William Beasley, Immigrant, of Old Rappahannock & Essex County, Virginia

Biography

This William Beasley is often said to be the son of William Beasley and Elizabeth Ripley without documentation. In fact, until evidence is provided to the contrary, his parents are not known.

William Ripley (abt 1650-1719) married first (____), whose identity is unknown but who was likely the mother of his children.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Beasley-677

He married second, before 1710, MARY RIPLEY, daughter of Richard Ripley of Kingston Parish, Gloucester County, Virginia, and later of St. Ann’s Parish, Essex County.5 It is unclear whether she was the mother of any of his children, though judging from the likely ages of her siblings in Richard Ripley’s will, she was probably a younger second wife of William and may have been childless.

Children of William Beasley/Beezley, likely from an unknown first wife rather than from Mary (Ripley), born in likely in Old Rappahannock County, Virginia (birth order uncertain, presented, with the exception of Martha, as listed in the will):

• 2. i. WILLIAM2 BEASLEY, b. say 1682-85; m. MARY (___).
• 3. ii. BENJAMIN BEASLEY, b. say 1685-1690; m. ELIZABETH (___).
• 4. iii. HENRY BEASLEY/BEAZLEY, b. say 1685-1692.
• 5. iv. JOHN BEASLEY, b. say 1688-1695; m. (1) WINIFRED (___); (2) ELIZABETH (___) COGHILL.
• 6. v. CHARLES BEASLEY, b. say 1695-1700.
• vi. possibly MARTHA BEASLEY, b. say 1695; d. Essex County Virginia, before 18 September 1753, testate.51 She is said to have married about 1715, CORNELIUS REYNOLDS. Martha is not named in William’s will, and her placement here remains speculative.

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Disputed origins

This William Beasley is often said to be the son of William Beasley and Elizabeth Ripley without documentation. In fact, until evidence is provided to the contrary, his parents are not known.

1. WILLIAM1 BEASLEY/BEEZLEY was born say 1650, possibly slightly earlier, likely in England. He died in St. Ann’s Parish, Essex County, Virginia, after 21 January 1718/9, when he wrote his will, but before 17 November 1719, when it was probated.4

brief biography

From http://www.genealogy.com/ftm/p/a/r/Bonnie-Partin-NC/GENE65-0042.html

William came to this country as a young man and served indentures for two periods of four years each.He served the first four years to pay for his passage and keep.He served the next four years to accumulate a few possessions, animals, and tools to support himself.Serving more than one period as an indentured servant was a common practice during this period.

It appears that William lived on land in the present counties of Westmoreland [SIC: see comments] and Essex.Records for William also appear in Old Rappahannock and Northumberland Counties.William settled on the frontier near Indian settlements in Essex County around 1681.

William lived near the present location of Vauter's Church, which was built in the 1720's.The Church is located north of Rappahannock, VA.His property was across Highway 17 from Vauter's Church and along the creek (Lucas or Blackburn Creek).His farm was probably within a mile of the church, exact location not known.A family graveyard was described in his son John's deed transferring the property, location unknown.

William accumulated about 240 acres during his lifetime.He lived a long hard life as a tobacco farmer on the edge of civilization and was at risk from Indian raids and illness from malaria.He apparently lived a very full life.

Will

William Beasley left a will dated, 21 January 1718/9 , and presented in court 17 November 1719 . He names his wife Mary, as executrix. The following children were named in the will:

eldest son, William [II], 50 acres of land adjoining to the plantation where he now lives. After his decease, to his eldest son William [III]; son, Benjamin, 40 acres of land adjoining to the plantation where he now lives, and also all the land I have on that side of the branch next to John Pitts; son, Henry, 50 acres of land lying next to my son Benjamin; son, John, 50 acres of land lying next to my son Henry's land; all the remaining part of my land to my son, Charles.

Note: In his will dated January 21, 1719, William names his 5 sons probably in descending order as to age, with each receiving some land. Wife Mary was bequeathed William's personal estate. The will was presented in Court on November 17, 1719, by Mary (Beezley). In the will William stated that his eldest son William had a son named William.

origins

Disputed.

