Chris & Julie Petersen's Genealogy

Richard Jackson

Male - Bef 1666


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  • Name Richard Jackson 
    Gender Male 
    Died Bef 19 Jun 1666  of, Isle of Wight, Virginia, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I572  Petersen-de Lanskoy
    Last Modified 27 May 2021 

    Family Elizabeth Pierce,   b. Bef 1610, , , England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Aft 6 Sep 1641, of, , Virginia, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age > 32 years) 
    Married Aft Sep 1641  , , Virginia, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Last Modified 28 May 2021 
    Family ID F459  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • RESEARCH_NOTES:
      1. Note: there have been two theories as to who was the woman who married Richard Jackson. The first perspective is that she was Elizabeth Pierce, who married Richard as her second husband after Anthony Barham. The second perspective is that it was a woman named Mary Bartlett, who did exist; however, some would have her being a second child of Thomas Bennett and his wife Alice (widow of Thomas Pierce). I present below quotes for both. I personally concur with the first perspective because I believe the case if well-presented that Thomas and Alice did not have a second child and this leaves only Elizabeth Pierce as the likely wife.

      2. FHL book 975.5 D2b5, "Southside Virginia Families," by John Bennett Boddie, vol. 1, 1976-1996, pp. 50-54; this section describes the great Indian Massacre of March 22, 1622, in which one quarter of the population of Jamestown was massacred:
      "…All of which is of interest in connection with Thomas Pierse:
      The official report of the slain shows that his plantation was the next one to the south of Martin's Hundred, near Mulberry Island. The dead at his place included Thomas, himself, "his Wife and Childe", two other men and a French boy. (3 Ibid. 570). Word of the massacre and the list of those slain or supposed to be, did not reach England until July, 1622. At a Quarter Court in London, October 2, 1622, "Edward Peirs Cittizen and Merchantaylor in London", petitioned for administration upon the estate of "one Thomas Peirs his Brother, late inhabitating neare Mulberry Islands in Virginia (who was there slain with his wife and Childe in the late massacre)". Edward satisfied the Court that he and sister Anne were the only heirs in England, so instructions were issued to authorities in Virginia to lend aid to Edward in salvag­ing his brother's estate. (2 Ibid. 106.)
      However, there is no indication anywhere in the records, that Edward Pierse and his sister acquired any part of the estate of their brother, Thomas. On the contrary, extant records show be­yond reasonable doubt that Thomas Pierse must have been one of the husbands and fathers slain in the presence of their terrified families who were carried off as captors of the savages… For subsequent rec­ords seem to prove that the Alice Peerce, widow, who married Thomas Bennett was the widow of Sergeant at Arms Thomas Pierse; and that her daughter, Elizabeth Peerce, who chose her step-father, Thomas Bennett to be her guardian, and who married, first, Anthony Barham; and then Richard Jackson, must have been the "Childe" of Thomas Pierse listed among those killed at his house.
      At a Court held at Jamestown, October 10, 1624, "Alice Bennett" testified that she and her husband and Richard Richards found a runaway servant of John Proctor's, and took her home. Richard Grove, a servant of Proctor's, deposed in this connec­tion that when "Mr Richards and Thomas Bennett brought her home last, she received no Corrections, but when they two and the wife of said Thomas Bennett brought her home, last, then she re­ceived Correction".
      "Mr. Anthony Barram" also testified in this case. (Minutes of the General Court, 23.) These people all lived at or near Warrasqueake on the southside of James River, at the time of these occurances, where the Bennetts, Barhams, Proctors and Richards had lands. (4 Records of the Virginia Company, 552-554; C. P. 10).
