John Canterbury, Sr.

Biography

John "Whitgift" Canterbury (abt 1665-1717) b. England, d. Richmond County VA. Immigrated to Virginia 1685 married Ruth Williams (1673-1750) b. Richmond County VA, d. Fairfax County VA.

John's name is not Whitgift and it's not clear why some sources call him that, but this undocumented label is useful for identification purposes. His FamilySearch profile is a good source of documentation, but don't trust the claims about his parents. The parents of his wife Ruth Williams are documented, but John's parents are not.

Family

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Williams-798

Ruth Williams married about 1695 in Virginia to John Canterbury (immigrant, d: 1716). She was born on 01 Feb 1673 in Virginia and her parents were Roger Williams and Joane Frith. In 1687 she was mentioned in the last Will of her step-father Lewis Loyd. [1] In January 1703/04 she was mentioned as daughter Ruth Canterbury, in the last Will of her mother Joane LLOYD [2] [3]. She died between 1733 to 1750 in Virginia.

Children of Ruth Williams and John Canterbury, born at North Farnham Parish, included:

1. Elizabeth Canterbury {unproven}, b. Abt 1697. Married 1) John Kincheloe. (John Kincheloe and Elizabeth Canterbury were cousins.). Married 2) Edward Emms.
2. John Canterbury, Jr., b. Abt 1699. Married Elizabeth Smith.
3. Samuel Canterbury, b. Abt 1701. Married Mary Simpson.
4. Esther Canterbury {unproven}, b. Abt 1701. Married John Hollis, Sr.
5. Ruth Canterbury, b. Abt 1702. No further record.
6. Margaret Canterbury, b. Abt 1703. Married Thomas Osborn.

Descendants

http://www.littlefeatheredbuddies.com/chzonie/canterbury.html#first3

Family tree chart: the first three generations

The family tree charts are aimed at tracing the descent of the Canterbury name, so the Canterbury daughters are ignored unless there's a reason to mention them. Most of the claims about daughters can't be documented, and there are probably some whose names have been lost completely. The first three generations of males are pretty straightforward. There's no direct evidence for Joseph Senior's parents, but DNA indicates that he descends from this line and there's really only one person who can be his father.

• 1. John Canterbury Junior (abt 1700-bef 1750) b. Richmond County VA, d. Prince William County VA about 1723: married Elizabeth Smith (1702-1762) in Richmond County. Moved to Prince William County about 1735.
  • A. Joseph Canterbury Senior, born about 1725-1735, probably in Richmond County VA. Missing and presumed dead after the battle of Brandywine Creek, PA in Sept 1777. Married Ruth Simms (1740-aft 1825). A previous wife is speculated (by me) but there is zero documentation.
  • B. Samuel Canterbury, born about 1728, probably in Richmond County VA. Died after 1787 and probably before 1797, location unknown. Wife is not documented; internet trees call her Elizabeth, with a last name of Jerrett, Barnes and/or Harper.
    • 1. Only documented child is Mary Ann Canterbury (1770-1850) m. Isham Gwin; a 1787 marriage bond and marriage record names Samuel as her father, in addition to the permission slip.
  • C. John Canterbury III, born after 1726 in Richmond county, died after 1754. No known wife or children.
• 2. Samuel Canterbury (1701-1764) b. Richmond County VA, d. Fairfax County VA married Mary Simpson (1725-1780). No known children; none are mentioned in his 1762 will.

Disputed origins

Parents seen as Roger Canterbury, Sr. & Jane Canterbury without supporting evidence,

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/L6TM-ZRJ

It is very possible that the John Canterbury of Richmond Virginia was not of the New England Canterburys. In the Bristol records in England, a John Canterbury came over on the Swallow, in 1685 as an indentured servant for 4 years. His destination was Virginia. He was from Litton, Somerset, England, but had been living in Chewly, Somerset. His agent was Samuel Burge. This lines up with when he would have married Ruth Williams, as she was unmarried in 1690. This gave him time to complete his indenture and work on accumulating some land & a way to support a family before marriage. Because John Jr and his mother, Ruth, were the ones to sell John Senior's land in 1725, I think John was the first born in Virginia. I don't think this family was ever in New England.

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Immigration

References

• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/L6TM-ZRJ cites
  • Will of John Canterbury - "Richmond Co., VA, Wills and Inventories, 1709/1711", page 353; dated 2 Oct. 1717. "Kinchelo and McPherson Families" by-McPherson - 1951 ( page # 7 )
• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/pedigree/landscape/9CJ5-ZVK
• http://www.littlefeatheredbuddies.com/chzonie/canterbury.html#first3
• https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I2833...
• http://thecanterburytrails.com/can_trail/en/Gedi0020.html#I312
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Williams-798 Cites
  • 1. "Wills of Rappahannock County, Virginia 1656-1692" by William Montgomery Sweeny in 1947; p137 for Will of Lewis Loyd, written=24 Apr 1687, probated=05 Nov 1690.
  • 2. Richmond County, Virginia Wills, 1699-1709
  • 3. Wills of Richmond County, Virginia 1699-1800 by Robert Headley p11 on Google Books; Will of Joan Lloyd written=08 Jan 1703, probated=02 Feb 1703.
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Canterbury-10 Cites
  • 1. Annotation: Date of covenant or indenture of service and apprenticeship with intended destination. [2]. Sources U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s about COLDHAM, PETER WILSON. The Bristol Registers of Servants Sent to Foreign Plantations, 1654-1686. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1988. 491p. Page: 385 ? Totuskey Creek, N.Farnham Parish, Richmond Co. Va. ? Extracted from Servants to Foreign Plantations, a two volume set discovered in the Council House of Bristol. A summarized transcription by R. Hargreaves-Mawdsley was pu (Note) transcription ends here
  • 2. Managed by: Constance Christine Wynne Last Updated: May 26, 2016
  • 3. Totuskey Creek, N.Farnham Parish, Richmond Co. Va., ? Extracted from Servants to Foreign Plantations, a two volume set discovered in the Council House of Bristol. A summarized transcription by R. Hargreaves-Mawdsley was pu (Note) transcription ends here.