From

"William Beasley, Jr., born 1634 in Henley in Arden, Warwickshire Co., England; died 1719 in Essex County, Virginia. He was the son of William Beasley and Joyes Peacock.He married Mary Ripley, of St Ann's Parish, Essex, Virginia."

"William Beasley came to Virginia as an indentured servant in 1649.His passage was paid by sea captain Henry Roach from Bristol.He was a servant to Reverend John Dibbdall in 1658.He sailed to this country on the ship, Honor, which was commissioned out of London (and sailing from London and Gravesend).He travelled with Vincent Cox and testified to that fact in court in Northumberland County on December 17, 1653."

Descent

From http://www.beasleygenealogy.net/index.php/part-i

WILLIAM BEASLEY OF ESSEX COUNTY, VIRGINIA, AND SOME OF HIS DESCENDANTS

The Beasley-Beazley family of Old Rappahannock and later Essex and Caroline counties, Virginia, was by far the largest of this surname in eighteenth-century Virginia. Because the family was well-documented from an early date, some descendants of unrelated Beasley families have laid claim to its progenitor, William, as the source of their own lineages without having any basis for doing so. Among the descendants of William, the surname appears as “Beasley” in many records of Essex County, but is “Beazley” in most of the Caroline and Orange County records.

This family followed a settlement pattern common to many Virginia families. The immigrant William was transported from England by a local Virginia landowner in order to claim land. Once established and free of his indenture, he put down roots in the Tidewater county of Old Rappahannock, which later split into Richmond and Essex counties, with the family’s holdings now in Essex in the parish of St. Ann’s. The family relied heavily on tobacco for its livelihood and used it as currency. As the eighteenth century progressed, the family became somewhat more prosperous, and some members moved inland to higher ground in search of less expensive land. Caroline County, immediately contiguous to the west, became the first place of outside settlement, followed by Orange County, even further west in the foothills of the mountains that was part of the Virginia Piedmont.

No extensive Y-chromosomal DNA studies of male-line descendants of this family have been undertaken, though it may be part of the Yellow Group. Having more such data could significantly enhance our knowledge of many of the unattached or marginally-attached families listed here.

Comments

Not to be confused with another William Beasley of Westmoreland, an older man.

"William1 Beasley or Beezley, the subject of this sketch and genealogy, lived in Old Rappahannock County, Virginia, an area comprising modern-day Essex and Richmond counties along the Rapphannock River. He was probably younger than the other man and did not appear in Virginia records until more than a decade after the other. There is no evidence that the two were related. William1’s earliest likely recorded appearance occurred on 18 February 1666, when William Fogg was granted a headright of 650 acres on the south side of the Rappahannock River in Old Rappahannock County for transporting William Baseley together with Henry Knowles, Edmund Bird, Richard Badger, James Lee, Elizabeth Clampe, Thomas Fogg, Edward Smith, and William Tanner.15 As was stated above, the 1666 year was not necessarily William’s date of immigration; he could have lived in the colony a number of years before this date."

John Beatty's excellent research and analysis at http://www.beasleygenealogy.net/documents/SomeBeasleyFamilies-Colon...

WILLIAM BEASLEY OF ESSEX COUNTY, VIRGINIA, AND SOME OF HIS DESCENDANTS

The Beasley-Beazley family of Old Rappahannock and later Essex and Caroline counties, Virginia, was by far the largest of this surname in eighteenth-century Virginia. Because the family was well-documented from an early date, some descendants of unrelated Beasley families have laid claim to its progenitor, William, as the source of their own lineages without having any basis for doing so. Among the descendants of William, the surname appears as “Beasley” in many records of Essex County, but is “Beazley” in most of the Caroline and Orange County records.

This family followed a settlement pattern common to many Virginia families. The immigrant William was transported from England by a local Virginia landowner in order to claim land. Once established and free of his indenture, he put down roots in the Tidewater county of Old Rappahannock, which later split into Richmond and Essex counties, with the family’s holdings now in Essex in the parish of St. Ann’s. The family relied heavily on tobacco for its livelihood and used it as currency. As the eighteenth century progressed, the family became somewhat more prosperous, and some members moved inland to higher ground in search of less expensive land. Caroline County, immediately contiguous to the west, became the first place of outside settlement, followed by Orange County, even further west in the foothills of the mountains that was part of the Virginia Piedmont.

