John Archer, of “Archer Hall”

Not the same as John Archer, of Elizabeth City County

Please be cautious of the many John Archers living in Henrico County at this time.

John Archer

• Born about 1675 in Henrico, Virginia
• Died 4 Nov 1718 at about age 43 in Varina Parish, Henrico County, Virginia
• Son of George Archer Sr. and Mary (Unknown)
• Husband of Frances (Shippy) Archer — married 1 Jan 1695 in Henrico, Virginia
• Husband of Martha (Field) Archer — married 1698 in Henrico, Virginia

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Biography

U.S. Southern Colonies Project logo
John Archer was a Virginia colonist.

John Archer, the youngest son of George Archer, was born no earlier than 20 August 1668 (a 20 August 1689 Henrico County Court record noted that he was still in the custody of his guardian).[1]

Father: John's father, George Archer, left a will dated 24 November 1675. On 16 March 1675/6, his son George Archer was granted administration of the estate.[2]
Mother: George's widow - Mary, the mother of his youngest children - married Joseph Royall, probably in 1676.

Marriages:

1. John Archer married Martha Field, born 1680/81, daughter of Peter Field and his wife Judith Soane, widow of Henry Randolph. Martha (Field) Archer's siblings were Mary (Field) Jefferson and Henry Randolph (Peter was guardian of his wife's son by her previous marriage).[3]
2. Martha may have been John's second wife, having first married Frances Shippey,[4] or a "Miss Shiffey".[5]

Children: John and Martha (Field) Archer are thought to have had eight children:[6]

sons

• John Archer[7]
• William Archer[7]
• Field Archer[7]

daughters

• Frances[7]
• Judith[7] (Archer) Worsham Booker
• Mary[7]
• Martha[7] Field (Archer) Allen
• Elizabeth[7]

John Archer died before 4 November 1718, when his will was recorded in Henrico County.[7]

Bermuda Hundred " Archer Hall", Justice of Henrico Co, VA 1737, Sheriff of Chesterfield Co, VA 1749, Colonial Dames Service, Daughters of American Colonists.

Notes for John Archer, Jr./4th - Justice of Henrico County 1737, One of the first Justices and the first Sheriff of Chesterfield County, VA - 1749.

Land Office Patents and Grants: John "Artcher", Henrico County, July 12, 1718, 1500 acres.

See Jefferson, Thomas: Turpin, Thomas: Artcher, John; and Easley, Robert. July 12, 1718. Patents 10, p. 378.

Family

Notes

?Son of George Archer and Mary Elizabeth (Wood) Archer (?)

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=brookspar...

John Archer, III was Church Warden of Henrico Parish 4/1711, Justice of Henrico 10/5/1713, Juror 6/ /1713, Appraiser 4/23/1716.

Henrico County Wills and Deeds 1677-1692, p. 162: 1 Feb. 1699 - John Archer of Henrico County to John Burton of same, For 32 pounds, 100 acres known as "Cobbs" on North side Appomattox River, which formerly belonged to Abraham Burton, and by him sold to John Steward, glover, and by Steward to Michael Turpin, and by him to me.
Wit: Philip Turpin, All. Clerke On 8/2/1711 John and his wife Martha conveyed to William Randolph II 961 acres devised to Martha Archer by her father Peter Field, which land two days later Randolph conveyed to John Archer I, Vol 3, p. 1404. John was Exr. of Peter Field for he and Thomas Jefferson, Exr. brought suit against William Randolph.

• Source: Mrs. Willingham 5/19/1952 and W. Randolph in his book

Will Dated 14 Mar 1717, Will Recorded 14 Nov 1718, Executor Joseph Royall, Wit: Wm Randolph, George Archer, Abraham Womack, Thos. Buckner, Thos. Morris. Heirs and others mentioned: Sons John, Field (under age), William; Daughters: Judith, Mary, Martha, Elizabeth, Frances; Brother Joseph Royall.

