session could officially begin. The tradition of mace bearer is still practiced today in the U.S. House of Representatives with an eagle emblem instead of a crown. 

Mace bearer in the House of Burgesses. (AI-generated image)

Besides his plantations, one of John’s business interests included part ownership of a ship named The Westover from 1700 to 1702.² It was a sloop of forty tons, built in Virginia in 1693, and he owned it with William Byrd and William Randolph, two important members of Virginia’s gentry class. Byrd was considered the founder of Richmond, Virginia, and Randolph would become the great-grandfather of Thomas Jefferson.

John continued serving in the House of Burgesses until 1723 when he was mentioned in a report issued on May 10th that implied that he had just died.² He was only about 57 at the time of his death and didn’t seem to leave a will. John’s wife Eleanor survived him, remarrying to a man named Edward Hickman, and moving to Albemarle County.⁸ She was still living in 1758.⁸

Children by Mary _______:
1. Walter Chiles — B. 1690s, (probably) King and Queen County, Virginia;² D. 1760, Amelia County, Virginia²

2. _______ (female) Chiles — B. 1690s, (probably) King and Queen County, Virginia;² D. before 1760;² M. William Carr²

3. _______ (female) Chiles — B. 1690s, (probably) King and Queen County, Virginia;² D. before 1760;² M. Joseph Sutherland^2,9

Children by Eleanor ________:

1. Henry Chiles — B. 23 Oct 1698, King and Queen County, Virginia;¹⁰ D. 10 Jun 1763, Spotsylvania County, Virginia;¹⁰ M. (1) Mercy Webb (1696-1750), 1735, Virginia;¹⁰ (2) Mary Chiles (1704-1759); (3) Susannah Dicken (1713-1784)¹⁰

2. Susannah Chiles — B. 28 Apr 1700, King and Queen County, Virginia;¹¹ D. 29 Jun 1754, Louisa County, Virginia;¹¹ M. Joseph Martin (~1700-?), 1736, Virginia¹¹

3. John Chiles — B. about 1700, (probably) King and Queen County, Virginia;¹² D. before 10 Oct 1774, (probably) Louisa County, Virginia¹²

4. Jane Chiles — B. about 1704, Virginia;¹³ M. John W. Wright¹³

Sources:
1    The year 1666 is a rough estimate based on his parents and his own adulthood. According to one source, John Chiles witnessed a deed in 1674, and assuming he was an adult, his birth year would have been in the mid-1650s. But his mother Mary (Page) Chiles could not have been born before the 1640s.
2    “Walter Chiles II,” Virginia Lee Hutchinson Davis, Tidewater Virginia Families, 2004, pp. 215-220
3    WikiTree listing of John and Eleanor’s oldest son Henry Chiles
4    A Timeline for Structures at Jamestown related to the Chiles Family (website)
5    “Walter Chiles I,” Virginia Lee Hutchinson Davis, Tidewater Virginia Families, 2004, pp. 209-213
6    WikiTree article of John Chiles
7    The Compendium of American Genealogy, Volume VII, p. 194
8    WikiTree listing of Elender (Webber) Hickman
9    Joseph Sutherland’s son Fendall appears on several documents associated with Walter Chile’s property and estate, but Fendall is too young to be the Sutherland man who married the Chiles woman, so it’s inferred it was his father Joseph.
10  WikiTree listing of Henry Chiles
11  WikiTree listing of Susannah (Chiles) Martin
12  WikiTree listing of John Chiles (the son)
13  WikiTree listing of Jane (Chiles) Wright

Serving Under Lieutenant Washington — John Franklin

B. 2 Jun 1729 in Boston, Massachusetts¹
M. about 1759 in (probably) Virginia²
Wife: Phoebe (maybe) Parker
D. about 1818 in Burke County, North Carolina²

Early in the military career of George Washington, he led a few hundred men into the frontier of the American colonies, and John Franklin was one of them. The events John experienced firsthand were an important part of history — a precursor to the American Revolution.

John was born on June 2, 1729 in a place far from his later adventures: Boston, Massachusetts.¹ His parents were David Franklin and Elizabeth Ayers and he was the seventh of their eight children. The obvious question is: Was he related to Benjamin Franklin, also born in Boston a generation earlier? And the answer is no — at least not on this side of the Atlantic. David Franklin was a sailor working in the Boston harbor,² and when John came of age, he followed his father in this line of work.

In early 1754, John was in Prince William County, Virginia, perhaps lying over for the winter. At the age of 25, John seemed to have had enough of working on ships, and on February 11th, he enlisted in a military unit to serve on the frontier.² The colony of Virginia wanted to secure their claims on the Ohio River Valley, which was being encroached upon by the French. So orders were given to recruit a force of 300 men, with a 22-year-old lieutenant to lead them named George Washington. Their mission was to build a fort at “the source of the Ohio,” and to defend it from attackers.³

The record of John’s enlistment described him as being five feet six inches tall, with brown hair, and “large eyebrows.” He was also said to be “well-made,” and a sailor from New England.³ His experience on ships was probably good preparation for the stamina he’d need during the next few years of his life.

Journey of John Franklin in 1753-1754.