No extensive Y-chromosomal DNA studies of male-line descendants of this family have been undertaken, though it may be part of the Yellow Group. Having more such data could significantly enhance our knowledge of many of the unattached or marginally-attached families listed here.

1. WILLIAM1 BEASLEY/BEEZLEY was born say 1650, possibly slightly earlier, likely in England. He died in St. Ann’s Parish, Essex County, Virginia, after 21 January 1718/9, when he wrote his will, but before 17 November 1719, when it was probated.4 He married first (____), whose identity is unknown but who was likely the mother of his children. He married second, before 1710, MARY RIPLEY, daughter of Richard Ripley of Kingston Parish, Gloucester County, Virginia, and later of St. Ann’s Parish, Essex County.5

It is unclear whether she was the mother of any of his children, though judging from the likely ages of her siblings in Richard Ripley’s will, she was probably a younger second wife of William and may have been childless.

Few details of William Beasley’s early life are known. At least two men named William Beasley lived in Virginia in the mid-seventeenth century: one in Northumberland and later Westmoreland County and the other, the subject of this genealogy, in Old Rappahannock County.

The other William first appears in the records on 1 December 1653, when, as “William Beesly,” he and John Draper offered depositions on behalf of Vincent Cox for a court session in Northumberland County, Virginia. The court sought evidence of when Cox arrived in the colony, the length of his apprenticeship, and whether he had served sufficient time with his master. William testified, as summarized by the court: William Beesly his Depo. William Beesly aged 22 yeares or thereabouts being sworne and examined saith That he this Depont came into this Colony of Virginia in the ship called the Honor in wch ship came one Vincent Cox servant to Mr Bullocke and the said ship came to anchor in Virgnia about the 8th or the 10th day of October last was fower yeares and further this Depont saith not. William Beesly his marke.6

The court then summarized William’s testimony on 20 February 1653[/4]: Whereas it doth appeare unto ye Court by ye Depostion of Wm: Beesley and John Draper that Vincent Cox came into this Country ye 10th day of Octo: last was fower yeares and tht ye saide Cox was solde or assigned by John Pettitt to Mr. Richard Cole for ye serving him, the saide Cole ye remaindr: of fower yeares as by ye saide Assignemt may more at large apeare wch: said line of service ye Court doth declare that ye saide Cox hath served according to ye last assignemt. The Court doth ordr: that hee ye saide Cox shalbe free from ye saide Cole his service and that ye saide Mr. Cole shal pay all chardges of Court.7

The document implies that William, the deponent, was born about 1633 and also that he arrived in Virginia with Cox on the Honor. This birth date is almost certainly too early for William1 of Old Rappahannock County. One of the keys of distinguishing this earlier William from William1 is his close association with John Draper. A later record in the same Northumberland County court book dated 20 July 1657 lists William Beasly together with John Draper, Elizabeth Russell, Stephen Banbury, Samuel Gosling, and Robert Warner and Mabell who were transported by John Bennett, who was, in turn, granted 350 acres by the court in Northumberland County.8 The association with Draper suggests that this is the same William who gave the deposition. Similarly, a William Baseley, son of John, was named as a legatee in the will of William Duckworth of Westmoreland County dated 13 July 1665.9

It remains unclear whether this is the same man or a third William.

This early William Beasly was listed again with John Draper and Elizabeth Russell in a second headright as being transported by Henry Roach of Westmoreland County on 4 June 1658.10 Roach received 140 acres on the “Matchotick” River, but the date of the grant offers little indication of when this William may have arrived in Virginia, since the grants could be issued decades after a person was transported. Again, his association with Draper strongly implies that he was the same man in the 1653 deposition.

