John Randolph Grymes

Maj. John Randolph Grymes was born March 28, 1745 in Virginia and died there in 1820

Parents: Philip Ludwell Grymes and Mary Randolph.

Married:

1. in London in 1778 to Susannah Beverly Randolph (1755-1791), daughter of John Randolph and Ariana Jennings.

Children include:

1. John Jennings Grymes, born Abt. July 05, 1780. Baptism: May 07, 1780
2. Arianna Grymes born Abt. September 03, 1781. Baptism: March 09, 1781
3. Mary Beverley Grymes, born July 12, 1782 in Brampton, England; died May 08, 1859 in Botetourt County, Virginia; married (1) Col Robert West November 30, 1809 in Highgate, Gloucester County, Virginia; married (2) Peter Francisco 1823.
4. Charles Wyndham Grymes, born March 26, 1784. Baptism: March 26, 1784

Brief Biography

from Appletons Encyclopedia, Copyright © 2001 Virtualology

GRYMES, John Randolph, soldier, born in Virginia about 1746; died there in 1820. In 1776 he joined the royal army under Lord Dunmore at the head of a troop of horse that he had himself raised. In a letter to Lord George Germain, Lord Dunmore said that Mr. Grymes was, "from his fortune, position, and strict honor, a valuable acquisition to the royal cause." The same year he was expelled from his estate, and all his negroes, cattle, and personal property fell into the hands of the patriots. He joined "the rangers," a battalion of horse, in 1777, and at the close of 1778 resigned and went to England, where he was agent for prosecuting the claims of the loyalists in Virginia. When the invasion of Napoleon was apprehended the loyalist Americans in London offered, with the king's approval, to form themselves into a company, and Mr. Grymes was appointed ensign. While in London he married his cousin, the daughter of John Randolph, last royal attorney-general of Virginia, and niece of Peyton Randolph, president of the Continental congress. He afterward returned to the United States, settled in Orange county, Virginia, and became a wealthy slave-holder and planter

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John was born the son of Philip and Mary (Randolph) Grymes on 28 Mar 1745 Brandon, Middlesex, Virginia; baptized 5 Apr 1745 at Christ Church, Middlesex, Virginia.

He was educated in England.

John Randolph Grymes was a Loyalist during the American Revolution, in 1776 he joined the Royalist army under Lord Dunmore, at the head of a troop of horse which he had raised himself, the Queen's Rangers.

See The History Doctor [1] for a lively description of the address to King George III in 1788 published by American Loyalists led by John Randolph Grymes.

In 1777 he went to England to press the claims of the Loyalists in Virginia.

On May 20, 1779, he married in London his first cousin Susanna Randolph, daughter of John Randolph (an attorney general of Virginia) John and Susanna Grymes had four children.

After living for a time in England, they returned to Virginia and John Randolph Grymes became a a wealthy slaveholder & planter in Orange County, Virginia.

He died 23 May 1805 Brandon, Middlesex Virginia or as some say Orange, Virginia. Some sources list his death year as 1820. More research needs to be done to clarify this.

Links

• https://www.jstor.org/stable/4243758?seq=9#metadata_info_tab_contents, page 96
• http://www.royalprovincial.com/military/rhist/qar/qarinf1.htm
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/135294751/john-randolph-grymes
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Grymes-20
• http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/t/a/y/Philip-R-Taylor/BO...
• http://www.famousamericans.net/johnrandolphgrymes/