John Pleasants

The English Descent of John Pleasants 1645-1698 of Henrico County, VA by J. Hall Pleasants, Baltimore, MD, shows "John Pleasants of St. Saviors, Norwich and Virginia; baptisted Februry 27, 1645. Emigrated about 1665. Married Jane Larcome, widow of Captain Samuel Tucker. John Pleasants died 1698; Issue: John, Josephand Elizabeth in Virginia (Genealogies of Virginia Families - from The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography)

The descendants of John Pleasants, theemigrant, who settled in Virginia about 1665 are sufficiently numerus to make the unravelling of his English descent a matter of some little interest. In tracing this descent in England two factors have been of great help; a knowledge of the birth place of the emigrant and the fact that the name is sufficiently uncommon to readily establish the question of identity.

We are indebted to the Quaker "memorials" of John Pleasants and his wife, Jane Pleasants, for many facts in regard to their lives. About thirty years ago these "memorials" were published in "The Friend", and the numerous references to the emigrant which havesince appeared in various published Virginia genealogies apparently owe their origin to these. Here we find the statement that John Pleasants was born in Norwich, England, setled in Virginia in 1665, when about twenty-one years of age, and established himself at Curles, Henrico county. He married Jane, the widow of Capt. Samuel Tucker, of Bristol. He is said to have become converted to Quakerism after he came to Virginia. Although bearing every evidence of truth, it has been a matter of considerable difficulty to trace the origin and authenticityof these "memorials". They were not to be found among the records of the Baltimore yearly meetings where the original Virginia Quaker records are deposited. They were finally traced to Philadelphia, where they were found in the Ridgway Library among the original "Smith Manuscripts", bearing the date 1747 to 1760. They agree in all respects with later published versions, except that in the original the age of the emigrant is not given. We are concerned here, however, less with the emigrant than with his English ancestry, so only a brief reference will be made to a few important facts in his life. The earliest land patent to John Pleasants is dated October 1, 1679 (Book 7, p. 12) and is for "548 acres lying in Henrico Co., north side of James River and Four Mile Creek adjoining lad of Captain Matthews. In February 1682 (Henrico Co. Court Records 1682, p. 135--O. B.) complaint was entered against "John Pleasants and Jane Tucker als. Larcome als Pleasants (quakers) defend'ts have shewed that the sd. two p'sons doeunlawfully accompany theeemselves together as man and wife without legall marriage, and also that they have made as man and wife without legall marriage and also that they have made a breach of three penall lawes of this Country Viz't .... absence from the Church ......refuseing to have their children Baptized ...... for haveing and suffering a Conventicle at or near their house ... and as being pr'sent and members of the sd. Conventicle". Judgement in their favor was entered on the first charge of not being legally married, but they were found guilty of the last three charges and fined. An appeal was entered, and we learn later that the question was carried to England and brought before the Lords of Trade and Plantations. In the "Calendar of State Papers, America and West Indies," states that "Pursuant to instructions for liberty of conscience I stopped execution against a Quaker John Plaisance who was indicted for not attending church, pending signification of the Kings pleasue." In the Journal of Lords of Trade and Plantations, under date of September 22, 1683 (Ibid, p. 503), we find "an instructions to be added for further respite of sentence on John Plaisants,"and later "Additional instructions to Lord Howard of Effingham to continue to stay execution against the Quaker John Pleasants a

Sources: 1.Title: GEDCOM File : 2727379.ged Date: 18 Apr 2004 2.Title: ManyWinds-Art Finch-a yo sdi hia tsa u wa(gu) ta nv sv Note: 3839 south 134th east ave. , Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States Of America, 74134, artf7777@cox.net, 918-671-9613. Permission to use any material is not given unless Author gives permission.

• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Jul 22 2018, 22:33:47 UTC