Likely he was the same William who appears fleetingly in other records of Westmoreland County, often as Basely or Bazeley. On 22 March 1665/6, William Overett and George Browne obtained a headright for 400 acres in Westmoreland County “on the branches of the Nomeny River.” It was described as beginning at the corner tree of land surveyed for Thomas Dias standing in Mr. Richard Stereman’s line, running southwest “to red oake in line of land surveyed for Wm Basely & Edward Haly.”11 It is unclear whether this is the same man who was transported. However, this same William “Basley” is mentioned again on 25 September 1668 as having land adjoining Edward Halley and Andrew Read in Westmoreland County between the Potomac and Rappahannock rivers in a grant made to Thomas Beale and Randolph Kirk.12 He appears again as William Bazeley with Edward Hally in Westmoreland County in a grant to Thomas Ludwell.13 A William “Peasly” was granted 390 acres on the south side of “the freshes of the Yorke River” on 25 October 1666, but this is almost certainly a different man than either the others. 14

William1 Beasley or Beezley, the subject of this sketch and genealogy, lived in Old Rappahannock County, Virginia, an area comprising modern-day Essex and Richmond counties along the Rapphannock River. He was probably younger than the other man and did not appear in Virginia records until more than a decade after the other. There is no evidence that the two were related. William1’s earliest likely recorded appearance occurred on 18 February 1666, when William Fogg was granted a headright of 650 acres on the south side of the Rappahannock River in Old Rappahannock County for transporting William Baseley together with Henry Knowles, Edmund Bird, Richard Badger, James Lee, Elizabeth Clampe, Thomas Fogg, Edward Smith, and William Tanner.15 As was stated above, the 1666 year was not necessarily William’s date of immigration; he could have lived in the colony a number of years before this date. On 6 March 1668[/9], as William “Peasley,” he joined Will Fogg in witnessing a deed between John Warren and Richard West for land in the same county.16 If he was 21 when he witnessed the document, he would have been born at least by 1647, though sometimes slightly younger men witnessed documents. When West signed over his title to the land on 3 January 1669/70, William joined Fogg again but this time was referred to as “William Beasley.”17

For much of the 1670s William’s whereabouts are unknown, since the court records of Old Rappahannock are lost for this period. On 25 April 1681, William “Beasby” was mentioned in a deed from Valentine and Mary Allen to Walter Stallard for land in “Sittingbourne” [Sittenburne] Parish, Rappahannock County.18 The Allens granted to Stallard 200 acres on the south side of the Rappahannock River and discharged to Stallard “all bargaines and incumbrances made or to be made by me” including “the rents wch shall be hereafter due to or: Sovereigne Lord ye King & a Lease made to William Beasby [sic] onely excepted.”19 This is likely the same man as William1 Beasley, since Samuel Stallard, whose relationship to Walter Stallard is not known, later witnessed William’s will, which serves as possible evidence of a close association between the two families. The deed shows clearly that William was renting land from Allen and was not a landowner in his own right. This location was possibly the same land described later as being 100 acres in St. Ann’s Parish, Essex County “formerly called Sittenburn Parish” as referenced in the deed of John Evans to John Martin on 8 April 1708.20

William became indebted to several people during this period, and the local court granted his creditors “attachments” or garnishments against his estate. The language of these court records in referring to his estate is misleading, because he was not deceased. Instead, the garnishments pertained to his estate or property. The first such attachment occurred on 2 October 1684, and “was granted to Mr. Jno. Rice against the Estate of Will. Beasley according to a petition returnable to next court.”21 At the same court session a second attachment was granted to Captain Samuel “Bloomfeild” for nine hundred pounds tobacco and cask returnable to next court.22 At a court session two months later on 3 December 1684, the court granted Bloomfield an attachment for the same nine hundred pounds of tobacco “ag[ains]t the Estate of William Beasley” to be paid out of a suit against the estate, “unless said Beasley shall make appeare at the next Court that any part thereof is paid and that to be deducted out of this order.”23 This reference makes clear that the property of only one man was being garnished.