The military force led by Washington had no idea what they were getting into. The future of the western frontier was at stake, and all these men knew was that they had to drive the French away from the Ohio River Valley. Getting there wasn’t easy; roads didn’t exist, and since they were crossing the Appalachians, there was no waterway that went directly there. Rain hampered their march, and the terrain was said to be so rough that they sometimes only made three miles a day. As they marched, they cleared enough vegetation to make a sort of road where others could follow, so perhaps this slowed them down, too.

The French were waiting for them in the area, but under orders not to attack unless the Virginians attacked first, which is what Lieutenant Washington did in a small skirmish on May 28th. This was a strategic mistake, and left the Virginians scrambling to prepare for the battle they knew was coming. In a field in present-day Fayette County, Pennsylvania, the men built a makeshift structure which was dubbed Fort Necessity, little more than a crude cabin for their arsenal, surrounded by a stockade. On July 3rd, the French showed up with their Indian allies, quickly outnumbering Washington’s men, and after a short battle, the Virginians abandoned the fort to the French. It was the only time in Washington’s career that he ever surrendered to the enemy. 

Building Fort Necessity. (AI-generated image)

What made this event so historical wasn’t just the learning experience Washington gained as a military leader. This was a confrontation that was a precursor to the French and Indian War, a 7-year conflict which England ultimately won. And in the aftermath, the leaders in England tried to get the American colonists to pay for the war, which of course led to the American Revolution.

As for John, his service continued. He seems to have deserted his company for a time along with many others; this happened after the Battle of Fort Necessity, but he was likely rounded up and brought back.³ Washington’s force participated in the Battle of Monongahela in July 1755, and John was likely involved; this was an attempt to capture Fort Duquesne (present-day Pittsburgh), and the Virginians were in support of a British Army force — and the French roundly defeated them.

The rest of John’s service was under Captain Thomas Waggoner, and his company’s duty was to secure a series of forts along the South Branch of the Potomac, an area that extended into present-day West Virginia.² Some records for Waggoner’s Company are missing, but circumstantial evidence points to the fact John served there until end of the war in 1763. Apparently this was where John found a wife, a woman named Phoebe (last name said to be Parker, but this is uncertain).² Their oldest son later testified that he had been born at a place called “Fort Stump, Virginia,”² and researchers have determined that Stump was the last name of a landowner near one of the South Branch forts — Fort George — and that “Fort Stump” may have been an alternate name for the stockade.

With the war’s end, many of the men who served as soldiers were awarded “bounty land,” an easy way to pay them because land was plentiful. There’s no hard evidence that John received any land, but a note written by Washington listed him among 88 men who were being charged for surveying costs,² an indicator that this was in relation to bounty land. What is known is that after his military days were over, he joined a migration to the south — to Burke County, North Carolina — and this was where he spent the rest of his life.²

1789 survey of John’s land in Burke County, North Carolina.

John and Phoebe had a large family that included at least 11 children; the oldest was John, born at Fort Stump in about 1760,² with most of the rest born in Burke County. John was past 60-years-old when his youngest child was born in 1790.⁴ The Franklin family settled near the head of Silver Creek in what was Rowan County, then moved to near Lower Creek in Burke County.² At Lower Creek, John was shown to have owned 700 or more acres. Census records indicate that he had no slaves.⁵

On June 4, 1813, John made out his will naming all eleven of his children.⁶ He lived about another six years, with the will being probated in 1819.² His wife Phoebe survived him, and she died in about 1821.²

Children:
1. John Franklin — B. about 1760, Hardy County, Virginia;² D. 30 Sep 1837, Burke County, North Carolina;⁷ M. Nancy Wallace (?-~1853), 12 Jul 1817, Burke County, North Carolina⁸

2. David Franklin — B. about 1762, (probably) Virginia;² D. after Dec 1820²

3. Moses Franklin — B. about 1765, (probably) Rowan County, North Carolina;⁹ D. about Feb 1830, Franklin County, Tennessee;⁹ M. Elizabeth ______, Burke County, North Carolina²

4. Jemima Franklin — B. Oct 1767, Burke County, North Carolina;¹⁰ D. 7 Jun 1854, Franklin County, Tennessee;¹⁰ M. (1) Daniel McCoy;² (2) William Griffin, 8 Feb 1805, Pulaski County, Kentucky;¹¹ (3) Thomas Wakefield, 1825, Franklin County, Tennessee²

5. Mary “Polly” Franklin — B. about 1770, Burke County, North Carolina;¹² D. before 1 Jun 1830, (probably) Putnam County, Indiana;¹³ M. William Sutherland (~1770-?), 1787, Lincoln County, Kentucky¹⁴

6. Jonathan Franklin — B. about 1773, Rowan County, North Carolina;² D. after 1870, Owen County, Indiana;² M. (1) Rachel ______ (?-~1803);² (2) Jennie Hood (?-1826), about 1805;² (3) Mary Johnson (1787-?)²

7. Lydia Franklin — B. 26 Aug 1774, Burke County, North Carolina;¹⁴ D. 18 Sep 1869, Putnam County, Indiana;¹⁴ M. Fendall Sutherlin (1767-1834), before 1791, (probably) Burke County, North Carolina¹⁴

8. Samuel Franklin — B. about 1780, Burke County, North Carolina;¹⁵ D. 12 Jul 1857, Linville Falls, North Carolina;¹⁵ M. Dorcas Burns, 6 Aug 1800, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina¹⁵

