Albert John Herndon

Herndon was among the names inscribed on the roll of the Battle Abbey as having come with William the Conqueror III to the Holy Land for his escutcheon is carved on a stone gateway in the city of Rhodes. The first Herndon in America, of which we have authentic record, is William Herndon who patented land from 1656 to 1658. Through this Digges connection the Herndon family is eligible to join many Societies. These include the following: 1. The Society of Daughters of Barons of Runnemede through ancestor Edward Digges. 2. The Society of Colonial Governors through ancestor Edward Digges. 3. The Society of Daughters of the Crown through ancestor Edward Digges to Alfred the Great. 4. The Society of Founders and Patriots through ancestor Edward Digges. 5. The Society of Scions and Cavaliers three ancestor Edward Digges, son of Sir Dudley Digges. 6. The Society of The First Families of Virginia through ancestor Sir Dudley Digges father of Edward. William Herndon was born around 1649, in County KENT, England. He died around 1722, and King and Queen County, Virginia. William Herndon was the first Herndon in Virginia of whom there is official record. Whether the birth and death dates or correct cannot be established, but they are consistent with all that is known of him. From the patents issued to William Herndon, which occur after its creation of King and Queen County, Va. in 1691, is easily understood that he was active in promoting the development of new settlements in the area of the upper waters of the Mattaponi River, having individually assisted 10 persons, and with Robert Bagby, 56 persons, to locate in the part of New Kent County, Va., which was then an outpost of the colony. The lands patented to him were located on the northeast side of the Mattaponi River. After 1691, when King and Queen County was created, the land was then found to be within the limits of the county. The two patents to William Herndon and Robert Bagby jointly were for 1800 and 1,000 acres, respectively, while the two patents issued to William Herndon individually were for 430 and 64 acres, respectively. One of these patents implied that William Herndon had established his residence in St. Stephens parish in New Kent County, Va. how much earlier William Herndon came to Virginia is not known, but the transportation of the 10 persons by himself and 56 persons with Robert Bagby probably require more than a year. Therefore William Herndon probably arrived and a Virginia as early as 1672. Since the names of the persons he transported, both men and women, are recorded, but not of his wife, it would appear he was a bachelor or widower, and if the latter, then his wife had died in England. He married Catherine Digges, before 1678, in Virginia. She was born around 1654, in County Kent, England. She died around 1729, in Caroline County, Virginia. William Herndon is said to have married Catherine, youngest daughter of Edward Digges, of 'Belfield', who had been governor of Virginia in 1655. Edward Digges died around 1675, and at a meeting of the General Court, June 15, 1675, a probate of his will was granted to Mrs. Elizabeth Digges, his widow and executrix. The will of Edward Digges is missing from the Virginia records as they were destroyed when the General Court in Richmond was burned in 1865. However a copy of the will of Edward Digges was proved and recorded in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, England. At the time Edward Digges made his will, August 28th 1669, he had four sons and four daughters living. Their Christian names were not mentioned in the will. They all seem to have been minors when the will was written. The inscription on Edward Digges tomb at 'Belfield', York County, Va. states that he had six sons and seven daughters by Elizabeth. Therefore two sons and 3 daughters died prior to the date of their fathers will.