The suits for debt against William’s estate continued for several years. On 7 April 1686, the court again affirmed the attachment granted to John Rice against the estate “returnable next Court.”24 On 2 April 1690, the court granted another attachment to Rice “as Marrying the Administratr[i]x of Colnll Wm Travers” against the estate of William “Beaseley.”25 (Rice had married Travers’s widow, who also had a claim against the estate). Two other records followed in which William was referred to in the records as “John” Beasley. While it remains uncertain whether there two Beasleys, John and William, more likely the references to John were clerical errors. One record pertained specifically to a debt of 2,400 pounds of tobacco and cask.26

On 7 August 1690, the court granted an attachment for John Bataile against William’s estate, “according to declaracion [sic], the Plaintiff being assignee of Richard Willis, administr[ator] of Richard Bray.27 In February 1690/1, the court granted a judgment to Bataile against William Beasely for 309 pounds of tobacco with cask “upon Bill to be pd with cost of suit.”28

William’s problems with creditors continued into 1692. On 10 June of that year, the court mentioned “Wm Beezley being return’d non est Inventus at the Suit of Farratt Evers.” He was called forth but did not answer and made no appearance. The court then granted Evers an attachment against the estate.29

Old Rappahannock County was abolished in 1692, and the land it comprised was divided into Richmond and Essex counties. Sittenburne Parish was renamed St. Ann’s Parish and was located in Essex. William’s name continues to appear in the records of the new county. On 23 February 1694[/5], Robert Payne of Essex County sold 100 acres to John Ransome, and the deed mentioned William’s property. It described the land as located on the south side of the Rappahannock River “back in ye woods bounding on ye land of William Bezeley, beginning at a marked red Oake.”30 On 11 January 1696/7, William “confessed Judgement” or admitted to the court his indebtedness to Wm Smith & Company, merchants of Bristol, England, for 400 pounds of tobacco and casks from a bill dated 5 March 1694.31 On 10 January 1698/9, his land was mentioned adjoining a tract of 100 acres in a deed from Nicholas and Ann Copeland to Thomas Ramsey.32 An Essex County Rent Roll of 1704 lists Wm Beesley on 100 acres.33

On 10 August 1705, as “William Beasley Sen.,” he acquired what appears to be the first land of his own ownership, purchasing from Samuel and Mary Carter of St. Ann’s Parish for 2,250 pounds of tobacco an unspecified tract described as “the within menconed [sic] Deed of Sale.”34 Beverly Fleet, who abstracted the records, added a note that he could not find the full deed recorded in the registers, so one cannot determine the precise location of this property.

Some inferences about William’s land can be drawn from several other deeds of the period, but none of them involved him directly. A deed of 8 April 1708 between John Evans and John Martin mentions specifically the “tract whereon William Besley now liveth containing 100 acres” in St. Ann’s Parish, formerly Sittenburne, and was described as a “level peice [sic] of good land adjoining to a peice [sic] of barren land on the north line of 500 acres purchased by Wm Beale from Thomas Page and Elizabeth.”35 Another deed between Augustine Smith and Henry Armistead dated 8 February 1710/1 mentioned 1,142 acres between “Occupatio” and the branches of Lucas’s Creek “within sight of the house of William Beasley.”36 These deeds help establish that by 1710, William held more than 100 acres, some of it in leasehold, in the vicinity of Occupation Creek in the upper part of St. Ann’s Parish. He lived apparently in close proximity to what became known as Vauter’s or Vawter’s Church, built near the time of his death.

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 mentionedin association with the estate. Judging from the three unmarried daughters, Richard Ripley Sr. was probablynear the age of William Beasley or only slightly older, leading to the conclusion that Mary (Ripley) Beasleywas considerably younger than her husband.

The Essex County records mention William Beasley twice more. On 3 December 1715, his land was described as being located on the branches of the Lucas Creek in a sale of land between Martin Willard and Silvester Patty.47 Adjoining him were John Martin and John Williams. On 22 May 1717, he was described as being of St. Ann’s Parish and was fined “for not frequenting his p[ari]sh church pursuant to Law.”48 Regular church attendance was mandatory at that time.

William made his will on 21 January 1718/9 in Essex County. It was abstracted as follows by Dorman: Will of William Beezley, being sick and weak in body, dated 21 Jan. 1718 [1719].