9. Phoebe Franklin — B. about 1781, Burke County, North Carolina;² D. after 9 Nov 1821;² M. Thomas Brown, 1795²

10. Anna Franklin — B. about 1784, Burke County, North Carolina²

11. Rachel B. Franklin – B. 4 Feb 1790, Burke County, North Carolina;⁴ D. 12 Apr 1851, Franklin County, Tennessee;⁴ M. George Tipps (~1782-~1881), about 1805, Burke County, North Carolina²

Sources:
1    Birth record of John Franklin, Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
2    “A Mystery Story: The Case Of the Origins of John Franklin, Sr. (1729-1819) of Burke County, North Carolina,” Franklin Family Researchers, V. 6, 1993
3    John Franklin: An American Hero And His Progeny, Dorsey Wayne Franklin, 1987
4    Find-a-Grave listing of Rachel B. (Franklin) Tipps
5    1790 U.S. Census, Burke County, North Carolina
6    John Franklin’s will, North Carolina, Probate Records, 1735-1970, images, FamilySearch.org
7    Find-a-Grave listing of John Franklin Jr.
8    Marriage record of John Franklin and Nancy Wallace, North Carolina, Marriages, 1759-1979, FamilySearch.org
9    Find-a-Grave listing of Moses Franklin
10  Find-a-Grave listing of Jemima (Franklin) Wakefield
11  Marriage record of William Griffin and Jemima McCoy, Kentucky, Marriages, 1785-1979, FamilySearch.org
12  Mary Franklin’s estimated birth year based on date of her marriage
13  William Sutherland’s household in the 1820 U.S. census had a woman of Mary’s age, but the 1830 U.S. Census did not
14  Sutherlands and Their Tangled Branches, Robert J. Walsh, 1985, p. 23-31
15  Find-a-Grave listing of Samuel Franklin

One of the Colonial Virginia Elites — John Page

B. about 1627 in (probably) Bedfont, Middlesex, England¹
M. before 26 Jun 1648 in England²
Wife: Alice Luken
D. 23 Jan 1692 in Middle Plantation, Virginia¹

During the mid-17th century, Virginia became a colony with a distinct class structure; if you came from England, you were either from a rich family, or were an indentured laborer. Somewhere near the top of the social pyramid was John Page, a man who brought his wealth and status to Virginia, and left a mark on some of its institutions.

John was likely born in Bedfont, Middlesex, England in about 1627.¹ This was just outside of London; in fact the location today is very close to Heathrow Airport. His father was Francis Page, said to be a wealthy “gentleman”³ (John’s mother’s name is unknown). There was at least one other child in the family, a sister named Elizabeth.³ Little is known about John’s early life until when he was about 20, he married a woman named Alice Lukin, also of the London-area. Soon after, they had their first child, a daughter named Mary.⁴

During this time, John was described as being a merchant,³ and there was talk of opportunity in colonial America among some of his peers. Tidewater Virginia was the object of their interest because of the lucrative tobacco crop, and the offer of vast amounts of plantation land to those who could afford it. This was also the era of Oliver Cromwell, and many upper class men were Royalists. All of these factors likely played a part in what motivated John to leave England. 

John Page. (AI-enhanced illustration)

The first mention of John in Virginia was for a land claim on the south side of the York River. The headright system gave any man an additional 50 acres for each person he transported to the colony, and on September 11, 1653, John filed papers naming himself, his wife Alice, his young daughter Mary and his sister Elizabeth as headrights.³ At some point, Elizabeth married another Virginia elite, Edward Digges,³ who served as governor of the colony from March 1655 to December 1656. John’s association with his brother-in-law no doubt brought him into the circle of men who governed the colony. From 1665 to 1677, John served in the House of Burgesses³ (the lower house of Virginia’s bicameral system). Then from 1677 to 1692, he served in the Governor’s Council³ (the upper house of Virginia). Together, it gave him 30 years of influence in the colony.

John’s family settled at a place called Middle Plantation,³ where at least two more children were born. Middle Plantation was located on high ground between the York and James Rivers, and it had been established in 1632, but it wasn’t until John moved there that it became a significant town. He built his house from brick,³ an early example of Virginia architecture, and also a sign of his status. In 1678, he donated the land and money for Bruton Parish Church,⁵ a structure that stood until it was replaced in 1715. 

Building a brick house in Virginia. (AI-generated image)

At some point, John acquired the title of “Colonel,” which was noted on his tombstone, but there doesn’t seem to be any military role appearing in any of the data about his life. He did have some involvement in Bacon’s Rebellion, firmly standing with the Royalists.⁶ Governor William Berkeley took refuge at John’s house during the rebellion,⁶ and John’s wife Alice was kidnapped by Bacon near the end of the insurrection to be used as a human shield.⁷

Not everything John did is to be admired. Like the men around him, he had many enslaved people working for him, but in addition to that, he was also an agent for the Royal African Company.³ The RAC was a business set up by the crown of England in 1660 to monopolize trade along the coast of western Africa. Early charters of the company forbade the trading of slaves, but that changed in 1672, and this was the period when John was said to be an agent. So no doubt some of his wealth was made from the brutal practice of enslaving Africans.

