Rev. Charles Anderson, of Westover Parish

Biography

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Anderson-819

Charles Anderson was minister for 24 years of Westover parish, Charles City county. His tombstone at Westover states that he died April 7, 1718. He left a son Charles, and daughters — Frances (married Thomas Pinkard); Elizabeth (married John Stith); Charlotte (Henry Taylor); and Jane (married Ellyson Armistead).[1]

The Reverend M. Charles Anderson died 1718 and is buried at Westover Parish Church in Charles City, Virginia.[2]

Will

http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~anderson/va/trees/thomas.html

Charles' will is filed on both sides of the James, in Prince George County, Book 1713-1728, Part II, page 289. It is dated 06/26/1712, witnessed by Edw. Hill, H. Maria Platt, Sarah Baxter, and proved Prince George Court at Merchants Hope 03/13/1718 by Frances Anderson and at Charles City Court on 09/1718 by Edward Hill. Of interest is the presence of the mullattos mentioned by Charles. At this time the number of such persons would have been fewer and therefore we can assume that some slaveowners assuaged their conscience regarding the mixed offspring of their slaves by arranging for them to serve the Parish Minister. It should be noted that Charles' choice in his identification of these persons reflected that he was aware of the issue of race and the consequences of slavery, a man of conscious and unwilling to simply identify them as negro as was done in so many wills of the time. As a prominent Parish Minister serving at the time when the very definitions of slavery were being formed by the Virginia Colonial Council it would be of extreme interest if we could hear from him of the discussion of slavery that he must have had over the billiard table at Westover with William Byrd, II a member of that council.

• In the Name of God, Amen. I Charles Anderson of Westopher Parish in the County of Charles City, Clerk, being sick in body but of good and perfect memory (thanks to Almighty God) and calling to mind the uncertain estate of this transitory Life, and that all life must yield unto Death, when it shall please God to call, do make constitute ordain and declare this my Last Will and Testament in manner and form following, revoking and annulling by these presents all and every Testament and Testaments, Will and Wills heretofore by me made and declared either by word or writing. And first being penitant and sorry for my sins past most humbly desiring forgiveness for the same, I give and commit my soul unto almighty God my Saviour and redeemer in whom and by the merrits of Jesus Christ I trust and believe assured to be saved, and to have full remission of all my sins, and that my soul within my body at the General Day of Resurrection shall rise again with joy, and through the merits of Christs Death and passion possess & inherit the kingdom of Heaven prepared for his elect and chosen. And my body to be buried in such place where it shall please my Executirx hereafter named to appoint. And for the setling of my Temporal Estate which it hath pleased God to bestow upon me, I do order give and dispose in manner and form following (that is to say) first I will that all my just debts whatsoever be well & truly contented and paid.
• Item. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth Anderson these Negroes and Slaves following Viz: Frank a Mullato Woman, Dick a Mullatto man, and Nanny a negro girl, to her and her heirs forever.
• Item. I give and bequeath unto my son Charles Anderson after the Death of my Dear and Loving Wife, All my Lands I now have or herafter may or shall belong unto me in this country or elsewhere, to him my said son and to his heirs forever. And also I give and bequeath unto my said son Charles Anderson these Negroes following Viz: Scipio a Negro man, Betty and Negro Woman, Jack a Negro boy, to him and his heirs.
• Item. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Frances Anderson these Negros following Viz: Billy and Negro boy, Hannah a Negro girl and George a Mullato boy, to her and her heirs for ever.
• Item. I will that what Tobacco's I now have in the country after necessarys for my familys use are bought, be shipped for England, and the produce of that and what else I have in England after debts paid, be equally divided amongst my wife and children.
• Item. I will that my dear and loving wife have and enjoy all and singular the profits of my whole estate during the minority of my children or marriage for their better maintenance and more Liberal Education.
• Item. I give and bequeath unto my dear and loving wife all the residue of my said estate not before mentioned to be given whether real or personal in this country or elsewhere, to her and her heirs for ever.
• And lastly I do ordain constitute and appoint my dear and loving wife my sole and whole executrix of this my Last Will and Testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 26th Day of June Anno Domini 1712
• Sealed and Delivered before: Ch: Anderson
• Edw: Hill seald wth red wax
• H: Maria Platt
• Sarah Baxter

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From William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine, Volume 22. By College of William and Mary. Page 45. < GoogleBooks >

6. Lieut.-Col. John Stith (John, John'), erroneously stated by Dr. Johnstone to have been the son of Lieut.-Col. Drury Stith and his wife, Susanna Bathurst, was the second son of Capt. John Stith and his wife Mary Randolph, and younger brother of Rev. William Stith, President of William and Mary College. He was of Charles City County; and married Elizabeth Anderson, dau. of Rev. Charles Anderson of Westover, and his wife, Frances. In 1739 the will of Mrs. Frances Anderson was presented in Court by Frances Anderson, one of the executors, John Stith in behalf of his wife, admitted executor, and Jane and Charlotte Anderson the other executors. Charles City County Records, (4 QUARTERLY, p. 127).

• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Anderson-819 cites

1. Lyon Gardiner Tyler, Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography (page 171)
2. Westover Church marker < link > Located a short walking distance west of the grand Westover Plantation house is the site of the original Westover Parish church. It was built around 1630 by Theodorick Bland, 100 years prior to the erection of the brick Georgian mansion on the banks of the James River in Charles City, Virginia. Like all of the original Virginia parish churches, not only was it a house of worship, it also served as a court house and even a prison!
3. Descendants of Thomas Anderson, Sr. < link > (speculative origins included)
4. "Descendants of John Stith and Mary Randolph," by Armistead C. Gordon; The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 8, No. 1 (Jul., 1900), pp. 95-96 (Published by: Virginia Historical Society), Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4242319

• https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Westover_Parish,_Virginia Westover Parish has served Charles City and Prince George counties. Since 1724, it has been "coterminous with Charles City County."[1] Merchant's Hope Church belonged to Westover Parish from the late 1600s through 1720, Founded by 1625[2].
• Westover Episcopal Church: history
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/75327362/charles-anderson "Here Lyes interred the Body of Rev. M Charles Anderson who was Minister of this Parish 26 yeares and dyed the 7th of April 1718 in the 49th hear of his Age"