• Source: Henrico County Court Records 1650-1807, Part ii, Page 393

Will

• Henrico County Court Records 1650-1807, Part ii, Page 393.
• John Archer of Henrico Parish, Will dated 14 March 1717, prov 4 Nov 1718.
• Land at Bermuda Hundred I now live on, to son John, except 100 acres, on lower side, which I also give him if he will make it over to my son Field, when he comes of age. I confirm the right of John in the land, 188 acres, deed to me by my brother George (Henrico County Deeds and Wills 1688-97, p. 515, 1 Oct 1694)
• To my son Field. 370 acres, in two tracts, on south side of Swift Creek, called "Youl's" and "Loftis's", and if he die under age without issue,, to my sons John and William.
• To son John, 46 acres in Rodale bought by me of William Bowman, else to John tract known as "Learwoods", joining Cobbs, 80 acres.
• To son William, 108 acres called "The Saw Mill Dividend" and 330 acres at Cross Swamp.
• My fourth part of 1600 acres, surveyed for me at Fine Creek, to my three sons equally.
• To my daughters Frances, Judith, Mary, Martha, Elizabeth and three sons each, negroes.
• The money I have in England from tobacco, to be put at interest, is to be paid sons when of lawful age.
• To daughter Frances, items, including a silver cup marked "M.F".
• To daughter Judith, items, including a sealskin trunk, marked "P.F".
• (various items listed to all children).
• My livestock to be kept on plantation to support my children, and each to get share when of age.
• Guardianship of my children to my brother, Joseph Royall.
• To brother Joseph Royall, my new black suit, and to be sole executor.
• Wit: William Randolph, George Archer, Abraham Womack, Thomas Buckner, Thomas Morris.
• Recorded 4 Nov 1718

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References

• https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I8847...
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Archer-1764
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Archer-3256
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/176015278/john-archer

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Researcher Mitchell Owens (mowens35@aol.com) states "....John Archer...an Angola-born slave freed in 1690 in Northampton County, VA, by his owner's widow, Grace Robins. He later married Mrs. Robins' Irish maid....John Archer was one of the first slaves freed about 1677 in Virginia....His son, Thomas, a mulatto, fought in the Revolutionary War." Grace Robins was b. in Ireland and arrived in Virginia in 1624. Her first husband was Edward Waters whom she married in 1622. Her 2nd husband was Obedience Robins, b. 1600 in Northamptonshire England. I see a conflict here-his son Thomas died in 1761 before the Revolutionary War?! Perhaps it was a grandson who fought? I have no idea how to untangle this one!

John Archer is listed in "A List of Tithables in Northampton Co., VA, ANNO Dom, 1666" - reference is that he was "delivered in Court held for the County the 28th of Aug., 16, 1666. "John Archer....negro in Mrs. Grace Robins' household with her white servants in 1665, 1666, 1671, 1675, and 1677 "

I garnered more information about John from an article in the New York Times, by Mitchell Owens, published January 8, 2004: It can be read in its entirety here: Jhttp://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/08/garden/surprises-in-the-family-tree.html?pagewanted (copy & paste in your browser). This article indicates that John Archer "started a family that prospered, fought in the Revolutionary War, and built a mansion. Generations later, Archer's blood trickled down to me...." John "was black, a slave or indentured servant freed around 1677." Mr. Owens described his surprise to find that he, a white man, descended from a black slave. He then studied extensively the practice of slavery in America. He studied the works of Paul Heinegg, who tracely extensively the origins of early American "families off color", and author of "Free African Americans of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginiia" and "Free African Americans of Maryland and Deleware." This information can be seen online at www.freeafricanamericans.com. Mr. Owens goes on to say that "Mr. Heinegg's research offers evidence that most free African-American and biracial families resulted not from a master and slave....but from a white woman and an African man: slave, freed slave, or indentured servant." He explained further that the concept of blacks being "property" didn't "harden" until about 1715 with the rise of an economy based on growth of tobacco. The article gave noted various works of authors who studied the subject, and concluded that it is very likely that "if any branch of your family has been in America since the 17th or 18th centuries, it's highly likely you will find an African and an American Indian." Many problems abound in tracing such ancestors, because they were not often correctly identified due to discriminatory practices. Sometimes it is only possible to learn a person's race by studying the tax records assessed on non-whites. If a man paid a tax on his wife but not on himself, it meant he was white but she was not. Over generations, race of such persons may be enumerated on census records as mulatto, but claimed to be White as soon as they could possibly pass. Dark complexions were often explained away as having Mediterranean ancestry, as it was considered shameful to be described as Native American, Indian, or mulatto.

Researcher Barry W. Archer has shared much of his research on Archer/Nickens/Collins ancestor, and listed many sources for his ancestral tree which can be found on Genealogy.com at "The Barry Archer Family Home Page." I thank him for sharing, and have applied much of his information to be Geni family tree related to Collins, Archer, Nickens ancestry, as he seems to be very thorough and with good source documentation. (I am always open to corrections, however)!.