Judge Richard Parrott, Sr.

Vestryman of Christ Church. Commissioner of Lancaster County, 1656. High Sheriff, 1657. Senior Justice of the Middlesex County Court, 1673.
Gravesite Details
May be buried in a private burying ground within this parish, but his death is recorded in this church's (Christ Church) register.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/183529839/richard_perrott

Richard Perrot, 1622 - 1686 of Middlesex county, Virginia

• Parents: Thomas & Margaret Parrat of Bedfordshire
• 1st wife: Sarah Keye, widow of Nicholas Dale
• 2nd wife: Margaret Haywood, widow of Henry Dedmon

One child by 1st wife: Richard Perrott, Jr. (1650 - 1690)

Additional Curator's Note: Richard Parrott's life is still disputed more than 300 hundred years after his death. Did he marry only once to Margaret or was there a first wife? Did he have many children or only one? Who was Margaret, any way? Below are several citations showing some of the disputes about this early Virginian. As the Curator of this profile, to be as fair as possible, I am including the varied stories about him until the facts can finally be sorted out. Maria Edmonds-Zediker, Curator, 23 May 2011.

From the book "The family of Early, which settled upon the eastern shore of Virginia and its connection with other families" by Ruth Hairston Early, p.20:

Richard Parrott was one of the first settlers of Lancaster Co. He and wife Margaret were probably married in England, and daughter Elizabeth also probably born in England. They settled in Lancaster Co. as early as 1649. Their son Richard was the first white male of English parents born along the Rappahannock. Richard served as vestryman for Christ Church; as a commissioner for Lancaster Co; elected High Sheriff in 1657; and served as senior justice of Middlesex Co. from 1673 until his death.

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~parrott/richardperrott.shtml

Richard Perrot (1622/3 - 11 November 1686) of Middlesex Co., Virginia is one of the earliest documented Parrotts on the North American continent. His name was variously spelled Perrott, Parrett, Parat, Parratt, Perrot, Parrot, and Parrott. The latter spelling became standard in later generations, and Parrett became a variant.

Although his later years are well documented, his early years are not, and there are tremendous amounts of misinformation circulating on the Internet. Various claims to the contrary not withstanding, every indication is that Richard was the son of Thomas and Margaret Parratt of Potton, Bedfordshire, England.

Richard was only married twice. Furthermore, he only had one biological son and one adopted son. The existence of other wives and children is just speculation or misinterpretation of the available data.

http://genforum.genealogy.com/parrot/messages/236.html

Elizabeth Parratt Buford (both names have several variations in spelling) is my 7th greatgrandmother, through her daughter, Elizabeth. Her parents are unknown. She is not mentioned in any records connected with her putative father, Richard, including his will dated 20 Jul 1686 in Middlesex co VA, proved in Court on 7 Feb 1686, nor in that of his 2nd wife, Margaret (Haywood) Dedman, dated 21 Dec 1687, dated 21 Oct 1687. He was married to Margaret before 12 Jan 1655.

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~parrott/richardsparents.shtml

Numerous reports -- all without any substantial evidence -- claim Richard was the son or grandson of Sir John Perrot. Other reports claim he was a son of John the Quaker, or of a John Parrott who arrived to Virginia with his wife, Prunella.

It is now possible to say that Richard was the son of Thomas and Margaret Parratt, and the grandson of John and Margaret Perrett, all of Potton, in Bedfordshire, England.

For supporing evidence and documentation, see:

• Reksten, Harald and Wayne Parrott. 2009. A re-examination of the relationships among the Parrott families of the American Colonies in the 17th century. Magazine of Virginia Genealogy Feb 47(1):21-43 & May 47(2):129-147

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Richard Parrott was one of the first settlers of Lancaster Co. He and wife Margaret were probably married in England, and daughter Elizabeth also probably born in England. They settled in Lancaster Co. as early as 1649. Their son Richard was the first white male of English parents born along the Rappahannock. Richard served as vestryman for Christ Church; as a commissioner for Lancaster Co; elected High Sheriff in 1657; and served as senior justice of Middlesex Co. from 1673 until his death.

Richard, Sr. was a vestryman of Christchurch, a commissioner of Lancaster Co, Virginia in 1656, was elected High Sheriff June 5, 1657, and Senior Justice of Middlesex County Court 1673 to his death. Frequent mention is made of him in Virginia history, and Bishop Meade, in his "Old Families and Churches," states that he was appealed to while in England on one of his visits to bring out a minister for the church. "On the 29th of January, 1666, it was resolved to continue Mr. Morris as the minister, but that he be not inducted. On the following day, at a meeting of the vestry, his salary was paid, and he was dismissed. I suppose he would not consent to serve without induction, or that some difficulty arose between himself and the vestry. Major-General Robert Smith and Mr. Henry Corbin were directed to write to Richard Perrott, then in England, for a minister. Measures were also taken for the purchase of a glebe. In the year 1668 it was agreed to employ the Rev. Mr. Shephard for six months. At the end of that time he was chosen for twelve months, and so on until the year 1671, when he was elected as rector for the future. Mr. Shephard continued their minister until his death, in 1683. "

"The following gentlemen, vestrymen of the parish,--viz.: Henry Corbin, Richard Perrott, Abraham Weeks, John Hastewood, Richard Cock, Robert Chewning, agree, each of them, to mark one cow-calf with a crop in the right ear, to be kept as well as their own cattle until they be two years old, then given to the vestry as stock for the parish."

The register also contains the following entry: Whereas Mr. Richard Parrott hath built a Pew in Chancell on the further side opposite to the Pulpitt and a stable also, which Pew and Stable is for the use of Henry Corbin, Esq., properly belonging to him and to those that shall have and enjoy the house and land whereon he hath now built on and forever September 29, 1669.

Richard, Sr. died on November 11, 1686. In his will he mentions his wife, Margaret, and his grandsons, Henry and Richard, sons of Richard, Jr. His plantations were in Middlesex County, one of them of one thousand acres, was on the north side of the Pyankatank River. His wife, Margaret, died January 30, 1687.

He apparently was a substantial slave holder, as at least 11 different slaves of his appear in the birth records of the Christchurch Parish Register.

Christ Church Parish, Virginia Parish Register:

Mr Richard Perrott Senr 11 Nov 1686 15 Nov 1686 president of Middlesex County Court departed this Life

From "Early Immigrants to Virginia from the 1500s and 1600s":

PARROTT, RICHARD, (died 1686) Came from Barbados to Lancaster Co. VA. 1649. Wife’s name Margaret. She died 1687.

Notes

24 August 1648: Richard and his wife, Sarah (Keye/Leye), deed land to "the Children which shee had by her former husband, Nicholas Dale.... the said fower Children namely Mary Dale, Thomas Dale, Jean Dale, and Sara Dale.

The above-mentioned Margaret Dedmon/Dedman is the widow of Henry Dedmon, Sr. Richard married the widow, and proceeded to adopt her son, Henry Dedmon Jr.

References

• *England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975, database, FamilySearch: 30 December 2014, Rich Perratt Or Perite, 10 Feb 1622 citing POTTON, BEDFORD, ENGLAND, index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 450,473.
• http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~parrott/genealogy/richardperrott.shtml cites
• Loeser, Rudolf. 1998. Margaret Dedman Perrott and some relatives. The Virginia Genealogist, 42:3-17.
• Reksten, Harald and Wayne Parrott. 2009. A re-examination of the relationships among the Parrott families of the American Colonies in the 17th century. Magazine of Virginia Genealogy Feb 47(1):21-43 link to PDF