John Hilliard, of Surry County

Not a known son of John Hilliard & Elizabeth Hilliard

According to "Southside Virginia Families", "The first of this [Hilliard] family in Virginia seems to have been John Hilliard who settled in York County and married Jane, a step-daughter of William Thomas of York."

John Hilliard sailed to Maryland from England aboard one of two ships, named Ark and Dove, which sailed together.

From the Maryland Historical Chronology of the Maryland State Archives:

1633, Nov. 22. English settlers, led by Leonard Calvert, set sail on Ark and Dove from Cowes, England, for Maryland.

Calvert had been appointed Maryland's first Governor by his brother, Cecil Calvert, 2nd Lord Baltimore, following grant of Maryland Charter by Charles I, King of Great Britain and Ireland.

A Briefe Relation of the Voyage Unto Maryland, by Father Andrew White

1634, March 25. Landing of settlers at St. Clement's Island (Maryland Day). Calvert party celebrated Feast of Annunciation (March 25); later purchased land from Yaocomaco tribe, and built "Fort at St. Mary's City."

"Daily Life in the New World, 1634-1715"

There are several records in the Maryland State Archives that relate to John Hilliard, Sr., his wife Jane Hilliard, his son John Hilliard, Jr., and his son's wife Mary Hilliard's time in Maryland.

John Hilliard appears to have started out tobacco farming as an indentured servant to one Richard Harris.

His family eventually moved to Virginia, but at least one of his creditor(s) pursued them there attempting to foreclose on property that his wife Jane had inherited from her step-father William Thomas.

From "Southside Virginia Families": "In Surry County, on April 17, 1664, John Hilliard acknowledged that the cattle in his possession were the "cattle and estate of my wife, Jane Hilliard, and that I have no power to sell or dispose of them"..."

References

1. Society and family book. Topics Allston family., Williams family., Boddie family., Hilliard family. Publisher [Littleton, N.C. : The Society, page 40 - < Archive.Org >