      At a General Court held November 1, 1624, George Fadom re­ported that "about the 4th of July last past", he had written a will for John Phillimore (Filmer), who "signed and sealed it". But when Phillimore died the will could not be found. Fadom testified that "said Philimore did give all of his estate to Elizabeth Peerce to whom he was assured and meant to have married". One Sully, to whom Fadom had read the will, also said that Phillimore had bequeathed to said Elizabeth all of his "goods, lands and Chattells". Others gave the same testimony. Whereupon the Court ordered that the guardianship and administration of the lands and goods of John Phillimore be granted to "any friende whom the said Eliza­beth Peerce shal choose to her use". Elizabeth "made choyce of Thomas Bennett her father in law" (stepfather). (Minutes of the Court, 27.) Three months later, the bereaved Elizabeth was mar­ried to another - none other than the Anthony Barham or Baram (Barram &c), who lived in the neighborhood with the Thomas Ben­netts on the southside; but at the time of the census or Muster of 1624/25, Anthony Baram and wife Elizabeth were listed as living at Mulberry Island. This is on the northside of the James River, and where Thomas Pierse had his plantation. The record shows that Anthony came in the Abigail (1621); and Elizabeth in the Wil­liam and Thomas (1618). (Hotten's Lists). Anthony was Burgess from Mulberry Island, 1629-30. Thomas Bennett represented Mul­berry Island in 1632. In that day, however, in Virginia as in Eng­land, a man did not have to live in the community he was Burgess from, but as a rule they did. (Jour. H. B., 1619-1658/9, pp. xi; xiii.)
      That Elizabeth, wife of Anthony Baram, was the foregoing Elizabeth Peerce, is borne out by the will of "Anthony Barham, Gent. of Mulberry Island, Virginia and at present residing in England": This will dated September 6, 1641, was probated in England September 13 as follows:
      Wife Elizabeth, goods for her to be sent over to Virginia.
      Daughter Elizabeth, ₤100 to be sent to my wife for her use.
      To Mother Bennett
      to brother in law Richard Bennett
      to my sister Mrs. Mary Duke; to sister Groves and her son.
      to friend Edward Major; to friend and gossip William Butler
      To Mrs. Joan Pierce wife of Mr. William Pierce.
      To Martha Major, wife of friend Edward Major
      To Goddaughter Sarah Butler daughter of William Butler
      To friend Edward Aldey minister of Canterbury
      To Thomasine David.
      Executors: Edward Major and William Butler.
      (N. E. list. and Genealogical Register, Vol. 42, p. 393; Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight, p. 291.)
      This will leaves no room for doubt that Barham's wife, Eliz­abeth, listed with him in the Muster of 1624/5 as having come in the William and Thomas, 1618, was the Elizabeth Pierse (Peerce) who, in November, 1624 chose her stepfather, Thomas Bennett, as her guardian and administrator of the estate left Elizabeth by her deceased fiance; nor can there be any doubt "Mother Bennett" of the will was the Alice (Peerce) Bennett, wife of Thomas Bennett and mother to said Elizabeth, wife and widow of Anthony Barham. It is equally evident that the Richard Bennett of the will was the son of Alice and Thomas Bennett, and so, half brother to Elizabeth (Pierse) Barham.
      A thorough check of every contemporary Pierce - including every variant of the name shows that Alice and Elizabeth could not have belonged to any Pierce or Peurce &c, in Virginia, other than Sergeant at Arms Thomas Pierse of the Convention and As­sembly of 1619. This being the case, then the fact that Elizabeth is shown to have come in the William and Thomas, which sailed for Virginia in August, 1618, indicates that Thomas Pierse with wife Alice and daughter Elizabeth, emigrated to America on that ship. The William and Thomas was a "magazine ship" - that is, contained merchandize to be retailed to the colonists for their personal use. In other words, the "department store" of that time. In as much as Thomas was given an official position in the Con­vention and Assembly, it suggests that he probably came in some official capacity in connection with the Magazine. (3 Rec. Va. Comp. 239.) When we remember that twelve years was a legal marriageable age for girls in early Virginia; and we take into consideration the scarcity of young girls in the Colony, it is easily deducible that Elizabeth may have been engaged even before she was twelve - this in 1624; and therefore, she might well have been a "Childe" of ten or less at the time of the massacre in 1622.