John did have two notable achievements in his life. One was that he was involved in the founding of William & Mary College, the second oldest university in the colonies (Harvard being the oldest). John was said to have played “a pivotal role in supporting the efforts of Reverend Doctor James Blair,”³ the man who worked with authorities in England to set up a place of higher learning in Virginia. John’s other claim to fame was that he was an advocate for moving the colony’s capital from Jamestown to Middle Plantation.³ In this way, he was a sort of a visionary regarding the future of Virginia. 

Unfortunately for John, he didn’t live to see either plan carried out, because he died on January 23, 1692.¹ William & Mary was founded a year later, and by the end of the decade, the capital was indeed moved to Middle Plantation, which was renamed in honor of the King: Williamsburg. John’s wife Alice survived him, and she passed away in 1698.⁸

Original tombstone of John Page. (Source: Find-a-Grave)

The bloodlines of John found their way into many of the First Families of Virginia, including Byrd, Chiles, Dilliard, Tyler, Pendelton, Burwell, Nelson, Randolph, Carter, Harrison and Waller.³ One of his grandchildren was Mann Page, who accumulated over 70,000 acres of land. Great-great grandson John Page served as governor of Virginia from 1802 to 1805, and a 4G grandson was President John Tyler.³ The site of John’s home is today in the heart of Colonial Williamsburg, a place that attracts thousands of visitors every year. Perhaps this was John’s greatest legacy.

Children:
1. Mary Page — B. before 26 Jun 1648, (probably) London, England;⁴ D. about 1669, Jamestown, Virginia;⁹ M. Walter Chiles (1630-1671), before 1665, (probably) Jamestown, Virginia⁹

2. Francis Page — B. about 1657, Middle Plantation, Virginia;¹⁰ D. 10 May 1692, Williamsburg, Virginia;¹⁰ M. Mary Digges (1658-1690), Gloucester County, Virginia¹⁰

3. Matthew Page — B. 19 Jan 1659, Middle Plantation, Virginia;¹¹ D. 9 Jan 1703, Gloucester County, Virginia;¹¹ M. Mary Mann (~1672-1707), 1689, Gloucester County, Virginia¹¹

Sources:
1    Find-a-Grave listing for John Page
2    Marriage date based on the baptism of his oldest known child
3    John Page (planter) (Wikipedia article)
4    Baptismal record of Mary Page, England, Births and Christenings, 1538-1975, FamilySearch.org
5    “Bruton Parish Church” (Wikipedia article) 
6    Rosewell, Garland of Virginia, Claude O. Luciano, 1978
7    “Bacon’s Rebellion: America’s First Revolutionary?” Military History Online 
8    Find-a-Grave listing of Alice (Lukin) Page
9    WikiTree listing of Mary (Page) Chiles
10  Find-a-Grave listing of Capt. Francis Page
11  Find-a-Grave listing of Col. Matthew Page

Virginia House of Burgesses Member — Walter Chiles

B. about 1630 In Bristol, England¹
M. (1) before 1665 in (probably) Jamestown, Virginia^1,2
Wife: ______ Page
M. (2) before 15 Feb 1671 in (probably) Jamestown, Virginia¹
Wife: Susanna ______
D. before 15 May 1672 in (probably) Jamestown, Virginia¹

The earliest settlers of the Virginia colony included many who took on a ruling class status. One man was Walter Chiles, who followed in his father’s footsteps.

Walter’s parents were Walter and Elizabeth Chiles, and they were from Bristol, England, where young Walter was born in about 1630.¹ Not much is known about the family in England, except that there was one other son named William.¹ Walter’s father first went to Virginia by himself in 1636, and two years later, he migrated there with his wife and young sons.¹ They took advantage of the headright system, which offered 50 acres to a man for each person who he brought with him. The Chiles family got 400 acres in Charles City County on the Appomattox River,³ and this was young Walter’s first home in America.

In 1642, Walter’s father became a member of the brand new House of Burgesses,³ an elected body set up to handle colony issues on a local level. At some point, this put the family in Jamestown, and from 1649, they lived in a place known as Kemp House; it had been built in 1638 and is thought to be the first ever brick house in Virginia.³ Walter Sr. died just five years later,³ and he passed the house on to son Walter, who added “a brick house 37 feet in length” to the property.¹

Kemp House. (AI-generated image)

Walter was married twice. His first wife was the daughter of John Page,¹ but there is uncertainty about her first name. Some say it was Elizabeth and others believe it was Mary. In either case, John Page was another prominent man in Jamestown, and a marriage to his daughter would further indicate Walter’s status. His first wife gave birth to at least two children during the 1660s, a daughter and son, but she died not long after,⁴ and Walter remarried to a woman named Susanna.¹ The second marriage brought one son.

