Bartholemew Vawter

Bartholomew Vawter is said to have come from Plymouth, England and born about 1665. It is not known when he arrived in the New World, but he died in Tappahannock, Essex County, Virginia, ca. 1717. He married Winifred Hodgson between 1689 and 1691 in Essex County. Winifred was the daughter of William and Onah Hodgson.

LAST WILL OF BARTHOLOMEW VAWTER In the name of God Amen, I Bartholomew Vawter of the county of Essex and parish of St. Anns - being very sick and weak but of good and perfect sense and memory and calling to mind the certainty of death and the uncertainty of this life hereon earth, do make this my last Will and Testament in manner and form as followth First and principally I commit my soul into the hands of Almighty God that gave it, in sure and certain hopes of a Joyful Resurrection, by the merits of my Redeemer and Saviour Jesus Christ my body to be buried in a decent and Christian like manner at the discretion of my Exor. hereafter named, and for what worldly estate it hath pleased Almighty God of his great goodness and mercy to bestow upon me I give and bequeath as followth. (Viz) I will that all my just debts that I owe of any person be well and truely paid. Item I give and bequeath unto my oldest son John Vawter the land and plantation where on I now live with its appententures to him and his heirs forever. Item I give to my son William Vawter that half part of land I have in the forrest that is next to James Boulware, Jn (?) whereon he is now seated to his and his heirs forever. Item to my son David Vawter the other half part of my land in the forrest that is next to Daniel Nowell to him and his heirs forever. Item I give unto my daughter Margaret one cow and calf to be delivered to her after my decease with all their increase and alsoe what she hath already received of what nature kinde or speces whatever it is of. Item I will that my son David Vawter be of age for to act and do for himself after my decease. Item I give and bequeath to my two youngest sons Benjamin Vawter and Edward Vawter all my personal Estate both within doors and without, to be equally divided between them when they reach to age twenty one years receive his part and peacably enjoy the same. Finally I make constitute ordain and appoint my eldest son John Vawter my whole and sole Executor of this my last will and Testament, disanulling and making void all other wills by me formerly made, and do declare this to be my last. In testamony whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seal this sixteenth day of August in the year of our Lord God seventeen hundred seventeen. [signed] Bartholomew (BV) Vawter (seal) Signed sealed and declared in the presence of Saml Stallard, Saml Bizwell, John Rouse At a court held for Essex Co. on ye 7th day of September 1717 this Will was this day proved in upon Court by ye oaths of Samuel Stallard & John Rouse witnesses to & by the Court admitted to record. Test. Will. Beverley Cl Cur. Know all men by these present that we John Vawter, Daniel Nowell and James Jameson of Essex County are held and firmly bound unto Jno Lomax, Wm. Woodford and Augustine Smith Gent. Justice of ye County of Essex in ye sum of two hundred pounds Sterling which payment truly to be made? for out heir and adm. & severally to ye said Justices.. Witness our hands & seals the seventeenth day of September Ano Domni 1717. The Condition of this obligation is such if ye above bound John Vawter, Exec. Of the last will and testament of Bartho Vawter deceased do make or cause to be made above & perfect inventory? Then ye obligation be void, otherwise to remain in full force & virtue. Signed John Vawter, Daniel Nowell, James Jameson. No wife is mentioned in the will, so it is assumed that she was already deceased. Source: (Birth) Title: JAMES.FTWJAMES.FTW, Source Medium: Other .

Arrival in the Virginia colony

“After the development of the colony of James City (Jamestown) in the 1620’s, the settlers moved northward along the waterways. One of these areas was Old Rappahannock, which later became Essex County, Virginia. It is here we find the earliest roots of Bartholomew Vawter, Cornelius Noel, William Hodgson, Thomas R. Page and many others. Most of these men and families arrived in the 1650’s to original “Kings” land; land that had never before been titled. We do not yet know the parents of Bartholomew Vawter but several Vawter names are found early in the history of Virginia. Bartholomew was an adult when first seen in 1687 and married in 1690 so the Vawter lineage at this time begins with him.

http://www.vawterfamily.org/Georgine/Bartholomew%201-99.pdf

From The Rutherford Family in America: Generation 18 --2. [#18]

Robert Rutherford Sr. b. ca. 1634 Jedburgh, Scotland christened: 6 May 1640 Jedburgh, Roxburgh, Scotland d. after 21 Aug 1728 probably in Essex Co., VA. wife: Maragaret The Margaret who married Robert Rutherford Sr. is not Margaret Vawter daughter of Bartholomew as is often cited. Margaret Vawter dau. of Bartho. married Thomas S. Tinsley III. The Margaret who m. Robert Rutherford, Sr. was b. ca 1644 according to a deposition in court listing her age. Bartholomew Vawter gave a gift of a cow calfe to this Margaret so her connection to him is yet unknown. It could be a sister or is old enough to be his mother who may have married for a second time. This is the common mistaken citation: "Robert Rutherford of Essex County, Virginia, was born in Jedburgh, Scotland, and married Margaret Vawter."(Brooks and Kindred Families, 1950. p. 295-296) Louise A. Keynton, Dallas, Texas, searched Essex County, Virginia records and also confirmed this statement. He was probably one and the same as the Robert Rutherford who was baptized May 6,1640, a son of Adam Rutherford of Hall and Janet Rutherford of Roxburgh County, Scotland. His father- in-law, Bartholomew Vawter was married to Winifred Hodgenand, had (8) children by her, one of them was Margaret Vawter born 1647 and died about 1735 in Esse x Co. VA. She was married to Robert Rutherford Sr.. Bartholomew Vawter had another unknown wife who produced another daughter named Margaret. She was born in 1672 probably in England and died in 1687 probably Essex, Va. She was married to Robert Rutherford Jr. These two Margaret Vawters were half sisters and were married to father and son, Robert Rutherford Sr and Jr." The name Robert Rutherford was recorded as early as 3/