      Another inference to be drawn from this will is that Alice Bennett, as Alice Pierse, had but the one child, Elizabeth; and as Alice Bennett, she also had but one child, Richard Bennett. This seems conclusive from the fact that no sister whatever, of Elizabeth, his wife, nor of her brother, Richard Bennett, is mentioned in Barham's will. Neither is there any brother mentioned save the half-brother, Richard Bennett. It is logical to assume that had there been either a sister or other brother of his wife, she or he would have been remembered by Anthony, in view of the wide range of relatives and friends named as beneficiaries. (The Mr. William Pierce and wife Joan mentioned in the will, were Captain William Pierce who, as Lieutenant Pierce sailed in the Seaventure, 1609, under Yeardley as Captain of the Governor's Company of soldiers. William's wife, Joan, and daughter Joan (or Jone), came in the Blessing which sailed at the same time. The daughter be-came the third wife of John Rolfe and later, of Captain Roger Smith.)
      The last heard of Thomas Bennett is as Burgess in 1632. As he is not mentioned in Barham's will, he probably had died before September, 1641. On June 10, 1642, George Hardy received a patent for land adjoining that of Alice Bennett on the easternmost side of Lawne's Creek, Isle of Wight County. (1 Nugent, 140). On April 2, 1644, Justinian Cooper sold to his neighbor, Alice Bennett, widow, for a cow and a calf and barrel of corn, 150 acres in Isle of Wight, between Castle and Cypress Creeks. On July 19, 1647, Alice Bennett deeded the said 150 acres of land to her granddaughters, Mary and Sarah Jackson, daughters of Richard Jackson, to be possessed immediately after her death - the land and housing on the side of swamp "where I dwell", to Mary; the land on the other side, to Sarah. If either die without issue, the other to inherit. (17 C-513) They were not in the Colony when the census or Muster was taken in January and February, 1624/25, there were many absentees from the Colony at that time, partly on business but also to learn what it was all about, after the Commis­sioners appointed to report to the King on the state of the Colony, attempted to get the Assembly of February and March, 1623/4, to consent to relinquish the Virginia Charters. Among those out of the country at that time were William Claiborne, Hon. John West, Francis Eppes, John Pountis, the Justinian Coopers, Sergeant John Harris and family, William Perry &c &c, all of whom re­turned to the Colony later. There are two other Thomas Bennetts in that Muster, however, but there is no indication whatever, of any connection between them and any of the other Bennetts: One was Thomas Benett, with wife, Margery, living in the "Neck of Land neare James City". The other was Thomas Bennett, aged 38, and Mary Bennett, aged 18, presumably his wife, living down below Basse's Choice on the south side, several miles below the Bennett Plantation of Edward Bennett and his brothers, Robert and Richard. There is no proof that Thomas Bennett who married the widow of Thomas Pierse, was connected with the family of Governor Richard and no indication thereof aside from the fact that the widow, Alice Bennett, is known to have had land in the vicinity of the original Bennett plantation; and two of Richard Bennett's land patents contained the name of Thomas Bennett as headright.
      Since Elizabeth (Pierse) Barham is the only daughter of Alice (Pierse) Bennett found anywhere in the records, said Elizabeth must have been the mother of Alice Bennett's granddaughters, Mary and Sarah Jackson, as already noted; and wife of Richard Jackson, their father.
      Richard Jackson patented 450 acres, March 13, 1641, upon Sewards Creek, 350 acres by assignment from Thomas Stamp and John Sweete and 100 acres for the transportation of himself and one other person. (C.P.128) On Aug. 28, 1643, he patented 110 acres near head of Sewards Creek. (C.P.147)
      Richard Jackson appears in the picture about the time Elizabeth (Peirce) Barham became a widow. The date of their marriage is unknown but they had at least two children, Mary and Sarah, in 1647 according to deed of Alice Bennett to her granddaughters heretofore mentioned.
      Richard Jackson was a "Viewer of Tobacco" from Lawne's Creek to Castle Creek in 1639-40 (17 C-172). He was deceased before June 19, 1666, for on that day Capt. George Hardy made a deed to land which belonged to his wife Mary, whom he refers to as the daughter of Richard Jackson, deceased. (17 C-294).