After the death of his father, Walter became a member of the House of Burgesses, serving in 1653, 1658, 1659 and 1660.¹ In 1660, Governor William Berkeley appointed him and others to “act during the recess of the Assembly.”¹ Walter also was a justice in Jamestown for a time.¹

Walter made out his will on November 15, 1671, and it was probated May 15th of the following year, so he passed away between those dates.¹ His widow Susanna remarried to Reverend James Wadding,¹ who later became an important figure in Bacon’s Rebellion. Through Walter’s daughter Elizabeth, he was the ancestor of President John Tyler.⁵

Children by _____ Page:
1. Elizabeth Chiles — B. before 24 Feb 1665, Jamestown, Virginia;² D. 19 Jan 1703, Williamsburg, Virginia;² M. Henry Tyler, about 25 Jun 1684, York County, Virginia²

2. John Chiles — B. about 1669, (probably) Jamestown, Virginia;⁶ D. before 5 May 1723, King William County, Virginia;⁶ M. (1) Mary ______, before Sep 1693, Virginia;⁶ M. (2) Eleanor Webber⁶

Child by Susanna _______:
1. Henry Chiles — B. before 4 Apr 1671, Jamestown, Virginia;¹ D. after 29 Apr 1718, Hanover County, Virginia;⁷ M. Mary _____⁷

Sources:
1    WikiTree listing of Walter Chiles Jr.
2    WikiTree listing of Elizabeth (Chiles) Tyler
3    WikiTree listing of Walter Chiles Sr.
4    The approximate date of death is based on the fact children Elizabeth and John were known to be grandchildren of her father John Page (per his will).
5    FamousKin.com listing of Walter Chiles Jr.
6    WikiTree listing of John Chiles
7    Tidewater Virginia Families, pp. 224-227, 2004

Link From His Father to His Son — Joseph Sutherland

B. about 1680 in (probably) New Kent County, Virginia¹
M. before about 1718 in (probably) New Kent County, Virginia²
Wife: _______ Chiles
D. before June 14, 1739 in King William County, Virginia¹

There are few surviving records from colonial King William County, Virginia. During the late 19th century, a courthouse fire destroyed nearly everything, making it impossible to track many families. In the case of Joseph Sutherland, only two documents record him by name: a 1699 record regarding his father’s probate, and a 1701 ruling for the same case. With this, we know the name of his father and his two brothers.

Joseph was born in about 1680 in colonial Virginia, likely in the county of New Kent.¹ He seems to have been a third-generation American of Scottish and English descent. Joseph’s parents were George and Elizabeth Sutherland (his mother’s maiden name is thought to be Norment),¹ and he was their oldest surviving son. New Kent County was tobacco country, and just about everyone who lived there either grew it, or traded it. Joseph’s father had acquired a vast amount of land from the Pamunkey Indians between two small rivers,³ and this was likely where Joseph grew up. 

On a tobacco farm. (AI-generated image)

George Sutherland died by June of 1699, leaving behind Joseph and two younger brothers, Phillip and George.³ None of them were of age, and their situation seemed ominous: the courts were questioning the legality of their father’s property title. Basically the authorities said that since it had been acquired directly from the Indians, the Sutherlands had no right to it because only the King of England or his representative could grant land in the colony. The issue was appealed, with Joseph Norment serving as the boys’ guardian, and on September 4, 1701, this order was made by the Virginia House of Burgesses:

Resolved: That it is the opinion of this house that no patents be issued to any persons claiming land within the bounds assigned the Pamunkey Indians, and for this reason no patents to be issued unto Joseph Norment in behalf of Joseph Sutherland, Phillip Sutherland and George Sutherland, orphan sons of George Sutherland, deceased, for 300 acres.³

The issue of ownership of this land was mentioned again on October 28, 1702 when a grant of 312 acres was now approved for the “orphans of George Sutherland,” but only Phillip and George were mentioned, not Joseph.¹ Researchers believe that this indicated Joseph had come of age, thus establishing a rough birth year of 1680. They also think that as an adult, he had received his land separately.

In January 1705, Phillip and George were paid money for their claim on land they inherited.³ Later that year, another document used the phrase “heir of George Sutherland, deceased,”³ and this exact wording was repeated in a grant dated June 14, 1739. The recipient of the grant was Fendall Sutherland, grandson of George.¹ Unfortunately, the generation between George and Fendall wasn’t named, but since Phillip and George had sold out, this would leave Joseph as the father of Fendall.

Some have inferred from the uncommon name of “Fendall” that Joseph had a wife with that surname, but this does not seem to be true. Instead, evidence suggests that Joseph’s wife was the daughter of John Chiles (~1666-~1723). The case is made for this because of son Fendall’s later connection to the Chiles family in probate and land records,³ and a document saying that John Chiles had two daughters, one of whom married a Sutherland.⁴ Besides Fendall, three other children have been tied to Joseph, all born between about the years 1718 and 1734; this age range fits with a John Chiles daughter being the wife of Joseph.

The June 1739 land grant does have one conclusive fact about Joseph: he was deceased by that date. Most likely his death occurred earlier that year, although the timing of the grant may also be linked to his son Fendall coming of age and Joseph may have died up to about 5 years earlier.

Children:
1. Fendall Sutherland — B. about 1718, King William County, Virginia;¹ D. before 24 Aug 1789 in King William County, Virginia;¹ M. (1) UNKNOWN, about 1740;¹ (2) Mary Coleman (?-1818), about 1757¹

2. John Sutherland — B. about 1720, (probably) King William County, Virginia;⁵ D. before 21 Mar 1771, Carteret, Virginia;⁵ M. Ann _______, 1745, Virginia⁵

3. Elizabeth Sutherland — B. 2 Feb 1726, Prince George County, Virginia;⁶ D. about 1819, Amelia County, Virginia;⁶ M. Thomas Whitworth (1726-1801), 1745, Virginia⁷

4. Joseph Sutherland — B. about 1734, (probably) Virginia;⁸ D. 16 May 1807, Louisa, Virginia;⁸ M. Grissell Mallory (1744-1807)⁸

