Christopher Reynolds, Jr

According to Isle of Wight County records and the will of Christopher Reynolds, Sr., he had the following children:

1) Christopher Reynolds, Jr., born about 1632, Warrosquyoake Bay, Warrosquyoake, Virginia

his son was Richard.

notes

Richard Reynolds, the younger, of Is. Of W. Co., 566 acs., in the Low. Par. Of sd. Col, on NW side of the head of the low. Bay Cr; 10 May 1679 p. 684. Beg. At an island near head of sd. Cr; to Chr. Blys line; along Hen. King; to Col. Smith & Mr. Driver; to head of West freshet or swamp, &c. 241 acs. Part of 450 acs. Granted Mr. Chr. Reynolds, late of sd. Col, 15 Sept. 1636 & by his will given to his eldest sonn Chr., & his heires forever, who bequeathed to sd. Richard, his onely sonn & heire: 100 acs. Part of 350 acs. Granted to Mr. Richd. Jordan. Senr., 18 Mar. 1662, who conveighed to sd. Chr. Reynoldes 17 May 1658, who bequeathed to sd. Richards; 225 acs. Being waste, together with sd. 341 acs., due for trans. Of 12 pers: Danll. Hennon (or Herron- altered). Jno. Champion. Lewis Davis. Edwd. Goodson. (Note: Conveyance from Jordan to Reynolds antedates his patent.) Nugent, Vol II, p. 198

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Christopher Reynolds II (by1633 by1679)  He was apparently of age by the date of his fathers will, for his father devised his land outright while specifying that his brothers would receive their lands at age 21 In fact, he may have already married, since his daughter Elizabeth was apparently married to John Neville by January 1664/5 and his son Richard was born no later than 1658  Though he was clearly born by 1633, it may have been much earlier On 25 November 1657 he recorded a patent for 350 acres which he assigned to Richard Jordan, 100 acres of which Jordan immediately sold back to him. He appears in no further records  He was deceased by 10 May 1679 when his son Richard renewed by patent both that 100 acre purchase and the land his father had inherited. This patent identified Christopher Reynolds II as the eldest son of his father Christopher Reynolds Sr., and Richard Reynolds as his only son and heir  Although no record of his death is preserved in the Isle of Wight records, this patent states that he left a last will & testament  Whether that will was recorded in neighboring Nansemond County or is among the apparently missing wills of Isle of Wight between 1656 and 1661 is unknown. His wifes name does not appear in any records.

1654 May 1 – Will of Christopher Reynolds:

(Abstract found in Wills and Administrations of Isle of Wight County, VA, 1647-1800, Chapman)

Reynolds, Christopher, Planter: Leg. Son Christopher land that Richard Jordan liveth on; son John; son Richard; daughter Abbasha; daughter Elizabeth; daughter Jane; George Rivers; unborn child; wife Elizabeth. May 1, 1654. Wit: Sylvester Bullen, Anthony Matthews. Page 46, P.2.

(Transcript from document image by Laura Knight):

In the Name of God Amen the first day of May 1654, I Christopher Reynolds of the Isle of Wight County in Virginia, planter, being healthful in Body and sound in Mind & Memory make this my last Will & Testament in manner and form as followeth: First I give and Bequeath my Soul into the Hands of God my Creator and Maker and my Body to be Buried in sure and certain Hope of Resurection to Eternal Life thro the only Merit & Satisfaction of Jesus Christ my only Saviour & Redeemer.

Imprimis I Give & Bequeath unto my Son Christopher Reynolds all my Land on the Southerly side of the Cypress Swamp that Richard Jordan now liveth upon.

And I give unto my Son John all my Land on the Northerly side of the said Cypress Swamp and one Cow and he to enjoy the said Land at Twenty one Years of Age.

And unto my son Richard I give all my Land I now live upon and one Cow and he to possess this land at twenty one Years of Age.

And my Daughter Abbasha I have given unto her a Portion already which was two Cows and two Calves.

And I give unto my Daughter Elizabeth one Heifer of two Years old besides the Stock I gave her formerly.

And unto my Daughter Jane I give one Cow and on Yearling heifer.

And I give unto George Rivers one Yearling Heifer.

And I give unto the Child my Wife now goeth with if it lives two Cows to enjoy them at three Years old.

And if any of my Children dye my Will is that the other should Succeed what Estate they leave.

And unto Elizabeth my loving Wife I give all the rest of my Estate both Goods & Chattles Movable & Unmovable and Debts that are due to me from any person or persons whatsoever and my two Servants she paying all my Debts truly & justly.

And I do Constitute and Ordain Elizabeth my loving Wife my whole & sole Executrix.

