Thomas East, Sr.

Biography

"Thomas East, Mavell's father, was an overseer for Mr. Thomas Cocke's Turkey Island  Plantation in Henrico County, Virginia.  Mr. Cocke was a Justice from Henrico County in 1677 and a man of great wealth and prestige. In 1675, he named a John Robinson as one of 62 headrights when he was granted 3087 acres of land in Henrico County on the north side of the James River and the south side of the Chickahominy Swamp adjoining land taken up by Mr. Beauchamp.4 

It is possible that Thomas East married Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Cocke and sister to Thomas Cocke. Richard Cocke died in 1665 and his will, after bequests to his sons, read: "any other son or their heirs that shall after my decease first possess said land, shall pay to my daughter Elizabeth Cocke, for her portion L100 sterling. If he or they shall refuse payment or fail to make same to said Elizabeth when she is 17 years old or at day of her marriage, which ever shall be first, then the land to be extended to her use until said sum be paid by annual value of the land..."5 

In 1672 Thomas Cocke of Pickthorne Farm, son of Richard, granted Thomas East a parcel of land: "lying and being within line of what land he now holds but is part of that land belonging now to me and to my brother, given by will of our father. He shall have the land forever before any other person, he paying for the same what it may then be thought reasonable worth. If it fall to my share to have it, he only paying the acknowledgment of renting it every year by payment of one ear of corn the 25th day of December yearly til the 20 years be expired, which will be the 25th day of September 1688."6 This would indicate that Thomas East had been on the land for four years before this contract was put into writing in 1672. It is clear that Thomas East was seated on land granted to Richard Cocke, father of Elizabeth. This deed was produced in Henrico County Court in 1691: "a case between ye subscribed Cocke and East for ye above mentioned land and owned per both plaintiffs."7 

We could not locate the court's decision concerning this case. Thomas East's first wife, perhaps Elizabeth Cocke, had died by 2 October 1685, when the marriage license of Thomas East to Dorothy Thomas was recorded in Henrico County, Virginia.8

Thomas East's remarriage might have been the reason the Cocke's tried to regain control of the land they had previously given to him. 

"In May, 1726, Thomas East Sr., "being old and almost blind and unable to care of myself for common necessarys to support life and likewise in consideration of his care and overseeing of my plantation and Negroes do grant unto son Edward, 2 Negroes." Wit: William Porter, Jr., and John Porter. Signed Thomas (E) East, Sr.9 Thomas East Sr. was dead by 2 January, 1726/27 when his will was recorded. 

His will named his second wife Dorothy, sons Thomas and Edward and a daughter Mary Alsope. This will was read in an abstract; the original might reveal that Mary was Mavell."

"Mavell East Robinson had two brothers, Thomas East Jr. and Edward.3 Mavell's brother Thomas East Jr. and Thomas Cardwell were married to sisters, both daughters of Ann Perrin. Thomas Cardwell's daughter Eleanor was married to Richard Williams, schoolmaster and teacher of English. Thomas Cardwell gave Eleanor and Richard land on Gilley's Creek in 1713 and they became neighbors of John and Mavell who had patented land on Gilley's Creek in 1703." 

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/East-98

1 Aug 1690. [4]Oct 1685 to Dorothy Thomas. Henrico, Virginia. [5][6]

Thomas East was an overseer for Thomas Cocke of Turkey Island Plantation in Henrico County, Virginia. Mr. Cocke was a Justice from Henrico County in 1677 and a man of great wealth and prestige. [7]In 1675, he claimed 62 headrights when he was granted 3087 acres of land in Henrico County on the north side of the James River and the southside of the Chickahominy Swamp adjoining land taken up by John Beauchamp

In 1672 Thomas Cocke of Pickthorne Farm, son of Richard, granted Thomas East a parcel of land: "lying and being within line of what land he now holds but is part of that land belonging now to me and to my brother, given by will of our father. He shall have the land forever before any other person, he paying for the same what it may then be thought reasonable worth. If it fall to my share to have it, he only paying the acknowledgment of renting it every year by payment of one ear of corn the 25th day of December yearly til the 20 years be expired, which will be the 25th day of September 1688."[8]

This would indicate that Thomas East had been on the land for four years before this contract was put into writing in 1672. This deed was produced in Henrico County Court in 1691: "a case between ye subscribed Cocke and East for ye above mentioned land and owned per both plaintiffs."[9] We could not locate the court's decision concerning this case. Thomas East's first wife, perhaps Elizabeth Cocke, had died by 2 October 1685, when the marriage license of Thomas East to Dorothy Thomas was recorded in Henrico County, Virginia.[10] Thomas East's remarriage might have been the reason the Cocke's tried to regain control of the land they had previously given to him.

