Christopher Charles Hollyman, I

brief biography

He settled in Wight County, VA--very likely the earliest ancestor of the Holliman brothers who came to Fayette Co, AL, from Anson Co, NC, in 1836.

On January 11, 1661, he bought a tract of land from George Smith. This transaction was endorsed by Christopher and his wife Anne. On Dec. 9, 1668, this tract of land was sold to Thomas Pitt and Christopher's wife was named Mary in this transaction.

Various records seem to indicate that Christopher Hollyman had four sons, one of whom was Christopher Hollyman, Jr. It is believed that the name Christopher was taken from the Island of St. Kitts, which is to say St. Christopher. Many of the early colonists came to Virginia by way of the islands of Bermuda, Barbados, and St. Christopher. Furthermore, it is believed that Christopher Hollyman was born on the Island of St. Kitts. It is very possible that Judith Holloman that arrived in Virgina in 1650 or one of the other Judith Hollimans (there were two) that arrived in 1653 were in fact his mother. In 1653 a Christopher Hollman arrived in VA. He probably would be Christopher Hollyman's son.

On January 11, 1661, he bought a tract of land from George Smith. This transaction was endorsed by Christopher and his wife Anne. On Dec. 9, 1668, this tract of land was sold to Thomas Pitt and Christopher's wife was named Mary in this transaction. Christopher died about August 10, 1691, which would make his age at death about 61.

-Christopher C. Hollyman left a will.

Will of Christopher Halliman: Sons Thomas, William, Christopher, son Richard, two daus., Anne, and Mary Atkisson, wife Mary Halliman. 24 Apri. 1691.

Source: http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/w/i/l/Trina-Anne-Wilson-...

Virginia Book of Wills, Vol. 2, p. 309

In the name of God, I Christopher Holliman being very sick and weak of body but of perfect memory to make this last Will and Testament committing my soule to Christ Jesus, my Savior and Redeemer and my body to the earth from whence it came to be buried in decent manner and as for my worldly estate as followeth:

Item I bequeath unto my sonne Thomas Holliman, the land and plantation whereon he now dwelleth with the land belonging which I have already given him by a deed of gift which is not yet confirmed by the Court and which I confirm to his his heirs, Executors administrators or assigns for ever.

I bequeath unto my sonne William Holliman all my land which do lyeth between the lands that I gave to my sonne, Thomas Holliman and William Gualneys line to him his heirs, executors, administrators or assigns for ever.

I likewise give unto my sonne Richard Holliman my new tobacco house and sufficient ground for his use which lyeth adjoining or near the said house either cleared or to be cleared, with fences and privelege for timber and clearing more ground if he have occasion.

I give unto my daughters Anne Atkinson and Mary Atkisson each of them one ewe. I also give and bequeath unto my two sonnes Christopher Holliman and Richard Holliman all the rest of my land with the houses fences orchards woods and appurtenances to be equally divided in quantity and quallity to them their heirs executors administrators or assaigns after the death of my wife Mary Holliman.

I beequeath unto my wife Mary Holliman my plantation and land during her life only which is excepted with the houses, orchards fences buildings. I do also give all my goods movable and immovable and cattle hogs and horses or whatsoever I am now possessed with all and further I do make my wife Mary Holliman my whole and sole executrix of this my last Will and Testament.

Witness my hand this 24th day of April in the year of our Lord 1691.

Christopher Holliman, Senior

Proved in open court August 10th 1692. Test: John Pitt, Cl.Ct.

Isle of Wight County, Virginia. Book of Wills Vol.2, Page 309.

notes

Christopher Charles Hollyman, early Jamestown, VA, colonist, apparently arrived in America on May 22, 1650 (possibly about 1645), and probably came from Kent, England. Records of arrivals at Jamestown show a Xtop Holeman (X is the abbreviation for Christ, therefore name Christop which is short for Christopher). He was sponsored by John Cos. Otherwise the earliest known record of Christopher Hollyman was his granting a power of attorney to Thomas Pittman on June 30, 1660.

Christopher's age and year of birth must be deduced from the following:

(1) His third son, Christopher, signed a petition regarding Bacon's rebellion in 1677, which would make him of age at this time (probably about 22), and

(2) His second son William received a land grand in 1685 for transporting three persons (see note for William). This would make William of age and prospering, probably about 30 years old at the time.

(3) William's estimated year of birth in the LDS ancestral history file is 1661. Based on this evidence it was revised to 1654.

Since William is probably the second son, the first son, Thomas, would have been born about 1653.

Christopher was probably about 20 years old when he immigrated, and this would place his birth somewhere around 1630, and he must have married shortly after emigrating.

Other facts:

-aka Christopher Holleman, Holliman, Holloman. The Hollyman spelling gradually disappeared and became the various spellings used in modern times. In many instances the present-day spellings were caused by census takers who used whatever spellings the phonetics required. Gradually, however, the name became Holliman before the settlers scattered out from Johnston Co, NC.

-Holleman appears to be a Dutch name, and he may have been involved with the Puritans who fled from England to the Netherlands in the late 1500s, and several emigrated to the Virginia Colony in the early 1600s.

-At one time there were descendants of at least three of the Christopher Hollyman sons residing in Johnston Co, NC.

-In October of 1677 the names Christopher C. Hollyman and Chris Hollyman, Jr., appear on a petition of pardon to the King during Bacon's Rebellion.

-Despite the wide variations of spelling of the surname Holliman, there is an apparent close family relationship between these Hollimans that arrived in 1650's Virgina. English records provide strong evidence that all these Hollimans originally came from England by way of the aforementioned islands. We may conclude that Christopher Hollyman came to VA first to prepare a home for his family and that other family members followed later.

comments

Surname has also been reported to be:

• Holleman
• Holliman
• Holloman
• Holyman

Date and place of birth have also been (erroneously?) reported to be:

• circa 1628 at Isle of Wight, Isle of Wight County, Virginia
• circa 1630 in Isle of Wight County, Virginia

Date and place of death have also been (erroneously?) reported to be after August 10, 1691 in Isle of Wight County, Virginia.

links

• http://www.familyorigins.com/users/r/o/s/Glenn-D-Rosenbaum/FAMO1-00...