• To my eldest son William fifty acres of land adjoining to the plantation where he now lives. After his decease to his eldest son William.
• To my son Benjamin forty acres of land adjoining to the plantation where he now lives and also all the land I have of that side of the branch next to John Pitts.
• To my son Henry fifty acres of land lying next to my son Benjamin.
• To my son John fifty acres of land lying next to my son Henry’s land.
• All the remaining part of my land to my son Charles Beezly.
• Unto my loveing wife Mary Beezly all my personal estate.
• My loveing wife Mary Beezly executrix.

William (X) Beezley

Wit: Saml. Stallord, Ann (X) Phillips, Charles Adkion [Atkinson].

17 Nov. 1719. Presented in court by Mary Beezley, executrix. Proved by Saml. Stallord and Charles Atkinson.49

The will offers several insights about William’s economic status. First, his real property holdings appear to be more extensive than the 1708 deed from John Evans indicates. It totaled at least 190 acres and probably more, given that the amount given to Charles was not defined. As has been shown, William had now become a landowner, but neither he nor his father-in-law owned slaves, which ranked them at the yeoman level of Virginia society. Second, William was probably illiterate, given that he was unable to sign his will or other records except with his mark. His surname appears phonetically in the record and differs from how his name was recorded in other Essex County documents. On 17 November 1719, the will of William Beezley, deceased, was presented by Mary Beezley, his executrix, and was proved by oaths from Samuel Stallord and Charles Atkinson.50

Children of William Beasley/Beezley, likely from an unknown first wife rather than from Mary (Ripley), born in likely in Old Rappahannock County, Virginia (birth order uncertain, presented, with the exception of Martha, as listed in the will):

• 2. i. WILLIAM2 BEASLEY, b. say 1682-85; m. MARY (___).
• 3. ii. BENJAMIN BEASLEY, b. say 1685-1690; m. ELIZABETH (___).
• 4. iii. HENRY BEASLEY/BEAZLEY, b. say 1685-1692.
• 5. iv. JOHN BEASLEY, b. say 1688-1695; m. (1) WINIFRED (___); (2) ELIZABETH (___) COGHILL.
• 6. v. CHARLES BEASLEY, b. say 1695-1700.
• vi. possibly MARTHA BEASLEY, b. say 1695; d. Essex County Virginia, before 18 September 1753, testate.51

She is said to have married about 1715, CORNELIUS REYNOLDS. Martha is not named in William’s will, and her placement here remains speculative. Cornelius died testate in Essex County, with his will dated 15 April 1734 and proven 18 February 1734/5.52 The will names his wife Martha and contains bequests for sons William and Cornelius and daughters Sarah, Anne, Margaret, and Mary, with Broumfield Long as a witness. Martha’s will is dated 10 March 1753 and names son Cornelius and the following daughters: Elizabeth Rucker, Ann Beazley, Margaret Leandall, Mary Goodloe, and grandson Cornelius Reynolds, son of William, deceased. Executors were son Cornelius and son-in-law Thomas Rucker, with David Disham, Thomas Reynolds, and Wiliam Moore as witnesses. This family had close ties to the family of Charles2 and William2, which is suggestive of a relationship, but it remains unproven. Martha’s daughter Ann married James3 Beazley, the possible though unproven son of Henry2

Cornelius Reynolds Jr. served as executor of the estate of Charles2 in 1766, while Thomas and Elizabeth (Reynolds) Rucker sold Charles land in Caroline County. Cornelius Beazley, likely Charles’s son, was apparently named for Cornelius Reynolds.

William Beasley DNA Chart

https://www.wikitree.com/photo/jpg/Beasley-677

This is a DNA relationship chart I created to show how recent DNA evidence relates to the documented individuals in the line. It also shows a line that is commonly connected with William Beasley but appears to be the result of a Non-Paternal Event (NPE)

Footnotes

4 Essex County, Virginia, Will/Deed Book 16: 119-120, William Beezley will; transcribed in John Frederick Dorman, Essex County, Virginia Records, 1717-1722 (Washington, D.C.: John Frederick Dorman, 1959), 56.