And my Will is that my Wife Elizabeth shall have the ordering & bringing up John & Richard my Sons until they be sixteen Years of Age And Elizabeth & Jane until they be fifteen Years of Age.

In Witness whereof I, the sd Christopher Reynolds have hereunto set my Hand & Seal this Day & Year first above written.

Signed and seal.

Sealed Subscribed and Delivered in the Presence of Sylvester B. Bullen, (mark) Anthony A. Mathews (mark)
Examined and truly Transcribed Teste. Ja. Baker Clerk

Baird note: Christopher Reynolds Jr. was the eldest son, according to a later patent [see entry below for 10 May 1679] and was evidently already of age when this will was written. Note that sons John and Richard were to receive their land at age 21, but Christopher received his immediately. The will also tells us that John and Richard Reynolds were under 16, and Elizabeth and Jane were under 15. Abbasha was apparently over 15 but not yet married. The “child my wife now goeth with” almost certainly refers to an unborn child. George Rivers, later called “brother ” in the will of John Reynolds, was apparently a stepson.

LK note: I formerly disagreed with Baird on this point, but after parsing all the records and relationships, I've changed my mind. The probable gap between the birth of the older children and the fact that Elizabeth was again pregnant at the time of the will raises questions. More than that, there is a division between the families of Christopher and Richard (John dies young) that becomes more and more apparent as one looks at the documentary record that is available.

As for Christopher’s reference to “my sons”, that wasn’t unusual at all as an expression. Also, frequently, a father would assign guardianship away from the wife in his will. The sons were, effectively, the property of the father. That he made no stipulation about George Rivers doesn’t tell us much. Was George under age, but under the guardianship of his mother? Or was he of age to receive an inheritance? The fact that he was only given a cow suggests that he might have had his own inheritance either already in hand or pending. If George Rivers was of age (16 at least), then his mother was probably Reynolds only wife.

The date of birth of Jane Reynolds is completely unknown. We don’t know if she was a very small child, or close to the age of maturity. It may be that there was not such a large child-bearing gap after all.

I agree with Baird that it is interesting that Christopher divided land he did not live on between his sons Christopher and John, and left his home plantation to Richard. This suggests something of favoritism toward Richard; perhaps he was seen by his father as stronger, smarter and more competent. And, referring back to my speculation that there is some fundamental difference between the lines of Christopher and Richard, a difference of character, perhaps the best solution is that Christopher and Abbasha were children of a different mother?

1657 Nov 25 – Land Patent: Christopher Reynolds [Younger] (Reinolds-Reynolls), 350 acs. Isle of Wight Co., 25 Nov. 1657, p. 164 (243). Beg. At miles end of land patented by Christopher Reynolds, deceased, running along Cypress Cr. To land lately in possession of Mr. Nutt. Trans. Of 7 pers: Joseph Kerby, Jno. Becham, Jno. Moode, William Seller, Edmond Howsden, Margaret Langridge, Susan Stubbers.

Baird Note: This is Christopher Reynolds Jr. His father’s will implies he was of age by 1654, and this is clear indication that he is 21 or older by this date, as only persons over 21 could obtain patents. (Persons under 21 could obtain patents only via their guardians.)

LK Note: That is to say, he was at least 16 in 1654, and this land transaction would confirm that he had now attained the age of 21 putting his birth year at 1636. Also, he probably now married and started his family so I’ll place the birth of his first son Richard here.

1658 May 17 - Inferred Deed: Richard Jordan Sr. to Christopher Reynolds [Jr.], 100 acres, part of a patent to Reynolds which was assigned to Jordan. [See entry below for 18 March 1662/3 and also the entry for 10 May 1679]

1662/3 Mar 18 - Land Patent: Richard Jordan, 350 acres in Isle of Wight County. A patent dated 25 November 1657 to Christopher Reynolds [Jr.] contains the marginal note: “This patent renewed in Richard Jordan’s name the 18 March 1662 to whom it is assigned by the said Reynolds.” The land description states: “.. .Beginning at a marked red oak on a hill by the west freshet by the miles end of 450 acres patented by Christopher Reynolds deceased and running along the said freshet for length 32 poles and for breadth west southwest 50 poles [totaling 100 acres]. then beginning at the upper side of the forementioned patent on the Cypress Creek for the other 250 acres and running along the said Cypress to the marked trees of the land lately in the possession of Mr. Neall and the forementioned patent of Christopher Reynolds deceased to the miles end.” being due to Christopher Reynolds for transportation of seven persons. [Virginia Patent Book 4, p243-4]. The persons are not named in the recorded patent, but seven names are given in Nugent’s abstract, apparently from the original patent.

