Robert Wooldridge

Robert Wooldridge was the youngest son.

From http://kykinfolk.com/adair/woolrdgrpt.htm

Robert Wooldridge was born 1719 in Henrico County, Virginia, and died July 1794 in Chesterfield Co., Va.. He married Magdalene Salle Abt. 1738 in VA. She was born 1718 in VA, and died August 1794 in Chesterfield Co., Va..

Robert Wooldridge's birthday is estimated from his appearance as godfather for his nephew William Trabue (son of Jacob and Mary Wooldridge Trabue) in 1739. He married Magdalene Salle, daughter of Abraham Salle, Jr., before 1744 when Magdalene Wooldridge served as godmother to their niece Marie Trabue. At the time of their marriage one neighbor remembered that, "she (Magdalene) was called an old girl and said to be oler than her husband who was said to be 18 years old." But another person said he thought she was then under 21, "for she was younger than he was, and he was then a young man living with his father." Perhaps the marriage occurred about 1738, as their first son Thomas was old enough to be bequeathed John Sr.'s "wearing clothes" in 1757. But apparently not yet tithable in 1756. (141) From the description of a bride of 20 as an "old girl" it is clear that marriage for girls of this time and class usually occurred before they were 21. On the other hand, the depositions also give the impression that Robert Wooldridge was unusually young, 17, 18 or 19 when he married. Though Robert was a younger son, his descendants were among the most prominent of the family to remain in Virginia, so perhaps the connections with the Salles proved fortunate, socially or hereditarily or both. He bought no land until he was 36; (142) perhaps until then, as the youngest son, he stayed on to manage his father's home place, which he inherited. His name appears in the Chesterfield records of the 1760's (143) and on a 1777 tithe list of Manchester parish with five slaves. He or perhaps his son furnished service or supplies in Chesterfield in the Revolution. (144) As noted earlier, Robert Wooldridge produced coal commercially for saleon the James at Warwick. The body of one Jehu Compton was found at the pits in 1786; an inquisition concluded that he died of drunkenness. Robert bequeathed "my coal pitts" in his will to his four sons, but "In case anyonedisagrees concerning the said pitts and premises the coal pits to be set up to the highest bidder allowing 12 months of credit" and the proceeds divided among the four. (145) Long before Robert's death in 1794, his son Thomas had become a Justice of the Chesterfield County Court. (146) The second generation, though prospering, did not hold office but prepared theway for some of the third to achieve more prominenceat the county level.

Children of Robert Wooldridge and Magdalene Salle are:

I. Abraham3 Wooldridge, b. VA; d. Bef. 1784. Appears on a tithe list but he is not mentioned in Robert's 1784 will. He was a corporal in the Revolution.

II. Thomas Wooldridge, b. 1740, VA; d. 1813, Powhatan, Va.

III. Elisha Wooldridge, b. July 16, 1752, Virginia; d. February 12, 1813, Woodford Co., Ky.

IV. Robert Wooldridge, b. 1754, Chestervield Co., VA; d. 1805, Chestervield Co., VA. Robert served in his brother Thomas' company in the Revolution. No children.

V. William Wooldridge, b. 1756, Chesterfield Co., VA; d. February 1830, Chesterfield Co., VA.

Robert Wooldridge had coal pits near Warwick on the James River. This is known from an advertisement in the Virginia Gazette, Nov. 11, 1780.