Sources:
1    Sutherlands and Their Tangled Branches, Robert J. Walsh, 1985
2    Approximate marriage date based on estimated birth year of oldest child. See paragraph 7 for explanation of his wife’s surname.
3    “Southerland Family of King William County, Virginia,” Winston of Virginia and Allied Families, Clayton Torrence, 1927, pp. 390-396
4    Reports of Cases in the General Court of Virginia, 1829, p. 133
5    WikiTree listing of John Southerland
6    Find-a-Grave listing of Elizabeth (Southerland) Whitworth
7    WikiTree listing of Elizabeth (Southerland) Whitworth
8    Geni.com listing of Joseph Sutherland

A Highborn Pedigree in Frontier America — Martha Strode

B. about 1697 in (probably) England or Netherlands¹
M. (probably) 1719 in Chester County, Pennsylvania²
Husband: Morgan Bryan
D. 29 Aug 1762 in Rowan County, North Carolina¹

Martha Strode and her husband Morgan Bryan each brought a lofty heritage to the American backwoods. And while some researchers doubt his pedigree is accurate, hers has been fully verified through records, although a few sketchy details remain.

Martha’s story begins with her parents Edward Strode and Joanna Hatchett having to leave England because he wouldn’t swear loyalty to King William.³ They fled to the continent where some of their children were born in France, and the youngest of these was Martha whose birth year was about 1697.¹ When she was still a baby, the family decided to settle in America, and boarded a ship bound for Philadelphia.³ Then both of Martha’s parents died — it isn’t clear from records if this happened at sea or shortly after landing.³ What is certain is that Martha and her three older brothers suddenly became orphans in a strange new place.

Who raised Martha and her brothers? Unfortunately, we don’t know. It’s believed that people took the children in, perhaps those who had traveled on the same ship. Martha seemed to have had a good upbringing, and was told about who her parents were. In 1719, Martha was said to have married her husband, Morgan Bryan.² He was much older than she was (born in 1671),² which would have made him about 47 when they married. Like Martha, Morgan was a high-born immigrant of English, Dutch and Irish descent, but was said to have been born in Denmark because his parents were in exile.² The couple made their home in Chester County and began a family;² by 1737, Martha gave birth to at least eight children. 

Raising a family on a colonial farm. (AI-generated image)

There were two times during her married life that Martha moved with her family to a more remote location. The first venture was in about 1730 when Morgan joined a group who bought a massive amount of land in Frederick County, Virginia.² For the next several years, the Bryan family lived a pioneer existence in the backwoods of Virginia, moving at least three times. Typically this meant building a log cabin each time they settled, where Martha kept house and looked after her children.

The second major move happened in 1748, and this time Martha’s family settled in the piedmont of North Carolina.² It’s been written in many places that Martha died in Virginia before they migrated south, but records and a grave stone have disproved this.² The 1748 trek was described as a “dangerous” route, where Morgan had to sometimes disassemble part of the wagon because the road was too narrow.² It took three months to reach their destination at the forks of the Yadkin River and the Bryans were said to be the first family to reach it.²

As he had done in Virginia, Morgan acquired as much land as he could, and the place where they lived was called Bryan’s Settlement.² Within a few years, other families moved into the area, including the father of Daniel Boone;⁴ Martha’s son William married Boone’s sister Mary, and in 1756, her granddaughter Rebecca married Boone himself.⁴

Martha died on August 29, 1762;¹ her husband Morgan survived her by a short time, dying in April 1763.⁵ Years later, Martha’s tombstone was uncovered by workers who were building a road. The stone is now in a museum in Rowan County, North Carolina. 

Martha’s gravestone on display. (Source: Find-a-Grave)

Because of Martha’s granddaughter, all descendants of Daniel Boone are also descendants of Martha; this includes Major League Baseball players Ray Boone, Bob Boone, Brett Boone and Aaron Boone.⁶

Children (many birth years are rough estimates):
1. Joseph Bryan — B. about 1720, Chester County, Pennsylvania;⁷ D. before Mar 1805, Jefferson County, Kentucky;⁷ M. (1) Hester ______ (~1720-1741), (probably) Virginia;⁷ (2) Aylee Linville (1722-1805), about 1741, Winchester, Virginia⁷

2. James Bryan — B. about 1723, Orange County, Virginia;⁸ D. 14 Aug 1807, St. Charles, Missouri;⁸ M. Rebecca Enochs (1732-1768), 1756, North Carolina⁸

3. Samuel Bryan — B. about 1726, Chester County, Pennsylvania;⁹ D. 1798, Rowan County, North Carolina;⁹ M. (1) Masmilla Simpson;⁹ (2) Elizabeth McMahan (1737-?), 1755, North Carolina⁹

4. Mary Bryan — B. about 1728, Chester County, Pennsylvania;¹⁰ D. 25 Feb 1742, Orange County, Virginia;¹⁰ M. Thomas Curtis, about 1740, Virginia¹⁰

5. Elenor Bryan — B. about 1729, Chester County, Pennsylvania;¹¹ D. 21 Oct 1792, Madison County, Kentucky;¹¹ M. William D. Linville (1710-1766), about 1745¹¹