5 Ibid, Will/Deed Book 13: 414, transcribed in John Frederick Dorman, Essex County, Virginia Deeds and Wills, No. 13, 1707-1711 (Washiongton, D.C.: John Frederick Dorman, 1963), 23.

6 Beverley Fleet, Virginia Colonial Abstracts (Baltimore, Genealogical Publishing Co., 1988), 1: 393, citing Northumberland County Records, 1652-1655. 6

7 Ruth Sparacio and Sam Sparacio, Virginia County Court Records, Order Book Abstracts of Northumberland County, Virginia, 1652-1657
(McLean, Virginia: Antient Press, 1994), 27, citing original page 43.

8 Ibid, 9, citing original page 137.

9 Augusta B. Fothergill, Westmoreland County, Virginia Wills 1654-1800 (Baltimore: Clearfield, 1973), 8.

10 Nell Marion Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers: Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants, 1623-1666, 1934 (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1991), 367, citing Patent Book 4, page 176.

11 Ibid, 546, citing Patent Book 5, page 546.

12 Nell Marion Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers: Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants, Volume 2, 1666-1695 (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1977), 45, citing Patent Book 6, page 176.

13 Ibid, 84, citing Patent Book 6, page 327.

14 Ibid, 1, citing Patent Book 6, page 3.

15 Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers: Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants, Volume 2, 1666-1695, 25, citing Patent Book 6, page 87.

16 Ruth Sparacio and Sam Sparacio, Virginia County Court Records, Deed Abstracts of Old Rappahannock County, Virginia (1670-1672), Part II,Deed Book 4, 27 January 1669/70-7March 1671/2 (McLean, Virginia: Antient Press, 1989), 74, citing Rappahannock County, Virginia, Deed Book 4: 255.

17 Ibid, 75, citing Deed Book 4: 255.

18 Ruth and Sam Sparacio, Virginia County Court Records, Deed & Will Abstracts of (Old) Rappahannock County, Virginia (1677-1682) (Part II)(McLean, Virginia: Antient Press, 1990), 85, citing original pages 321-322.

19 Ibid.

20 Essex County, Virginia, Deed Book 13, 1707-1711, pages 91-93, abstracted in John Frederick Dorman, Essex County, Virginia, Deed and Wills,No. 13, 1707-1711 (Washington, D.C.: John Frederick Dorman, 1963), 23.

21 Ruth Sparacio and Sam Sparacio, Virginia County Court Records, Order Book Abstracts of (Old) Rappahannock County, Virginia, 1683-1685 (McLean, Virginia: Antient Press, 1990), 39, citing Order Book 1683-1685, page 42.

22 Ibid.

23 Ibid, 55, citing original Order Book 1683-85, page 59.

24 Ruth and Sam Sparacio, Virginia County Court Records, Order Book Abstracts of (Old) Rappahannock County, Virginia, 1685-1686 (McLean, Virginia: Antient Press, 1990), 40, citing Order Book 1685-87, page 150.

25 Ruth and Sam Sparacio, Virginia County Court Records, Order Book Abstracts of (Old) Rappahannock County, Virginia,1689-1692 (McLean,Virginia: Antient Press, 1990), 12, citing Order Book 1689-92, page 161.

26 Ibid, 18, citing Order Book 1689-92, page 167, 178.

27 Ibid, 34, citing Order Book 1689-92, page 184.

28 Ibid, 52m citing Order Book 1689-92, page 203.

29 Ruth and Sam Sparacio, Virginia County Court Records, Record Abstracts of Essex Countyh, Virginia, 1692-1693 (McLean, Virginia: AntientPress, 1991),3, citing Order Book 1692-93, page 4.

30 Ruth and Sam Sparacio, Virginia County Court Records, Record Abstracts of Essex County, Virginia, 1694-1695 (McLean, Virginia: AntientPress, 1991), 76, citing Deeds and Wills Book 1694-1695, page 337.

31 Ruth and Sam Sparacio, Virginia County Court Records, Record Abstracts of Essex County, Virginia, 1695-1699 (McLean, Virginia: AntientPress, 1991), 31, citing Essex Order Book 1695-99, page 42.

