Richard Ripley, of Kingston Parish, VA

Not the son of William Ripley, of Hingham

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From http://www.beasleygenealogy.net/index.php/2-uncategorised/68-1-will...

Before 1710 and possibly about 1703 or even earlier, William married Mary Ripley, daughter of Richard Ripley of St. Ann’s Parish, perhaps as his second or later wife. Estimating Mary’s age and that of her father can be difficult from the existing documents. What is known for certain is that the Ripley family came from Gloucester County, Virginia. Richard Ripley patented 400 acres in Winter Harbor near New Point Comfort on 29 January 1651.37 His holdings were later referenced as being at Mockjack Bay.38 On 26 September 1678, John Degge patented 200 acres in “Kingstone Parish” in Gloucester County, beginning at the line of Richard Ripley.39 On 20 October 1688, Mr. Motram Wright patented 1,000 acres in Kingston Parish adjoining land of Robert Gregg, John “Degg,” and John Gardner, and the grant mentioned the 400 acres patented to Richard Ripley on 29 January 1652, which Ripley had later sold to Charles Sallet.40 It is not clear how this early Richard, mentioned in 1652, related to the later Richard. They could be one and the same, in which case Richard would have been born before 1630 and would have been very advanced in age at the time of his death. More likely, however, they represent two different generations, with Mary’s father being a younger Richard, born say 1650. The destruction of most of the early Gloucester County records makes a complete identification difficult.

On 10 April 1703, Richard Ripley of Kingston Parish, Gloucester County, purchased 300 acres in Essex County from John Hawkins of Sittenburne Parish, Essex County, for £30 and 3,000 pounds of tobacco.41 The land adjoined that of Edward Martin, and the deed was witnessed by William Smither, Samuel Stallord, and John Rutherford. Since Richard Ripley does not appear in Essex County at an earlier date, it is possible that William Beasley married Mary Ripley about 1703-1704, shortly after Richard’s purchase. Richard, now of Essex County, acquired an additional 50 acres of land on 11 March 1703/4 from Mary Ward of Sittenburne Parish, “part of 1,150 acres lying on the fork of the Occupasie.”42 On 8 February 1705/6, he bought from Daniel Magirt for 700 pounds of tobacco a neck of land comprising 30 acres located between the Rappahannock and Mattipony rivers. It was described as beginning at “the Widdow Ward’s corner, along Panels line and Occupation Swamp,” being part of an earlier grant to Magirt and one Gibbins.43 Taken together, the deeds show Richard Ripley to have been a planter of modest holdings but slightly more successful than William Beasley, while both men had land on Occupatio or Occupation Creek in Essex County.

Richard Ripley wrote his will on 3 June 1710.44 It described him as being “very sick and weake of body” and included a number of bequests. To his son Richard he left “all my land lyeing in the fork of Occupation being by estimation 100 acres.” To his son Thomas Ripley he left a tract of 100 acres on the north side of Occupation Run adjoining Col. Richard Covington. To his son John Ripley he left “my now dwelling plantation being by estimation 150 acres.” To his daughters Elizabeth Smith, Dorothy, Sarah, Ann, and Mary Beasley he left each one cow. John and Thomas also received cows. Dorothy received a feather bed. Sarah and Ann were to share a mare called Nimble, while son John received a mare called Dobiny. Dorothy, Sarah, and Ann, all unmarried, were given free liberty to occupy the land given to Thomas and John. The will also mentioned cooper’s tools, given to Thomas, and carpenter’s tools and a hand mill, given to John. Richard left the remainder of the estate to his “loving wife Elizabeth,” whom he made his executrix.45 The will was proved on 14 June 1711 with Edmond Connally and Thomas Ramsay as securities. An inventory was filed later that year by James Landrum and William Golding and included one hand mill, one cask, two hogs, a pair of wool cards, and a steer, totaling in value about £3.46 William was not specifically mentioned in association with the estate. Judging from the three unmarried daughters, Richard Ripley Sr. was probably near the age of William Beasley or only slightly older, leading to the conclusion that Mary (Ripley) Beasley was considerably younger than her husband.