6. Morgan Bryan — B. 20 May 1729, (probably) Chester County, Pennsylvania;² D. before 4 Jul 1804, Fayette County, Kentucky;¹² M. Mary Forbis (~1731-~1794), about 1747, Rowan County, North Carolina¹²

7. John Bryan — B. about 1730, (probably) Frederick County, Virginia;² D. before 5 Nov 1800, Rowan County, North Carolina;¹³ M. Sarah ______, about 1750, (probably) Rowan County, North Carolina¹³

8. William Bryan — B. 10 Mar 1734, (probably) Frederick County, Virginia;² D. 30 May 1780, Bryan’s Station, Kentucky;¹⁴ M. Mary Boone (1736-1819), 1755, Rowan County, North Carolina¹⁴

9. Thomas Bryan — B. about 1737, (probably) Frederick County, Virginia;¹⁵ D. about 1777, Kentucky;¹⁵ M. Sarah Hunt¹⁵

Sources:
1    Find-a-Grave listing of Martha (Strode) Bryan
2    Morgan Bryan (1671-1763) A Danish-born “Irish Immigrant” and some of his antecedents and descendants, David C. McMurtry, David R. Bryan and Kathryn H. Weiss, 2007
3    In Search of the Strode Orphans: The Ancestry of Edward Strode, Jeremiah Strode, Samuel Strode, and Martha (Strode) Bryan, David C. McMurtry, Michael L. Kallam and Kerry Ross O’Boran, 1998
4    The Boone Family: A Genealogical History of George and Mary Boone who Came to America in 1717, Hazel A. Spraker, 1974
5    Find-a-Grave listing of Morgan Bryan
6    Ray Boone (Wikipedia article)
7    WikiTree listing of Joseph Bryan Sr.
8    WikiTree listing of James Bryan
9    WikiTree listing of Samuel Bryan
10  WikiTree listing of Mary (Bryan) Curtis
11  WikiTree listing of Elenor (Bryan) Linville
12  WikiTree listing of Morgan Bryan Jr.
13  WikiTree listing of John Bryan
14  WikiTree listing of William Bryan
15  WikiTree listing of Thomas Bryan

Bounty Land and Migration West — William Sutherland

B. about 1742 in King William County, Virginia¹
M. about 1766 in (probably) Virginia²
Wife: Mary “Polly” Owen
D. after 22 Jun 1803, Lincoln County, Kentucky³

The story of William Sutherland was similar to many of his generation: serving as a soldier in the American Revolution led to the westward movement of his descendants. William was born in King William County, Virginia in about 1742,¹ and he was believed to be the oldest son of Fendall Sutherland (also spelled Southerland or Sutherlin) and his first wife, an unnamed daughter of John Chiles.⁴ The details of his childhood and siblings are sketchy because an 1885 courthouse fire destroyed nearly all of the records of King William County. William did seem to have at least two younger brothers, and three younger half-sisters.

At some point, William struck out on his own, settling in an area of Virginia which was near the present-day border with North Carolina.¹ He married a young woman named Mary “Polly” Owen in about 1766,² and they started a family which would include 10 known children. The Piedmont region where William lived as an adult was somewhat different from where he was born. This wasn’t the Virginia tidewater country with its rich soil that was ideal for growing tobacco. Instead, farms produced smaller crops — a mix of corn, wheat, and other vegetables, along with some tobacco. Unlike his father, William owned no slaves,⁵ so he worked his land himself. Many of his neighbors were of Scots-Irish or German descent, recent immigrants who had migrated into western North Carolina on the Great Wagon Road from Pennsylvania. 

Clearing the land in the North Carolina Piedmont. (AI-generated image)

There is evidence that William served in the American Revolution, and a muster roll dated June 1, 1777 under Captain George B. Wallace of Virginia lists a William Sutherlin.⁶ With a common first name, this may have been another William, but a gap in his children’s ages fits the narrative that he served as a soldier for a time (fifth child Susannah was born about 1776, and sixth child Owen, was born in about 1781).

Also supporting the fact that William served in the American Revolution is a land grant dated May 20, 1793.⁷ In lieu of money after the war, soldiers were offered large tracts of land in designated areas on the western frontier. This record stated that William was a private in the Continental Army, but that he was assigning the land for Captain Tillman Dixon, an officer who served in a North Carolina regiment. We know that William lived in North Carolina around this time because three years earlier he was listed in the 1790 U.S. Census in Burke County.⁸

The land granted to Dixon amounted to 640 acres near present-day Nashville, Tennessee, and William must have received something in return for it, because he seems to have purchased a large amount of land in Lincoln County, Kentucky. In 1801, a Lincoln County tax list described that William owned 350 acres and 5 horses.⁹ Sons William and Fendall were also listed, and youngest son George was implied to be in his household. 

1801 tax list of Lincoln County, Kentucky.

William didn’t live long in Kentucky, because on June 22, 1803, he made out his will.³ Already “weak of body,” he bequeathed his land to his sons, with Fendall receiving 150 acres, and the other three 50 acres each. William noted that sons William and Owen already lived on the land they were to receive. The will was likely proven within a short time, and Mary Sutherland was listed as a landowner in 1804,¹⁰ which almost certainly meant that William had died by that date.