In May, 1726, Thomas East Sr., "being old and almost blind and unable to care of myself for common necessarys to support life and likewise in consideration of his care and overseeing of my plantation and Negroes do grant unto son Edward, 2 Negroes." Wit: William Porter, Jr., and John Porter. Signed Thomas (E) East, Sr.[11] Thomas East Sr. was dead by 2 January, 1726/27 when his will was recorded. His will named his second wife Dorothy, sons Thomas and Edward and a daughter Mary Alsope.[12][13]

Research Notes

On the ship they ate hard biscuits and dried meat. Most of the other food soon spoiled. After the water was gone they drank beer. They could not cook very much because of rough seas. All they could take on the trip was a bible and a trunk containing their belongings. If someone had a baby they could bring a cradle. The men could bring a gun. Some of the passengers and sailors slept on deck in hammocks. Most of the other passengers slept below deck. Some of the people would sleep in a loft. The children would sleep on a trundle bed, which rolled from underneath a larger bed. Everyone agreed to have equal and fair laws. The women did not take part in the elections because they were not allowed to vote.

Deed Of Gift To Son Thomas And Daughter, Marvel. Will: From VA County Records: Deed Of Gift To Son Thomas And Daughter, Marvell. Will dated 1725

Will of Thomas East as abstracted in [14] To wife Dorothy, plantation I live on, negroes, etc. To son Thomas, the plantation after my wife's death, and 1 shilling. To son Edward, 1 shilling. To daughter Mary Alsope, 1 shilling. All the rest to wife and she to be executrix. Dated 1 Aug 1726. Wit: Thomas Edwards, Matt Jobson (called Hobson at probate), Fran. Gartwright (a Quaker) Probated 2 Jan 1726. (An almost identical will of Thomas East dated 26 Nov 1726 follows the above will and is witnessed by Amos Liptrot and Thomas Childers, Sr, a Quaker and recorded 2 Jan 1726.

Sources

1. Ancestry.com. Virginia, Marriage Records, 1700-1850 [database on-line]. Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Bentley, Elizabeth Petty, indexer. Virginia Marriage Records: From the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, the William and Mary College Quarterly, and Tyler's Quarterly. Baltimore, MD: Genealogy Publishing Co., Inc., 1984.
2. The History of Pittsylvania County Virginia, p.43: In the lists of tithables (tax lists) of Henrico County, 1679 are the following familiar names: Nicholas Perkins, James Royall, Mr. Kennon, and THOMAS EAST) (may have been living May 16, 1737 in Hanover, VA).
3. FamilySearch Pedigree Resource File," \i FamilySearch\i0 (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 7/21/09)
4. FamilySearch Pedigree Resource File," FamilySearch\i0 (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 7/21/09)
5. "FamilySearch Pedigree Resource File, FamilySearch\i0 (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 7/21/09)
6. Virginia, Marriage Records, 1700-1850 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: Bentley, Elizabeth Petty, indexer. Virginia Marriage Records: From the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, the William and Mary College Quarterly, and Tyler's Quarterly. Baltimore, MD: Genealogy Publishing Co., Inc., 1984.
7. https://www.jstor.org/stable/4241891?seq=4#page_scan_tab_contents
8. Henrico Co., W/D 1688—1697, p. 245.
9. Henrico Co., W/D 1688-1697, p. 245.
10. Henrico Co., VA Marriage Record, p. 619.
11. Henrico Co., VA W/D 1725-1737, p. 26.
12. Henrico Co., VA W/D 1725-1737, p. 77
13. John Mavell Robinson FIRST GENERATION 1
14. Weisiger. Benjamin. Colonial Wills of Henrico County Part One. Page 157
15. http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~eazier1/genealogy/East/index.htm
16. http://www.bmgen.com/document/pdf/Desc_Report_John_Mavell_Robinson.pdf John Mavell Robinson FIRST GENERATION 1
17. http://bmgen.com/document/pdf/Desc_Report_John_Mavell_Robinson.pdf