Daniel LIghtfoot, Sr.

http://www.the-lightfoots.com/genealogy/reports/descendants_of_dani...

Daniel Lightfoot 1,2 was born about 1710 in Middlesex, ENGLAND1 and died on 26 Mar 1755 in North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, VA1,3 about age 45. 

General Notes: Daniel Lightfoot was convicted of theft in London and sentenced to transportation to the Virginia colonies in 1732. The theft was considered a major theft because it involved taking a multitude of items used by others in their everyday work and trade. He had an accomplice that was sentenced to death which seems very severe but I suspect that these two individuals must have had a lengthy history of violations for one to be sentenced to death and the other to be banned from the country and transported to the remote Virginia colonies. (Brian L. Lightfoot)
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(Source: Roy Ruppert, York County, Pennsylvania) The Proceedings of the Old Bailey Ref: t17320525-3

Edward Spaule, Daniel Lightfoot, theft: no type specified, 25 May 1732.

Trial Summary: Crime(s): theft, Punishment Type: transportation, (Punishment details may be provided at the end of the trial.) Verdict: Part Guilty: theft under 1s,

Edward Spaule and Daniel Lightfoot, were indicted for stealing in the Parish of Saint George in the East, 14 Chissels, an Ax, a Gouge, 2 Gimblets, 2 Hammers, and 2 Stones, the Goods of John Slack. An Ax, an Iron-square, a pair of Pincers, Chissels, and other Things, the Goods of John Lindsey ; and a Lock, 2 lb. of Nails, and other Things, the Goods of Richard Sparks, the 24th of April last.

The Prosecutors, who were Carpenters, had been at Work at a House in Well-Close Square. They left their Tools there on Saturday Night, and lock'd the Door; but when they came again on Monday Morning, the Door was open, the Lock taken off, and their Tools were gone. They could not Work without them, and so they went to the Alehouse; while they were there, the Prisoner Lightfoot came into a Hog-butchers Yard with 2 Axes, and an Iron Square, which he set down by a Tub, and went out again, without saying any thing. The Hog-butcher's Men at first thought that the Carpenters were coming there to work; but seeing Lightfoot come again, and saunter about the Gate, one of them said, I believe that Fellow is a Thief, upon which Lightfoot curs'd and swore, and went off. When presently a Man came, and said, a Parcel of Carpenters Tools were stolen out of a House in Well-Close-Square. The Butchers went out, and saw the other Prisoner Spaule, in a Leather-Apron, and with a Nail See original Bag at his Back. The Butchers and the other Man divided themselves, and follow'd the Prisoners at a Distance, in order to surround 'em unawares. Two Boys, who were going from Shadwell to White-Chapel, saw the Prisoners cross a Field, and stop by the Side of a Rail, where they stoop'd down, as if they were digging. The Butchers coming up, the Boys directed them to the Prisoners, whom they took. Some of the Tools were found in a Hole where the Prisoners had hid 'em, and some in Spaule's Apron, which was lying about a Yard from the Hole. Notice was sent to the Alehouse were the Prosecutors were drinking, and they came and own'd their Goods. The Jury found them Guilty to the Value of 10 d. each.

Punishment summary from Old Bailey Proceedings; Francis Child, Session V, Thursday 25th May 1732, 125-148 The Proceedings of the Old Bailey Ref: s17320525-432

The Trials being ended, the Court proceeded to give Judgment as follows:

Received Sentence of Death 9: John Osborn, Robert Roberts , John Wakelin, William Woolcott, Henry Barns, John Dunstan, John Longmore, Edward Spaul, and Michael Shaw. Edward Cheesborough was likewise capitally Convicted, but hang'd himself in his Cell, with the Cord that ty'd up his Irons, two Days before the Court proceeded to Judgment.

Burnt in the Hand 2: Robert Peck, a former Convict, and Joshua Lloyd .

Transportation 45: John Fuller, Mary Bluck, Daniel Lightfoot, Mary Bradly, Robert Head, John Spindle, Mary Ketcher, Thomas Burnham, William Burchett, Ann Clark, Henry Defoe, Abraham D'angre, Daniel Defoe, John Crotch, Joseph Eaves, Joseph Robinson, William Beat, Stephen Guy, Hannah Wallis, Richard Hazard, Richard Bates, Elizabeth Taylor, Roger Allen, Richard Wigmore, Edward Thomson, Richard Earle, Joseph Bolton, John Howell, Sarah Beeton, Sarah Powell, William Giggle, John Pavior, Jane Scouls, Elizabeth James, Martha Harold, Ann Hamersly, Elizabeth Layston, Ann Hosier, Ann Noden, Elizabeth Cherry, Robert Cadogan, Mary Verty, Mary Sharp, Francis Lambly, and Mary Welch.