Baird Note: The date of assignment is not noted, only the date of the later renewal. Title would have passed to Richard Jordan when the assignment was made. The assignment must have been made before 17 May 1658, for a later record gives that as the date Richard Jordan sold part of this patent back to Reynolds [see entry for 10 May 1679].

LK Note: Baird points out further on that Abbasha and Christopher JR were probably already dead by the time of the death and will of brother John in 1668, I would suggest that the above Land Patent of the Reynolds land by Richard Jordan, husband of Elizabeth Reynolds, might be an indication that it was around this time that Christopher JR. died because it says that the land was assigned "by the said Reynolds" to Jordan. Christopher Reynolds SR had died in 1654, 8 years earlier.

1668 Mar 11 – Death of John Reynolds. Leg. My brother George Rivers; brother Richard; sister Jane; sister Elizabeth Rivers; to Robert Driver; to Elizabeth River’s daughter Mary; to my sister Elizabeth Jordan a bill of Robert Clothier’s at her decease to her son Richard Jordan. D. March 11, 1668. R. May 3, 1669. Wit: Anselm Baylie, William Bradshaw. Richard Reynolds executor, with securities Ambrose Bennett and Benjamin Beale. [Isle of Wight County Deed Book 2, p 62] P. 7 Chapman.

Baird Note: We can safely infer that John Reynolds died unmarried and childless. This will seems to clarify that George Rivers was a stepbrother. The use of “brother ” together with the fact that he leaves him a legacy suggests the possibility (but doesn’t prove) that he and George Rivers may have had the same mother. Note also that he mentions four of his siblings but not Christopher or Abbasha, who were perhaps already dead.

1679 May 10 - Land Patent: Richard Reynolds the younger, 566 acres in the lower parish of Isle of Wight, on northwest side of the head of the Lower Bay Creek... “beginning at a hickory marked three ways standing in an island surrounded with marsh near the head of the lower Bay Creek. tree in Chr. Bly's line thence along the sd Blys line. Hen. King’s line thence along the sd Kings line. corner tree of Col. Smith thence by the lines of Col. Smith and Mr. Driver. to a small sycamore at the head of West freshet. thence by various courses down the sd freshett or swamp to lower Bay Creeke & so up the sd Creeke to the first station. due to the sd Reynolds as follows: 241 acres part thereof being part of a pattent of 450 acres granted to Mr. Chr. Reynolds late of the aforesaid County the 15 September 1636 & by the last will & testament of the sd Chr. Reynolds given to his eldest sonn Chr. & his heirs forever & by him the said Chr. by his last will & testament likewise bequeathed to the sd Richard the only sonn & heire of the said Chr.; & 100 acres part of the residue being part of a pattent for 350 acs. granted to Mr. Richard Jordan Sen. the 18 March 1662 & by the said Jordan sold & conveyed to Chr. Reynolds the 17 May 1658 & by the last will & testament of the sd Chrstr. together with the former land bequeathed to the said Richard; the remaining 225 acres being wast[e] land which together with the aforementioned 341 acres is likewise due to the sd. Reynolds by & for the transp. of twelve persons in to this Colony.” Of the 12 persons only four are named: Danl. Hinnon(?), Jno. Champion, Lewis Davis, Edwd. Goodson. [Virginia Patent Book 6, p684-5]

Baird Note: This is obviously the son of Christopher Reynolds Jr. This patent clarifies that (a) Christopher Reynolds Jr. was the eldest son of his father and (b) that he died before 1679 leaving only one son. There doesn’t seem to be any record of his death in the Isle of Wight records, though this patent clearly says that he left a will. This record identifies Richard Reynolds the younger as his only son.

LK Note: This patent indicates that Richard the Younger, ONLY son of Christopher JR, had come of age 21, and it is probably at this time that he also married though there is no record as to whom he married. Baird notes elsewhere that there is a deed of sale by Christopher Reynolds dated 1749 May 10, in which Christopher identifies himself as the grandson of Richard Staples meaning that his father, Richard Reynolds had been married to a daughter of Richard Staples.The first record (1693) of the wife of Richard Reynolds, son of Christopher JR (II), shows her name to be Joyce, so we may assume that her maiden name was Joyce Staples. However, as Baird notes, Christopher Reynolds must have been born at least 15 years earlier, that is 1678. That fits perfectly with this patent record being the indicator that Christopher the Younger had come of age. I think it is safe to assume that the marriage of Richard Reynolds, son of Christopher, to Joyce Staples took place c. this time, as well as the birth of Christopher Reynolds, son of Richard the Younger.