Daniel Pegram

Taken from: http://www.e-familytree.net/F254/F254559.htm

Daniel Pegram was born in 1689 in Williamsburg, Virginia. He died in 1726 in Williamsburg, Virginia. He was buried in Bruton Parish Churchyard, Williamsburg, Virginia. The following is from Dr. Simmons book on the Pegram family The earliest record found of Daniel Pegram was his apprenticeship to Thomas Whitby as a carpenter. Daniel was probably about 14 years of age when he was apprenticed on 24 January 1703 04, since most apprentices assumed duty at about this age. Daniel apparently served until 12 January 171011, according to the terms of his contract. It is likely that the latter date was his 21 st birthday, as many apprenticeships terminated when the apprentice reached this age. If this was correct, Daniel would have been born 12 January 1689 90.

Lived at Lot 183, Williamsburg, Virginia

Buried in Bruton Parish Churchyard, Williamsburg, Va.

The following is from Dr. Simmons book on the Pegram family:

The earliest record found of Daniel Pegram was his apprenticeship to Thomas Whitby as a carpenter. Daniel was probably about 14 years of age when he was apprenticed on 24 January 1703/04, since most apprentices assumed duty at about this age. Daniel apparently served until 12 January 1710/11, according to the terms of his contract. It is likely that the latter date was his 21 st birthday, as many apprenticeships terminated when the apprentice reached this age. If this was correct, Daniel would have been born 12 January 1689/90.

Following are the contract and court records relating to Daniel's indenture:

Daniel Pegram, orphan of York County... by and with Ye consent and Allowances of Her Majesty's Justices of the Peace, on open Court held for this County of York... Putt, place and bound himself as apprentice to Thomas Whitby, of James City County, to serve in Ye Craft Mistery and Occupation of Carpenter from 24 January 1703/04 to 12 January 1710/11.

At a court held for York County on 24 January 1703/04, the following entries were made in the record:

"Thomas Whitby his indenture bearing Date this present Instant from his Apprentice Daniell Pegram was this day by Ye Said Pegram Personally Acknowledged in Court to him Ye said Whitby and is ordered to be Committed to Record."

"Daniel Pegram his indenture bearing Date this present instant from his master Thomas Whitby was this day by Ye Said Whitby personally acknowledged in Court to Ye Said Pegram and is Ordered to be Committed to Record."

This indenture states that Daniel Pegram was an orphan of York County, but does not mention his father's name as was the case with his brother, George, whose indenture of 24 June 1704 was recorded on page 228 of the same volume of records. Since George was mentioned as the son of George deceased, since Daniel was mentioned as an orphan, since both were apprenticed at about the same time (probably being about 13-15 years of age), since there are no known records of any Pegram other than George, since their apparent ages are compatible with George as their father, and since John was named as administrator of the will of Daniel's wife Sarah, it appears conclusive that John, William, Daniel and George, were all the sons of George and Miss Hunt of York County, Virginia.

The next record found of Daniel Pegram, after his apprenticeship record of 1703/04, was a record in the Court of Public Claims held for York County 1 October 1712. Daniel Pegram presented a claim to the court for having taken up a runaway negro man.

The following is a court record of 18 January 1713:

"Action of debt by Daniel Pegram against Charles Holdworth, Judgement for plantiff for lbs. 750 tobacco and cask".

Another record appeared on 15 January 1719:

"Lease by Fifes of land appraised for building and erecting City of Williamsburg to Daniel Pegram of York County, of lot 183 on platt of City, Figure 2, for one year at an annual rent of one grain of Indian corn, Release of same to same of same lot, in free and common soccage, consideration S. 15."

It thus appears that Daniel Pegram paid 15 schillings in addition to the grain of corn, as pointed out in the appended letter. He built a house on the property and lived there until his death in 1726. His wife, Sarah sold the property shortly after Daniel's death, as directed in his will. Sarah died the following year. It appears that she had been married previously, as is suggested from the naming of her son David Foese in her will. He was not named in the will of her husband Daniel, the year prior. A number of workers maintain that Daniel's wife was Sarah Hunt, the same family name as his mother. The Hunt name was one of the most prevalent in York County. There were seven Sarah Hunts listed in the Register of Births of Charles Parish, York County, 1648-1789. All of these were too old to have been the wife of Daniel Pegram, with the exception of one, born 25 June 1695. Daniel's wife may well have been a Hunt, but no proof of this has been found.

The appended letter was written by Mrs. Rutherfoord Goodwin, Research Associate of Colonial Williamsburg, to Mr. Walter Folger, who researched the Pegram family for many years. The letter gives considerable authentic information on Daniel Pegram. There is some duplication of information already given, but the importance of the data relative to this early generation justifies this.

"Daniel Pegram built a house on lot 183, which he occupied at the time of his death in 1726. His will, which was proved and recorded in York County Court on July 18, 1726, listed his children and ordered that "...every one of my Children namely Daniel Pegram, Edward Pegram, Mary Pegram and Sarah Pegram have each of them a Ring of the Value of twenty Shillings to be raised out of my Estate," and also ordered that his "house and lot in Wmsburgh" be sold. He left the remainder of his estate to his wife Sarah, "to be disposed of as she thinks fitt," and named her his sole executor. [See York County Records, Orders, Wills, Book 16, page 400.] An inventory of his real and personal estate, recorded September 19, 1726, mentioned "one house & lot in Wmsburgh" and his furniture, furnishings, books, etc. and a chest of "Carpenters Tools." (See Ibid., Book 16, page 413.) His widow, Sarah Pegram, sold his "house and lot of ground in Williamsburg marked in the plot of the said city by the figures 183" to Lewis Burwell for £10 deed of sale recorded in York County January 16, 1726/27. (See Deeds, Bonds, Vol. 3, page 469.) Sarah Pegram evidently died soon after her husband, for her will was recorded in York County, June 19, 1727. She had apparently been married prior to her marriage to Daniel Pegram. She left her "Son David Foese his freedom and all the tools formerly belonging to my Husband Daniel Pegram." Her husband had carpenter's tools listed in his inventory; and her will would indicate that her son David Foese had been apprenticed to him. Her will also mentioned her "five Children, Mary, Sarah, Daniel, George & Edward," among whom her personal estate was to be divided. John Pegram was appointed her executor. The inventory of Sarah Pegram's estate, recorded in York County June 21, 1727, listed cattle, horses, and household furnishings valued at £53:8:4-1/2. (See, Wills, Inventories, Book 16, page 465, 476.)

The house on lot 183 probably disappeared; for in 1745 the trustees of the City granted lots 182, 183, and 184, to Lewis Burwell for £2.5.0, with the usual building clause included in the deed. (See York County Records, Deeds, Book 5- December 4, 1745.) Still later the lot 183 was included in 6 lots owned by Peyton Randolph (possibly used as stable and pasture land). These six lots were sold by the executors of Mrs. Betty Randolph, (widow of Peyton Randolph) to Joseph Hornsby in February, 1783. Hornsby also purchased the house and lots on Nicholson Street, where Peyton and Betty Randolph had lived. The property passed from Hornsby to the Peachy family in the nineteenth century.

The enclosed plat shows the location of lot 183, with the name Peachy on it.

Sincerely,

(Mrs. Rutherfoord Goodwin) Research Department