Sarah WATKINS

Sarah married about 1740 in Goochland County, Virginia, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. John CLAY was born about 1742; and died.
2. Edward CLAY was born between 1744 and 49 in Henrico County, Virginia, British America; died in 1820 in North Carolina.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Misc: 13 Nov 1730, Bristol Parish, Henrico County, Virginia; Bought 200 acres on Swift Creek
• Misc: 14 Sep 1764, Bristol Parish, Henrico County, Virginia; Deeded the same 200 acres on Swift Creek to his son, John.
• Misc: 21 Jun 1765, Henrico County, Virginia, British America; Deed lands south of Chickhominy Creek to his son, Thomas
• Will: 21 Jun 1765, Cumberland County, Virginia, British America
• Misc: 1766, Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States; Testified in a suit brought by his grandson, "Sir" John Clay against the executor -father's estate
• Will_prob: 25 Mar 1771

Notes:

Misc:
On 21 Jun 1765 he issued a deed to his son, Thomas Watkins of Henrico County for lands on the south side of Chickahominy Swamp, the tract of land on which he lived, "it being all the land given to me by my father."

Will:
In the will, he named: his son John, daughter Martha, grandsons Sir John Clay and Edward Clay, son-in-law Francis Mosley, daughter Mary Anderson, daughter Judith Bass, grandsons Edward Watkins and Samuel Watkins, son Edward and son Thomas.

Misc:
Edward Watkins Sep 1766 testimony in suit brought by "Sir" John Clay against the executor of his father's estate - Chesterfield Co., VA Court Records, "Dead Papers" box 7, Folder 1770 - under oath Edward Watkins stated "John Clay, deceased, Father of the Plaintiff, intermarried with (my) daughter Sarah, now also deceased & Mother of the Plaintiff." "John Clay and his Brother Edward (are) the only Children or Issue of (my) Daughter."

In his will, John Clay confirmed his gift of 200 acres to "Jeremiah Bass, Son of Mary Bass, now my wife." [Chesterfield Co. VA Will Book 1, pp. 342-342; probated 5 Nov 1762. Original in "Loose Papers.

Edward married Mary Taylor PENDLETON before 1710 in Caroline County, Virginia, British America. Mary was born on 29 Jun 1688 in Caroline County, Virginia, British America; died on 10 Jun 1770 in Caroline County, Virginia, British America; was buried in Caroline County, Virginia, British America. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Misc: Henrico County, Virginia, British North America; His will was proved.
• Misc: Abt 1660, Malvern Hills, Henrico, Virginia, British America; Purchased the Malvern Hills Plantation from Edward Cocke
• Misc: Jun 1679, Henrico County, Virginia, British America; Listed in The Heads of Families
• Misc: Nov 1679, Henrico County, Virginia, British America; Rec'd patent for 170 acres on north side of James River
• Misc: Jun 1684, Henrico County, Virginia, British America; Fined for contining as a Quaker
• Misc: Jul 1690, Varina Parish, Henrico County, Virginia; Purchased 360 acres, south side of Chickahominy Swamp
• Misc: Oct 1690, Varina Parish, Henrico County, Virginia; Patented 60 acres adjacent to his own land
• Misc: 21 Jan 1691/2, Henrico County, Virginia, British America; Conveyed lands to his sons
• Misc: 25 Jan 1691/2, Henrico County, Virginia, British America; Gave land to his sons
• Misc: 12 Sep 1699, Henrico County, Virginia, British America; Subscribe 500 pounds tobacco for building of Curles Quaker meeting house
• Misc: 1703, Henrico County, Virginia, British America; Paid 50 pounds tobacco for furnishing meeting house
• Misc: 1709, Curles, Henrico, Virginia, British America; Overseer of Curles Friends Meeting
• Will: Nov 1712, Henrico County, Virginia, British America

Notes:

"One of the most interesting families of Virginia is the Watkins family, whose earliest positively identified member is Henry Watkins, born 1637, at Malvern Hills.

There were earlier Watkins. In the General Court Records a Henry Watkins is mentioned in 1623, 1624, and 1627 as overseer of the plantation of Lady Dale, not far distant from Malvern Hills. In 1634 a deed mentions a Henry Watkins owning land in such position that we have a Henry Watkins living in 1634, not more than ten miles from Malvern Hills, where Henry Watkins was born in 1637.

It has been impossible to connect Henry Watkins (born 1637) to the other Watkins of that time. (Hutchins-Hutchens Descendants of Strangeman Hutchins)"

Birth:
Many sources say Henry was born about 1638 in Wales, possibly in Talgarth, Brecknockshire, South Wales. He was a Quaker, a member of the Society of Friends, and appears in officials records in Henrico County, VA as early as 1677. One quote says: "One of the most interesting families in Virginia from the point of view of economic, social and political development is the distinguished family of which Henry Watkins is the immigrant ancestor."