The sons and daughters of William Sutherland continued a progress to the west. Three of his sons, plus youngest daughter Nancy, ended up in Putnam County, Indiana. William’s widow Mary went with them, dying in 1834 at the age of 88.¹¹ Later generations would settle in Missouri, Kansas, and other places to the west; grandson John Franklin Sutherlin would found the town of Sutherlin, Oregon.¹² You could say that it all traces to land acquired by William because of his service in the War of Independence, which began the flow of migration to the west.

Children:
1. Fendall Sutherlin — B. 25 Dec 1767, (probably) North Carolina;¹³ D. 19 Feb 1834, Putnam County, Indiana;¹³ M. Lydia Franklin (1774-1869)¹³

2. William Sutherland — B. about 1770, (probably) North Carolina;¹⁴ D. after 1 Jun 1830, (probably) Putnam County, Indiana;¹⁵ M. Mary “Polly” Franklin (~1770-?), about 1788, Lincoln County, Kentucky¹⁶ 

3. Bethany Sutherlin — about 1773, (probably) North Carolina;¹⁷ D. 1839, Jackson, Tennessee;¹⁷ M. James S. Hawkins (1764-1822), about 1791, North Carolina¹⁸

4. Millicent Sutherlin — about 1775, (probably) North Carolina;¹⁹ D. 10 May 1852, Bullitt County, Kentucky;¹⁹ M. Samuel Goldsmith (1776-1850)¹⁹

5. Susannah Sutherlin — about 1776, (probably) North Carolina;¹⁸ M. William Harper (1773-?), about 1798, Burke County, North Carolina¹⁸

6. Owen Sutherlin — about 1781, (probably) North Carolina;²⁰ D. 1858, Casey County, Kentucky;¹⁸ D. about 1866, Casey County, Kentucky; M. Mary Vandeveer (1785-1840), 22 Nov 1802, Lincoln County, Kentucky²¹

7. Mary “Polly” Sutherlin — about 1783, Burke County, North Carolina; D. 22 Oct 1810, Kentucky; M. Jonathan Jones (1782-1853), 7 Dec 1801, Lincoln County, Kentucky 

8. George W. Sutherlin — B. 1787, Burke County, North Carolina;²⁴ D. 1841, Jackson Township, Putnam County, Indiana;²⁴ M. Elizabeth Miller (1790-1877), 1806, Kentucky²⁴

9. Nancy Sutherlin — 2 Jun 1784, Burke County, North Carolina;²⁵ D. 23 Apr 1831, Orange County, Indiana;²⁵ M. Jonathan Jones (1782-1853), 27 Jun 1811, Casey County, Kentucky²⁵

10. Jenny or Jane Sutherlin — about 1781, Burke County, North Carolina;²⁵ M. Claiborne Harris, after 1810, (probably) Kentucky²⁵

Sources:
1    Sutherlands and Their Tangled Branches, Robert J. Walsh, 1985, p. 23
2    Sutherlands and Their Tangled Branches, p. 29
3    Probate record of William Sutherland, Lincoln County, Kentucky, 22 Jan 1803, FamilySearch.org
4    There are strong indicators that William’s father was somehow connected to the Chiles family of Virginia. In March 1763, Fendall Sutherland was administrator of the estate of Walter Chiles, and the name Chiles also turned up on two land sales involving Fendall. Many have assumed that Chiles was the maiden name of Fendall’s first wife, but elsewhere there is a document that John Chiles (~1666-~1723) had two daughters, one of whom married a man named Sutherland, and the age of John Chiles suggests the mystery groom was Joseph Sutherland, not Fendall. John Chiles was the father of the Walter Chiles of the 1763 record, and Fendall would therefore be Walter’s nephew, the sort of relation for an estate administrator (Walter had no children of his own).
5    Tax lists of Lincoln County, Kentucky, 1792-1803, FamilySearch.org
6    Pay roll of Capt. George B. Wallace’s company in the Virginia Regiment, 1 Jun 1777
7    Land grant to William Sutherland, a private in the continental line of North Carolina, 20 May 1693
8    1790 U.S. Census, Burke County, North Carolina
9    1801 personal property tax list of Lincoln County, Kentucky, FamilySearch.org
10  1804 personal property tax list of Lincoln County, Kentucky, FamilySearch.org
11  Find-a-Grave listing of Mary “Polly” (Owen) Sutherlin
12  Find-a-Grave listing of John Franklin Sutherlin
13  Find-a-Grave listing of Fendel Sutherlin
14  William Sutherlin’s birth year estimate based on ages of his children
15  1830 U.S. Census, Putnam County, Indiana
16  William’s marriage year estimate based on ages of his children
17  Find-a-Grave listing of Bethernia “Thenie” (Sutherland) Hawkins
18  Sutherlands and Their Tangled Branches, p. 31
19  Find-a-Grave listing of Millicent “Milly” (Sutherland) Goldsmith
20  1850 U.S. Census, Casey County, Kentucky
21  Marriage record of Owen Sutherland and Mary Vandeveer, Kentucky, U.S., Compiled Marriages, 1802-1850, Ancestry.com
22  Sutherlands and Their Tangled Branches, p. 32
23  Marriage record of Jonathan Jones and Mary Southerland, Kentucky, U.S., Compiled Marraiges, 1802-1850, Ancestry.com
24  Find-a-Grave listing of George W. Suthelin
25  Sutherlands and Their Tangled Branches, p. 33