Judith Holland

Evidence needed to support as child of John Merryman

From GOOCHLAND COUNTY,VIRGINIA WILLS 1742-1749, by Benjamin Weisiger III, I found an abstract of Michael Holland's will, dated 10 Oct 1746, recorded 17 March 1746 (1746/7).

Although this will is recorded in Goochland Co., most of the records I have seen for Capt. Michael Holland are in Hanover Co., where he was a large landowner.

In his will, Michael mentions his son George, to whom he leaves 700 acres in Louisa Co., other land, slaves, livestock and household goods. Then he says that he leaves all this, and an additional 600 pounds, to his son George in consideration of a promise to Mr. William Ford, on account of George marrying Mr. Ford's daughter Sarah. Michael's will also names his wife Judith.

Michael's children are named in his will in this order: John, Michael Jr., Elizabeth who married Pouncy Anderson, Richard, George, Judith who married Henry Martin, and 3 daughters underage named Anne, Susannah and Mercy (or Marcy).

From “Michael Holland of Virginia” Wiley Julian Holland Copyright June 1, 2003

”In 1955 John Bennett Boddie wrote a chapter titled " Hollands of Nansemond" in his series on Historical Southern Families. Because the records were destroyed in Nansemond County, Boddie studied land transactions in Isle of Wight, an adjoining county. He concluded that "based on circumstantial evidence, it appears John Holland of Nansemond had four sons: HENRY, JAMES, JOSEPH, and JOHN HOLLAND Jr" ...”
Several people have posted that Michael married Judith Merryman. I have never seen any documentation that Judith's last name was Merryman.
Michael wrote his will in 1746 in Goochland County, Virginia and it is on file at the Courthouse and is included in Book Five. some. If he was born in 1666, as some say, he would have been eighty when he drafted his will. ,
In Michael's will he lists three daughters, Anne, Susanna and Marcy who are underage and he appoints guardians for them. Marcy married in 1759 and Susannah, in 1757. Using an average of twenty years for them at the time of their marriage, it would place their births around 1737. If Michael was born in 1666, that means he sired children at the age of about 71. My personal opinion is that Michael was born about 1681-1685 in England.

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GEDCOM Note

<p>4 July. 1734-Judith Holland wife of Michal Holland, appts as</p><p> her att'y Auguistine Graham-to sign the following deed</p><p> dated 4 July. 1734. From Michal Holland to John Dim</p> mock.