32 Ruth and Sam Sparacio, Virginia County Court Records, Record Abstracts of Essex County, Virginia, 1697-1699 (McLean, Virginia: AntientPress, 1991), 70, citing Essex Deeds and Wills 1695-99, page 297.

33 Louis des Cognets Jr., English Duplicates of Lost Virginia Records (Princeton, NJ: Louis des Cognets Jr., 1958), 134.

34 Beverely Fleet, Virginia Colonial Abstracts, 2nd ed., volume 2 (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1988), 118-119, citing Essex County,lVirginia, Deed Book 12, page 110.

35 Essex County, Virginia, Deed Book 13, 1707-1711, pages 91-93, abstracted in John Frederick Dorman, Essex County, Virginia, Deed and Wills,No. 13, 1707-1711 (Washington, D.C.: John Frederick Dorman, 1963), 23.

36 Dorman, Essex County, Virginia Deeds and Wills No. 13, 1707-1711, 104, citing original pages 370-373.

37 Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers: Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants, 1623-1666, 223, citing Patent Book 2, page 357.

38 Ibid, 267, 417.

39 Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers: Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants,1666-1695, 190, citing Patent Book 6, page 659.

40 Ibid, 328, citing Patent Book 7, page 685.

41 Fleet, Virginia Colonial Abstracts, 2: 43, citing Deed and Will Book No. 11, 1703-06, page 32.

42 Ibid, 2: 104, citing original Deed and Will Book 11, page 215.

43 Ibid, 2: 125, citing original Deed and Will Book 12, page 168.

44 Dorman, Essex County, Virginia Deeds and Wills No. 13, 1707-1711, 117, citing original page 414.

45 Ibid.

46 Fleet, Virginia Colonial Abstracts, volume 2, page 3, citing Essed County Deeds and Wills 14, page 7.

47 Ibid, volume 2, page 62, citing Essex County, Virginia, Deed Book 14, page 426

48 Ruth and Sam Sparacio, Virginia County Court Records, Order Book Abstracts of Essex County, Virginia 1716-1723 (Part 1) (McLean, Virginia: Antient Press, 1990), 27, citing original page 37.

49 William Beezley will (1719), transcribed in John Frederick Dorman, Essex County, Virginia Records, 1717-1722, Deeds, Etc., No. 16, 1718-1721, Wills, Inventories and Settlements of Estates No. 3, 1717-1722 (Washington, D.C.: John Frederick Dorman, 1959), 56.

50 Ruth Sparacio and Sam Sparacio, Virginia County Court Records, Order Book Abstracts of Essex County, Virginia, 1716-1723 (Part II), EssexCounty Virginia 1716-1723 Order Book (Part II), 17 September 1718 to 17 May 1720 (McLean, Virginia: Antient Press, 1990),105, cirting OrderBook 1718-1720), 378.

51 Essex County, Virginia, Will Book 9: 246.

52 Essex County, Virginia, Will Book 5: 320.

References

• “SOME BEASLEY FAMILIES OF THE COLONIAL SOUTH” By John D. Beatty, CG. This Document, was last updated Oct 2015. Significant new information and corrections are available. Please use this ONLY as a general guide. For questions or comments, contact Doug Beezley, Beasley Name Study: administrator AT Beasley genealogy.net < PDF >
• https://beasgen.net/
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Beasley_Name_Study
• From http://www.genealogy.com/ftm/p/a/r/Bonnie-Partin-NC/GENE65-0042.html William Beasley, Jr., born 1634 [SIC: 1658] in Henley in Arden, Warwickshire Co., England; died 1719 in Essex County, Virginia.He was the son of William Beasley and Joyes Peacock. He married Mary Ripley.
• https://beas-trees.beasgen.net/getperson.php?personID=I161&tree=YEL...
• http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~molcgdrg/sur/1b/beasley-111814.htm (dead link)
• http://www.genealogy.com/ftm/m/u/i/Deidre-Muir-Woodson/WEBSITE-0001...