John Stith
John Stith (fl. 1656–1691) was a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses[1] and the progenitor of the Stith family, one of the first families of Virginia.[2][3]
Stith ancestors were likely from the area of Kirkham in Lancashire, England.[4] Stith settled in Charles City County, Virginia sometime after coming to the colony sometime before 1656.[1][5] He was a merchant, an attorney, and a justice of the peace, and served in the militia as a lieutenant (1656), a captain (1676), and a major (1680).[1] In 1691, Stith was the high sheriff of Charles City County.[2] During Bacon's Rebellion of 1676, Stith was a supporter of Sir William Berkeley.[1]
Stith married Jane Parsons, the widow of Joseph Parsons, and had at least four children:[1][2][4][5]
- John Stith2 married Mary Randolph, the daughter of William Randolph, and had three children: William, John3, and Mary.[1][5] William Stith married Judith Randolph, his first cousin and the daughter of Thomas Randolph (of Tuckahoe), and was the third president of the College of William & Mary.[1][2][5] John Stith3 was the great-great-grandfather of Brigadier General of the Confederate States Army Junius Daniel and the great-great-great-grandfather of Armistead C. Gordon.[5][6] Mary Stith married William Dawson, the second president of the College of William & Mary, and had two children including John Dawson, the father of Congressman William Johnston Dawson.[1][2][5]
- Drury Stith married Susannah Bathurst and had at least two children.[1][2][5]
- Anne Stith married Robert Bolling (whose first wife, Jane Rolfe, was the granddaughter of Pocahontas) in 1681 and had at least seven children.[1][2][5]
- Jane Stith wife of Capt. Daniel Luellin(7)
- Agnes Stith wife of Mr. Thomas Wynn (7)
Will of John STITH, Sr. of Westover Parish, Charles City County, Virginia, Gentleman.
To oldest son John, all land I live on and my mill lately built, and all other lands belonging to me except my land on eastern branch of Herring Creek, which I give to my son Drury.
To my daughter Jane, now wife of Capt. Daniel Luellin, 5 pounds.
To my daughter Ann, now wife of Mr. Robert Bolling, 10 pounds.
To my daughter Agnes, now wife of Mr. Thomas Wynn, 5 pounds.
All rest of my estate divided in three parts to my wife Jane and sons John and Drury. Drury is to take his share of personal estate at plantation left to him, but if more than his share, then surplus to the other two.
To my loving friend Hugh Davis, 20 shillings to buy him a ring.
He is to settle any difference among my executors. Dated 13 Nov 1690
Wit: James Batty, Frances (FH) Batty, John Gay, Hugh Davis
Signed John Stith Recorded 3 April 1694
Codicil: I originally divided my estate in three parts. Since marriage of my son Drury, I have allowed him his third of my personal estate and made over the plantation left in my will. Therefore rest of estate is now divided into 2 parts for my wife and son John. 3 Oct. 1693.
Wit: William Cole, John Jones, Thomas Grig
Signed: John Stith Recorded 3 April 1694
From: Charles City Virginia Records 1737-1774, p. 185
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Tyler, Lyon Gardiner, ed. (1915). "Burgesses and Other Prominent Persons". Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography. II. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company. pp. 330–331. Retrieved February 25, 2011.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Goode, George Brown (1887). "Excursus.-The Stith Family". Virginia Cousins: A Study of the Ancestry and Posterity of John Goode of Whitby. Richmond, Virginia: J. W. Randolph & English. pp. 210–212. Retrieved February 25, 2011.
- ↑ "Questions and Answers". Notes and Queries. Manchester, New Hampshire: S. C. & L. M Gould. VI (2): 244–245. February 1989. Retrieved February 25, 2011.
- 1 2 Johnston, Christopher (July 1912). "The Stith Family". In Tyler, Lyon G. William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine. XXI. Richmond, Virginia: Whittet & Shepperson. pp. 181–193, 269–278. Retrieved February 25, 2011.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Gordon, Armistead C (1914). "The Stith Family". In Tyler, Lyon G. William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine. XXII. Richmond, Virginia: Whittet & Shepperson. pp. 44–51, 197–208. Retrieved February 25, 2011.
- ↑ Brown, John Howard (1900). "Armistead Churchill Gordon". Lamb's Biographical Dictionary of the United States. III. Boston, Massachusetts: James H. Lamb Company. p. 331. Retrieved February 25, 2011.