Other sources claim that Henry was born in Virginia, the son of Henry Watkins who was active in Accomac County, Virginia as early as 1614, but there is no proof of this belief.

James C. Watkins of Linwood, Kansas believes that Henry was the son of Edward and Alice (Morton) Watkins and was born 1637/8 in Varina Parish, Turkey Island Precinct, Henrico County, Virginia.

Misc:
Unfortunately James C. Watkins did not cite any sources for the information in his study. I have not been able to find any other source that says that Henry Watkins bought the plantation known as "Malvern Hills" from Thomas Cocke. On the contrary, what I have found suggests that this property passed down through successive generations of the Cocke family.

William Clayton Torrence reported that Henry Watkins "lived in the southernmost part of Henrico County near Turkey Island Creek, Chickahominy Creek, and Malvern Hills." This use of "Malvern Hills" seems to refer to the physical geography known as Malvern Hills rather than the plantation owned by the Cocke family. It is possible that Henry Watkins bought his property in the Malvern Hills from Thomas Cocke who was a wealthy landowner with a very large number of acres.

Reference: Torrence, William Clayton, "Henrico County, Virginia: Beginnings of Its Families," William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 25, No. 1 (Jul 1916): 52-58


Misc:
In 1660 the Virginia Assembly had passed a strict law against Quakers. In 1684, Henrico County courts refused his petition for a remission of fines for "continuing still in his Quakerism."

His religion, at times, caused him to clash with the ruling authorities in Virginia. "In 1660, the Virginia Assembly passed a strict law against Quakers, who they described as '... an unreasonable and turbulent sort of people, who daily gather together unlawful assemblies of people, teaching lies, miracles, false visions, prophecies, and doctrines tending to disturb the peace, disorganize Society and destroy the peace, disorganize society and destroy all laws, and government, and religion.' " SOURCE: Allen, Jane McMurty, "Henry Watkins of Henrico County," Gateway Press, Baltimore, 1985, p. 28.

You’ll find many mentions of Henry Watkins in "Quaker Records of Henrico Monthly Meeting" by F. Edward Wright. When his wife was assaulted, he refused to prosecute the criminal because the law required actions contrary to the Quaker doctrine. In 1661 an act was passed that anyone who failed to attend services of the established church for a period of one month would be subject to a fine. And again in 1666 an act was passed imposing fines on 'refractory persons' for failure to comply with the militia laws and regulations. In 1684 Henry Watkins was fined by the court for "continuing in his Quakerisms." His fine was later remitted.

Misc:
"On 21 January 1691/2, Henry Watkins conveyed 120 acres each to his sons Edward, William, Joseph, Henry, and Thomas near the Chickahominy."

Source: "Henry Watkins of Henrico County" Copyright 1985, Jane McMurtry Allen."

Misc:
"He ... on 25 January 1691/2 made a gift of land "I now live on" to Henry Watkins and 200 acres to Thomas Watkins Henrico County, Virginia Deeds and Wills (1688-1697), p. 269 ."

Misc:
Henry subscribed 500 pounds of tobacco for the building of the Friends Meeting House at Curles, Virginia.
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"An account of society members contributing to building of Curles Meeting House following the meeting of 9/12/1699: Jane Pleasants, James Howard, HENRY WATKINS SR., Edward Hugghs (Hughes?) William Porter, Jr., John Crew, John Robinson, Ephraim Gartrite, William Lead, Robert Boyes, Samuel Gartrite, John Pleasants, Nicholas Hutchins, Edward Mosby, Joseph Pleasants, HENRY WATKINS JR., Benjamin Woodson, John Woodson."

Source: "Quaker Records of Henrico Monthly Meeting" by F. Edward Wright, pages 1 - 11

Henry married Katherine PRIDE in 1658 in Malvern Hills, Henrico, Virginia, British America. Katherine (daughter of Sir John PRIDE and Lady Elizabeth HOLCOMB) was born in 1642 in Talgarth, Breconshire, Wales; died in 1703 in Malvern Hills, Varina Parish, Henrico, Virginia, British America. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Henry married Alice MOSLIN about 1636 in Breconshire, Wales. Alice was born in 1600 in Talgarth, Brecknockshire, Wales; died in 1642 in Henrico County, Virginia, British America. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Name: William John Pride

John married Lady Elizabeth HOLCOMB about 1643 in Nottinghamshire, England. Elizabeth was born about 1623 in Talgarth, Brecknockshire, Wales; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]