William Godwin of Lower Parish

• Not the same as William Godwin, son of Colonel Thomas Godwin, II & unknown 1st wife

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William Godwin

• Born about 1620 England / 1644 in Nansemond County, Virginia
• Died after November 21, 1710 / before May 1727 in Isle of Wight, Virginia
• Spouse: Elizabeth Wright (daughter of Thomas Wright & Elizabeth Gibbs)

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Disputed Origins

Thomas Godwin and Mary Elizabeth Bridger are not described as having a child named William who married Elizabeth Wright in the main reference that traces Isle of Wight Virginians of the era. The closest mention is the below excerpted Boddie (1938) citation.

William Goodwyn of Lower Parish, acknowledges receipt of legacies left to Eliz. Wright by will of her father Thomas Wright. 6 Sep 1666. Teste, John Marshall, Barnett Krudop.[1]

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Name: tibart -- Ladd, Reed, Cook, Engle, Hamilton, Lennon Ancestors

William GODWIN was born ABT 1620 in England, and died 21 NOV 1710 in Isle of Wight, Virginia. He married Elizabeth WRIGHT on ABT 1645 in Isle of Wight, Virginia. He was the son of Thomas GODWIN and Ann TABERER.

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https://sallysfamilyplace.com/thomas-godwin-martha-bridger/

William Godwin was a son of Col. Thomas Godwin II who left legacies to each of his six sons and three daughters. William received 200 acres in Isle of Wight County, Va. Thomas Godwin II ca 1626 -1714 seems to have had a first wife about 1644 as his son William was born 1645 -50 as William married 1666 Elizabeth Wright. Thomas Godwin ll was not a slave owner. He received none from his father who did leave his brother and sister slaves. Col. Thomas Godwin II married 2nd about 1679 to Martha Bridger dau of Col. Joseph Bridger I of Isle of Wight and Hester Pitt dau of Col. Robert Pitt.

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”I am descended from Col. Thomas Godwin of Nansemond. Over the years, a good deal of confusion has been caused by an error in Boddie’s Isle of Wight book — his account has William Godwin (Thomas II, Thomas I) marrying Ann Pitt. In fact, this William married Elizabeth Wright (there was another William, who did marry Ann Pitt, but that’s a different line).”

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Family

https://sallysfamilyplace.com/william-godwin-elizabeth-wright/

Elizabeth Wright, daughter of Thomas Wright and his wife Elizabeth [Gibbs], was born ca 1650 in Isle of Wight County, VA. In 1666 she married William Godwin.

Children of William Godwin & Elizabeth Wright:

• 1. William Godwin ca 1670 – married Sarah ?married 2nd Martha
• 2. Join Godwin
• 3. Joseph Godwin N. H. Co NC married Bridget
  • a. Joseph Godwin (not named in mother’s will 4 Feb 1726/27)
• 4. Sarah Godwin nfi
• 5. Elizabeth Godwin ca 1681 – rem. to Bertie County by 1716 married ca 1699 William Bridger 1658 – 1730 will dated 2 Nov 1729, proved May 1730
• 6. Mary Godwin married Arthur Whitehead ca1645 – 1710/11
  • a. Arthur Whitehead ca 1690-1750/51 married 1st Isabella Pursell dau of Arthur Pursell married 2nd Ann Cooke dau of Reuben Cooke
  • b. Mary Whitehead nfi
  • c. William Whitehead ca 1695 – 1750 married Rachel ?
• 7. Martha Godwin ca 1683 – aft 1732 married ca 1700 John Cotten ca 1661 – 1728
• 8. Jane Godwin nfi

https://wc.rootsweb.com/trees/232977/I16734/william-godwin/individual

Married: Elizabeth WRIGHT on ABT 1645 at Isle of Wight, Virginia.

Elizabeth WRIGHT: Birth: ABT 1625 in England. Death: 4 FEB 1727 in Isle of Wight, Virginia

Children:

1. William Godwin: Birth: ABT 1646 in Isle Of Wight, Virginia.
2. Mary GODWIN: Birth: ABT 1650 in Isle of Wight, Virginia. Death: JUN 1719 in Isle of Wight, Virginia

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https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Godwin-436

From the Order of First Families source:

Children with William Godwin and Elizabeth Wright (ages and birth order approximate):

1. William, born c. 1668, married Elizabeth _____
2. Martha, born c. 1670, married, as her first husband, John Cotton, Sr.
3. John, born c. 1672
4. Sarah, born c. 1674
5. dau. born c. 1678, married William Bridgers
6. Mary, born c. 1680, married Arthur Whitehead, parents of Col William Whitehead
7. Jane, born c. 1682

Will

William Godwin wrote his will 21 Nov, 1710 [2], proved on 2 Sep 1720. Named in the will:

• Wife Elizabeth
• Sons; William, Joseph, John
• Daus: Sarah Godwin, ____ Bridgers, Mary Whitehead, Martha Cotten
• Elizabeth Wright daughter of Thomas Wright and his wife Elizabeth [Gibbs] was born ca 1650 in Isle of Wight County, VA. In 1666 she married William Godwin.

Elizabeth Godwin left a will in Isle of Wight Co dated 4 Feb 1726/1727 and recorded 27 March 1727, and names sons John and William Godwin, and "my five daughters." Wit: John Chestnut, Thomas Whitley, John Whitle

References

• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Godwin-436
• Boddie, John Bennett. Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight County Virginia: A history of the County of Isle of Wight, Virginia, during the Seventeenth Century, including abstracts of the county records. Will and Deed Book I. 1938 (microfilm date 7 May 1982), p. 545. Chicago: Chicago Law Printing Company. Link
• Brayton, John Anderson. Order of First Families of North Carolina; ancestor biographies, Otter Bay Books, 2005, Chapter Six - The Godwin Connection pg 253-259
• The Godwin Family The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Volume 5, Pg 198, link 8. William
• Updated from WikiTree Genealogy via daughter Elizabeth Bridges (born Godwin) by SmartCopy: Dec 7 2015, 17:12:13 UTC
• https://www.loc.gov/item/2012589218/
• If the Legends Are True... by J. Craig Canada, "William Godwin" (accessed November 27, 2021) | http://www.palmspringsbum.org/genealogy/getperson.php?personID=I715... has parents: Father: Colonel Thomas Godwin ( - 3 May 1712) Mother Martha Bridger (Abt 1660 - Aft 1714) Spouse: Elizabeth Wright ( - Yes, date unknown) 1
• 1. [S131] Pedigree Resource File by FamilySearch, Submission:  MM95-5Q8 (Mebane, Connecticut:  James Edward Shivers) (Salt Lake City, Utah: Intellectual Reserve, Inc.). (Reliability: 1).
• 2. [S963] Historical Southern Families, Volume III by John Bennett Boddie, Cotton of Bertie, North Carolina; Page 82 (Redwood City, California: Clearfield Company Inc., 1959). (Reliability: 4
• Shivers genealogy. By Marcus Shivers. Page 94. GoogleBooks