John Waller to stand once in the Pillory at the Seven-Dials, in Saint Giles's in the Fields, and once in the Pillory against Hicks's-Hall, for one Hour each Time. And to stand on the Pillory at the same Places, at two other different Times, for one Hour each Time with his Hat off, that he may be known by the People: An Account of his Offence to be written on a Paper, and stuck on the Pillory every Time. To pay a Fine of twenty Marks; to be Imprison'd for two Years, and not to be discharg'd afterwards, till he has paid his Fine, and given Security for his good Behaviour during his Life.

Daniel was detained at Newgate Prison until he left for his transportation onto the Virginia colony.

Further records reveal that Daniel was a witness at the following trial:

John Broadby, theft: specified place, 23 Feb 1732. The Proceedings of the Old Bailey Ref: t17320223-14

Trial Summary: Crime(s): theft : specified place, Verdict: Not Guilty, Other trials on 23 Feb 1732

Original Text: 17. John Broadby, of Aldgate, was indicted for privately stealing 15 Firkins of Butter, value 10l. the Goods of Christian Colebrant and Ralph Myer, in their Warehouse, the 21st of January last.

Daniel Lightfoot: My Master is a Smith, he did work for Mr. Colebrant the Sugar-Baker, and so I became acquainted with the Prisoner, who is Mr. Colebrant's Coachman. The Butter was in a Warehouse over Mr. Colebrant's Stables; the Prisoner took it from thence, and deliver'd it to me to sell for him, which I did for 9s. a Firkin to several Tallow-Chandlers; I sold 8 Firkins to Carter (he that sells Candles so cheap) at the Half-Moon in Spittle-Fields; 3 Firkins to the Tallow-Chandler, at the Crown over- against Carter's, and 4 to Thomas Rivet in Windford-Street.

Prisoner: Did not you swear before the Justice that you had this Butter from a Carman?

Lightfoot: Yes, I did so. But ah! you threatened my Life if I swore it against you.

Samuel Isaac, Carter's Boy: Lightfoot brought some Firkins to our House, and my Master bought them of him.

Mr. Colebrant: We lost Butter 3 or 4 times while the Prisoner lived with me, which was about 11 Months, but he constantly deny'd it, and I can't say but that he behaved very well in my Service.

Tho Armstrong: Lightfoot was my Prentice, he was not so good as he should have been, for he has wronged me several times.

Two or three Gentlemen gave the Prisoner a very good Character; and the Jury acquitted him.
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(Source: The Complete Book of Emigrants in Bondage 1614-1775; Peter Wilson Coldham)

Between 1614 and 1775 more than 50,000 English men, women, and children were sentenced to be deported to the American colonies for crimes ranging from the theft of a handkerchief to bigamy or highway robbery. After years of painstaking research, the names of nearly all those transported were extracted from official court records by Peter Coldham and published in the landmark work The Complete Book of Emigrants in Bondage in 1988 and its Supplement in 1992, forming the largest and most complete passenger list of its kind ever published. From this unexpected source the researcher at last had the means of learning the names of the persons transported to the colonies, the charges against them, the dates and places of sentencing, the ship names, and the places of arrival in the colonies.

The original volume of Emigrants in Bondage published in 1988 acknowledged that there were some notable omissions from the list of transported felons then printed, which remained to be researched and remedied. The Supplement of 1992 began to supply the omissions, but now with the publication of More Emigrants in Bondage, Mr. Coldham has closed the remaining gaps. Altogether there are some 9,000 new and amended records in this important new work, which is arranged and annotated in the same way as the parent volume. To the original list of 50,000 records, these additions come as a windfall, arising from the availability of previously closed archival resources and the re-examination of conventional transportation records such as Assize Court records, Circuit Court records, and the quaintly-named Sheriffs' Cravings, to which can be added newspapers and printed memoirs.

