Mary Beheathland, Ancient Planter

Evidence needed to support as daughter of Robert Nicholson & Dorothy Nicholson

Family

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Beheathland

Robert Beheathland of Cornwall & Jamestown is the earliest documented colonial immigrant ancestor to the Virginia colony, with descendants living today. He was survived by two daughters; therefore, his surname is not well known. Scion of a wealthy mining family, Captain Beheathland brought sheet copper for the 1607 Virginia expedition for trade with the Indians. He is the only man on the original three ships to have documented descendants living today."[1]

The surname of his wife, Mary, is not known. Some claim she was Mary Nicholson but there is no documentation to support that. The widow, Mary Beheathland, married second, Lieut. Thomas Flint of Warwick County, Virginia. [10].

The three children of Mary and Robert Beheathland were:

1. Dorothy born in England or Virginia in 1612 or 1613. In Nov 1628 she is listed in Virginia court records as the step-daughter of Lt Thomas Flint living in Elizabeth city.
2. Mary was born in 1614 or 1615. About 1631 she married Captain Thomas Bernard of Warwick county. They had a daughter named Beheathland Bernard who married 1st to Francis Dade, alias Major John Smith and married 2nd to Major Andrew Gibson.
3. John was born in 1616 or 1617. He wrote his will in 1636 saying he was on the way to Virginia and the administration of his estate was granted in Oct 1639 to his cousin Charles Beheathland, who stated "John and died abroad, unmarried.

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Controversy

"Thomas Flint may have been volatile and easily angered. In November 1628 he was detained at Robert Poole's house, stripped of his rank as lieutenant, and fined for contempt for becoming enraged and treating the governor disrespectfully... Moreover, West scolded Flint for openly having an affair with his... (stepdaughter), Dorothy Beheathland, despite his wife's objections." He also, "had a heated dispute with Peter Stafferton, which led to their being summoned to court."[11]

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Notes

https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I4460...

XXXiv. CAVALIERS AND PIONEERS: ANCIENT PLANTERS: INTRODUCTION

The following list includes those who are known to have come to Virginia before the close of the year 1616, survived the massacre, appear in the Muster of 1624/5 as then living in Virginia, and to most of whom the term "Ancient Planter" may with justification be applied.

Mary Flint "ancient planter, now wife of Thomas Flint Gent. of Warwick River," patent March 14, 1628.

1623-1637 Cavaliers and Pioneers, Patent Book No. 1, Part 1; [Nell Marion Nugent]; Page 13
MARY FLINT, Ancient Planter, now wife of Thomas Flint, Gent., of Warwick Riv., 100 acs. in the Corp. of Eliz. Citty, commonly called Foxhill, being a neck of land abutting Ely. on the Cr. parting same from Point Comfort Island, 14 Mar. 1628, Page 73. Due as her first per. devdt.

1653-1656 Cavaliers and Pioneers, Patent Book No. 3; [Nell Marion Nugent]; Page 272
WILLIAM RATTON & RICHARD FLINT, 200 acs. Lancaster Co., 29 Nov. 1652, Page 169. Upon W. side of Corotoman Riv., N. N. W. upon land of William White, S. S. E. upon land of Henry Hacker & E. N. E. upon a branch dividing this & land of William --- Jr. Trans. of 4 pers: Mary Flint, Marga. Leathott, Marga. Robinson, Job. Townsend.

Research Notes

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Beheathland-1

"Robert Beheathland of Cornwall & Jamestown is the earliest documented colonial immigrant ancestor to the Virginia colony, with descendants living today. He was survived by two daughters; therefore, his surname is not well known. Scion of a wealthy mining family, Captain Beheathland brought sheet copper for the 1607 Virginia expedition for trade with the Indians. He is the only man on the original three ships to have documented descendants living today."[1]

"Until recently it was believed that one other original Jamestown colonist – William Spence(r) – also survived to marry and have descendants. There is a great deal of debate raging among historians, archeologists, and genealogists as to whether Spence’s descendants actually survived. Initially William Spence (no “r”), who arrived on the Susan Constant in 1607, was confused with William Spencer, who arrived aboard the Sarah in 1611. Spencer’s family has survived – that is not in question. However, he is not considered an “Original Planter”. It appears now that William Spence (no “r”, who arrived on the Susan Constant in 1607) and his wife were killed by natives during the Anglo-Powhatan war. Their 3 year-old daughter Sarah was left an orphan with no further indication of her survival past the single court record appointing a guardian for her in 1624. Given this new information it appears that only Beheathland’s descendants can, with any certainty, claim “first family” status." [2][13]

Lost Counties of Virginia on the mouth of the James River

Source: A 1903 Rand McNally map showing the area around the mouth of the James River. Includes Princess Anne, Norfolk, Nansemond, Elizabeth City, and Warwick Counties, all of which do not exist today. < link >

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References

1. WikiTree contributors, "Mary (Unknown) Flint (1586-1670)," WikiTree: The Free Family Tree, (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Unknown-242543 : accessed 10 April 2024). cites
   1. 1st Husband: Mary____ married Robert Beheathland before 1607. [2][3]
   2. 2nd Husband: Mary____ married Thomas Flint about 1628/29 [4][5]
   3. Virginia Immigrants and Adventurers: A Biographical Dictionary, 1607-1635, Martha W. McCartney, page 124.
   4. Gray, p. 6
   5. Dorman, p. 218
   6. Gray, p. 6
   7. Dorman, p. 218 See Also:
   8. "Order of Descendants of Ancient Planters", Ancestor list, (Rootsweb). Mary is listed as "Mary Beheathland."
   9. Gray, Violet Noland. Genealogical History of Robert Beheathland. Baltimore, MD: Gateway Press, , 1978.
   10. Dorman, John Frederick. Adventurers of Purse and Person 1607-1624/5 Fourth Edition. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2004.
2. https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I4460...
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warwick_County,_Virginia Warwick County was a county in Southeast Virginia that was created from Warwick River Shire, one of eight created in the Virginia Colony in 1634. It became the City of Newport News on July 16, 1952. Located on the Virginia Peninsula on the northern bank of the James River between Hampton Roads and Jamestown, the area consisted primarily of farms and small unincorporated villages until the arrival of the Peninsula Extension of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway in 1881 and development led by industrialist Collis P. Huntington.