      The children of Elizabeth (Pierce) Barham and Richard Jackson were: Mary, who married George Hardy; Sarah, who married Col. Arthur Smith II; (see 17C.) and probably Richard2 Jackson, who made his will April 4, 1703, Pro. Dec. 9, 1703. He names his wife Priscilla, Sons Richard and John, daughters Mary, Ann and Sarah, and wife's daughter, Ann Clark. (Wills 1-62). Richard Jackson of Nottoway Parrish made his will, Oct. 14, 1740, pro., June 22, 1741, legatees, wife, Sarah, daughters Mary, Sarah and Katherine, granddaughters Ann Stuart.(Bk. 2l04) (The foregoing pages were kindly written by Mrs. Henry Lo­well Cook, of Chicago, Illinois)."

      3. Perspective about Mary Bennett being Richard Jackson's wife, which I have deemed incorrect:
      A. The book "17th Century Isle of Wight County Virginia," by John Bennett Boddie, 1938, chapter XVI, Descendants of Richard Bennett of Isle of Wight: "Alice Bennett, sometime after purchasing the above mentioned 150 acres from Justinian Cooper, deeded the same to her granddaughters Sarah and Mary Jackson. They were probably very young at the time as she seems to have married Thomas Bennett about 1624. Her granddaughters were married by 1666 as shown below.
      Children of Thomas and Alice Bennett:
      1. Richard. (See later, may be stepson of Alice.)
      2. (Daughter) [Mary?] married Richard Jackson who patented 450 acres in Isle of Wight adjacent to Justinian Cooper, March 1641. Children:
      a. Mary Jackson, married Capt. George Hardy who besides the grant formerly mentioned patented 500 acres on July 17, 1648 "lying on east side of Lawne's Creek extending to main river and along the great river to the creek dividing the same from land of Alice Bennett." On 19th of June 1666 he made a deed to land which belonged to his wife Mary whom he refers to as the "daughter of Richard Jackson, dec."
      b. Sarah Jackson, married Col. Arthur Smith II, as evidenced by a deed. (See deed.)
      Richard Bennett, son of Thomas, is mentioned as "brother-in-law," in the will of Anthony Barham of Mulberry Island, 6th of September, 1641, as heretofore shown. (A Richard Bennett patented 300 acres in Isle of Wight, 2 Mar. 1638, "due by right of transportation of 6 persons by John Miles. 150 acres were upon the bay behind Ambrose Meders Point and 150 acres at the Miles end upon west side of Thomas Davis." This may be the Richard Bennett of our sketch.) He resided at Blackwater in the vicinity of the plantations of Justinian Cooper and Francis England, for in 1669 Thomas Wood, "son of Arthur Wood, and Sarah Wooten his mother, relict of Arthur deceased," deeded him land and in the deed he is mentioned as "Richard Bennett of Blackwater." Colonel Arthur Smith in 1666 made a deed to land at "Blackwater" inherited by his wife Sarah Jackson from her grandmother Alice Bennett."
      B. Boddie in the quote above believes there is a possibility of two children born to Thomas and Alice Bennett. The first is assuredly Richard Bennett and the second appears to be a daughter who may or may not have been named Mary and who married Richard Jackson. The Mary in the two quotes below is a different Mary who was born in England abt 1607 and who was evidently related to Thomas as either daughter, a young wife, or even a very younger sister. I don't believe her to be a wife because with the muster census being taken in 1625 and with Alice married to Thomas in late 1624 based on the court case in which she was a witness and known as Alice Bennett, it would appear more likely that Mary was not a wife - but what is odd is why did Alice not show up in the 1625 muster with Thomas. (See Alice's notes - On October the 4th, 1624, Alice Bennett was a witness before the General Court at the trial of one John Proctor for cruelty to his servants.):
      a. From the book "Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight," by John Bennett Boddie, 1938, [Note the original founder of the Colony was Edward Bennett. Brothers of Edward involved with the Colony were Richard and Robert, one of which became Governor of Virginia. These Bennetts are not connected to Thomas Bennett in the book. References to this Thomas Bennett:
      P. 88: "A 'Muster of the inhabitants in Virginia' was taken in Feb., 1625, and the total number of inhabitants was 1,095. Those living at Basse's Choice are shown below... The Muster of Thomas Bennett. Thomas Bennett, aged 38, in the Neptune 1618. Mary Bennett, aged 18, in the Southampton 1622. Roger Heford, aged 22, in the Returne 1623. Benjamine Simes, aged 33, in the - - "
      b. From the book "Pleasant Mangum and All His Kin, the Story of the Bennetts, the Mangums, and the Parhams," comp. by James Lynn Parham, Gateway Press, Inc., Baltimore, MD, 1997, portion of chapter 3: Thomas Bennett:
      "We know very little about Thomas Bennett of Warwick although he is the first of our line we have any confidence in. Thomas, as far as available records go, does not appear to be closely related to the prominent Edward Bennett family. In fact, we have no records of any direct association between the two families in Virginia.(l) In 1632 Thomas Bennett represented Mulberry Island, Warwick Co., in the House of Burgesses.(2) Mulberry Island is on the north side of the James River, across from the Bennett plantation, "Bennett's Welcome." It is also across the river from where Thomas & Alice Bennett lived, and where the 'Widow Bennett' lived later. We do not know if it is significant that Thomas did not live on Mulberry Island. It was not required that the Burgesses live in the district they represented although they usually did.