The addition of 9,000 records to the canon makes this the most important list of ships' passengers to be published in years. Whether as a list of additions or corrections, this new work is an indispensable tool in the researcher's arsenal, and anyone using the parent volume and supplement cannot possibly ignore this volume. Questions about the peopling of colonial America come readily to mind when looking at a book like this--questions about ancestors, too--and the answers found here are both challenging and surprising.

Page 501 lists the name of Daniel Lightfoot, "sentenced and transported" October 1732 aboard the ship "Caesar" from Middlesex to Virginia captained by William Loney. Additional research shows that William Loney mastered a total of 10 trips from England to Virgina starting in September 1727 and continuing through December 1736.
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One or more researcher, including Richard D. Lightfoot, show that Daniel was born in Middlesex County but no source citations to prove this fact have been provided. Middlesex is a former county in southeast England. It was established in antiquity from the territory of the Middle Saxons Proximate to the United Kingdom capital city of London, the small county became densely populated, leading to problems with its viability. It was subject to a significant loss of territory in 1889 and was abolished on 1 April 1965. The former area of Middlesex now corresponds to much of Greater London and parts of Berkshire, Hertfordshire and Surrey.

The ancient boundaries of the county were the rivers Colne, Lee and Thames, and a ridge of hills. It initially included the wealthy and politically independent City of London in the south. The City of London became a county in its own right and although separate, dominated the early administration of Middlesex. The generally low-lying county was the second smallest by area in 1831. Because of the proximity of London the population was unusually high for an English county - approaching three million in 1881 - which caused problems for the administration of local government and justice. In the 18th and 19th centuries the population density was especially high in the southeast of the county, including London's East End and West End , as the metropolitan area had expanded. From 1855 the southeast was administered with sections of Kent and Surrey as part of The Metropolis.

When county councils were introduced in England in 1889 about 20% of the area of Middlesex, along with a third of its population, was transferred to the County of London , and the remainder formed a smaller county, in the northwest, under the control of Middlesex County Council. The county council met in Westminster, in the County of London. In the interwar years urban London further expanded, with increasing suburbanisation, improvement and expansion of public transport, and the setting up of new industries outside the inner London area. After the Second World War , the population of the County of London and inner Middlesex was in steady decline, with population growth continuing in the outer suburbs. After a Royal Commission on Local Government in Greater London , almost all of the original area was incorporated into an enlarged Greater London in 1965, with small parts transferred to neighbouring Hertfordshire and Surrey. After 1965 Middlesex continued to be used as an area name and is the former postal county of 25 post towns.
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One source in the Netherlands shows his parents as Thomas Lightfoot and Elizabeth Bunn ( both 1691-1718). That same source indicates the son Daniel was born in 1720 but that would be impossible because supposedly both parents died in 1718, two years prior to his birth. That source also indicates that the father, Thomas Lightfoot, was born in Streatham, Surrey, England but provides no source citations.
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Daniel married Alitia Algar,1,2 daughter of Samuel Algar 5,6,7 and Mary,5,7,8 about 1740.1 Alitia was born on 7 Jun 1724 in North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, VA1,2,5 and died in 17921,7 at age 68. Another name for Alitia was Alicia Algar.7

General Notes: Given name also spelled as Alicia, Ellicca, Lisha, Licia, etc. The Christening record for her son, William, shows her name probably entered just as the person heard it, "Lisha".
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Children from this marriage are:

+ 2 M i. Daniel Lightfoot 2,9 was born in 1740 in North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, VA9 and died in Aug 1838 in Fluvanna County, VA9 at age 98.

+ 3 F ii. Ann Lightfoot 1,2,5,7,10,11 was born on 8 May 1743 in North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, VA1,5,7,10,11 and died in 1822 in Warren County, GA7,10,11 at age 79.

+ 4 M iii. William Lightfoot 1,2,7,12 was born on 21 Jul 1745 in North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, VA,1,2,7,13 was christened on 21 Jul 1745 in North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, VA,14 and died in 1790 in Fairfax County, VA7,13 at age 45.

+ 5 F iv. Betty Lightfoot 1,2,15 was born on 5 May 1750 in North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, VA1,2,16 and died after 1 Apr 1771.

+ 6 M v. Samuel Lightfoot 1,2 was born on 1 Nov 1752 in North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, VA1,2 and died in 1801 in North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, VA1 at age 49.

+ 7 M vi. Thomas Lightfoot 1,15,17 was born on 31 Mar 1755 in North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, VA1 and died after May 1792.