      Thomas married Alice Pierce on or before 1624, possibly at James City. Alice Pierce appears to be the widow of Thomas Pierce, Sergeant of Arms of the 'Convention and Assembly of 1619'. Thomas Pierce was one of those unfortunate individuals slain in the Indian massacre of 22 March 1621/2.
      From "Colonial Records of Virginia" we have the following: "Here following is set downe a true list of the names of all those what were massacred by the treachery of the Savages in Virginia the 22nd March last (1621/2) - At Mr. Thomas Pierce his house over against Mulberry Island, Master Tho Pierce; his wife and Childe."(3) Extant records indicate, however, that although Thomas Pierce was slain, probably his wife and daughter were not. Thomas must have been one of the husbands and fathers slain in the presence of their terrified families, who themselves were subsequently carried off as captives of the savages.(4) That wife and child must have been Alice Pierce who later married our Thomas Bennett and Elizabeth Pierce who married Anthony Barham.
      The muster (census) of Mulberry Island, 25 June 1624/5 shows the following:(5)
      Anthony Baram in the 'Abigail'
      Elizabeth his wife in the 'William & Thomas'
      The 'William & Thomas' sailed to Virginia in August of 1618. Since daughter Elizabeth sailed on that ship, we assume that her parents Thomas & Alice Pierce accompanied her. The William & Thomas was a magazine ship containing merchandise to be retailed to the colonists for their personal use. Thomas Pierce had been given an official position of the Convention and Assembly. He may have come over in some official capacity in connection with the magazine.
      After this great Indian massacre of 1621/2 there was a list of the dead sent to England. Also, in Feb. of 1623/4 there was a census of the living in the colony and of the dead since the previous April. On 7 Feb. 1624/5 a "Muster of the Inhabitants of Virginia" was taken. We find two Thomas Bennetts in this latter census although not in the earlier 1623/4 census. One Thomas Bennett was living on the "Neck of Land" near James City on Feb. 4, 1624/5. He came to the colony on the Bona Nova and his wife Margery came in the Guift. In Warriscoyak, Basse's Choice plantation, on 7 Feb. 1624/5 we find a Thomas Bennett, age 38, who came in the Neptune in 1618. With him was Mary Bennett, age 18, who came in the Southampton in 1622.(6,7,8) 'Basse's Choice' was across the river from the Mulberry Island that Thomas represented in the House of Burgesses, not far from where Thomas and Alice lived.
      If either of these is our Thomas Bennett, it would probably be the one at Basse's Choice. The "Neck of Land" was much further north of the area where our Thomas settled. Mary is a puzzle, though. Possibly she could have been a daughter by a previous marriage in England. These records and the fact that Thomas was in the House of Burgesses indicate that Thomas was a man of some means.
      An alternate possibility is that Mary was Thomas's wife. Such age differences were not at all uncommon during that period. If she was a wife, then she must have died before Thomas married Alice Pierce in 1624."