Thomas Tinsley (1618 - 1702)

Born 1618 in Yorkshire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth (Randolph) Tinsley — married before 1650 in Yorkshire, England

Descendants

Died 1702 at about age 84 in St Annes Parish, Essex, Colony of Virginia

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Biography

Thomas Tinsley was born in England.

Thomas Tinsley or Tilsley, who immigrated to Jamestown, Virginia in 1638,^[1] is considered to be the first Tinsley in America. He is also known as Thomas Tinsley of Totopotomoy Creek. He has been proposed to be the son of John Tynsley and Elizabeth Robinson of Tinsley, Yorkshire, England. Thomas Tinsley would have been about twenty years old at the time of his voyage to America. Therefore, his birth year is estimated circa 1618.

Thomas "Tilsley" was transported to Jamestown, Virginia Colony by John Robins of James City County.^[2] He soon became a Colonial Virginia planter. In Colonial land documents his name is transcribed as Thomas Tilsley (1638),^[3] Thomas Tilsey (1650), and Thomas Tinslie (1655).^[4] Before he owned his plantation, Thomas Tinsley lived on a creek that was then known as Moses Run. On February 7, 1650, a man named Philip Charles was granted 450 acres on the west side of the Chickahominy River upon Moses Run. This parcel was described as "next above Thomas Tinsley."^[5][6] So, Tinsley seems to have been well established on the west side of the Chickahominy River before he received the deed to the Totopotomoy farm.

On December 13, 1650, Virginia Colonial Governor William Berkeley issued a land patent for 300 acres upon Moses Run, on the west side of Chickahominy River in James City County, VA, deeded to Thomas Tinsley.^[7] This grant was described as bounded west by north upon the Run: south by west upon the land of Mr. Theodore Moses: east by north upon Mr. Foyes land: and north by west upon the woods. The said land was granted unto Thomas Tinsley for paying the price of passage from England to the colony for emigrants Robert Arwin, Milliscent Thompson, Walter Villecott, Abraham Watson, Thomas Sawer, and Elin. Faning.^[8] Tinsley would have been about thirty two years old at this time.

In 1662, Thomas Tinsley purchased 300 more acres of land from Martin Baker. This tract was on the south side of the York River in New Kent County. A patent was issued to a neighbor John Bowman on May 15, 1672, for 108 acres "on the north side of James River on the west side of Chickahominy river adjoining to Thomas Tinsley."^[9]

Marriage & Family

Thomas Tinsley I was married to Elizabeth Randolph. There is a source that indicates that the couple was married in Yorkshire.^[10] However, it appears that he was single when he was transported to America in 1638, so more research is needed. The couple has been credited with the following children:

1. Thomas Tinsley II (1638–1715), who was named in the will of his father.^[11]
2. Cornelius Tinsley (1639–1748), who was named in the will of his father.^[12]
3. Ann Tinsley Tyler, who was named in the will of her father.^[13]
4. John Tinsley, who was named in the will of his father.^[14]
5. Isaac Tinsley (1640–1716)
6. Rachel Tinsley (1640– )
7. Edward Tinsley (1640– )
8. Martha Tinsley (1642– )
9. Richard Tinsley (1642–1748)
10. Alice Tinsley (Sneed) (1646–1720)
11. Sicily Tinsley (Jennings), who was named in the will of her father.^[15]
12. Phillip Tinsley (1655– )
13. Mary Tinsley (1658–1662) (died young)
14. Edward Tinsley (1660–1715)
15. Ann Tinsley (1662–1666) (died young)

Tinsley Participation In Bacon's Rebellion and Blisland Parish Grievances

This section appears to be a combination of direct quotes out of several source documents.^{[16][17][18][19]}

"That was not a peaceful time in Virginia, however, with anger bubbling to the surface in 1676 under the leadership of Nathaniel Bacon in an action dubbed “Bacon's Rebellion". It was a time when strong criticism was being directed at the governor, Sir William Berkeley, who not only refused to defend the frontier and settlers against attacks by Native Americans, but granted special privileges to his close friends, while supporting the imposition of high taxes and low prices for tobacco.^[20]

Despite many protests and broken promises, nothing was resolved until a very frustrated Bacon recruited his equally unhappy friends and neighbors and led two unauthorized - but successful - expeditions against the aggressive tribes.^[21] "Our" Thomas Tinsley was one of the planters who supported Bacon as he confronted the Governor and demanded that the ever-growing list of wrongs be righted.^[22]

Because of unceasing pressure by both the populace and the English government, Governor Berkeley was finally forced to convene the newly formed and mandated House of Burgesses (which he had hoped would go away because of lack of action). What was even worse, the governor had to allow his nemesis, the newly elected Nathaniel Bacon,^[23] to take his seat as a member of the new legislative body. But the Governor still had tricks up his sleeve and had Nathaniel arrested on trumped up charges just as he attempted to take his elected seat.

But times they were "a-changing." This arrest of a popular local man boomeranged on the Governor when it wakened the ire of supporters who had previously refused to take sides, and he was forced to set Bacon free. That did not end the matter. The door of the jail had barely been opened before Bacon gathered his supporters and marched on Jamestown,^[24] where the cornered governor was forced to grant him a commission allowing him to continue his campaigns against Native Americans.

The governor might have had to bow to the demands of the populace, but he was still adamant about stopping his chief foe and critic. As a result, he fled to the Eastern Shore of the state, where he put together enough manpower to allow him to return to Jamestown and proclaim Bacon and his followers rebels and traitors.

After a sharp skirmish, Bacon recaptured the capital and Berkeley again took flight - but not before setting the town on fire because he was afraid he couldn't hold it against Bacon's attack. This should have been Bacon's finest hour! After all, with the desertion by the Governor, he now controlled the colony, but not for long. In October of 1676, he died suddenly.

Without his leadership, the rebellion collapsed and the Governor, who was not done with wreaking bloody havoc on his enemies, returned to take his vengeance on the population he felt had betrayed him.^[25]

Since Thomas Tinsley was a participant in Bacon’s Rebellion, he gladly added his name to a document titled “Blisland Parish Grievances,”^[26] which was dated April 2, 1677 and listed the many grievances perpetrated by the Governor that had eventually led to the rebellion. The document was sent to England and caused such a stir that in short order, three royal commissioners were sent to investigate the reasons for the armed revolt. Included in those complaints were “high taxes, Indian murders and depredations, execution of sheriffs, selling of strong drink during court days and duties levied on ships”. The signers of the grievances had also been distraught over having had to obtain arms by any means in order to defend themselves. This document was later considered by historians to have been the opening gun of the long struggle for American independence which wouldn't actually begin for almost 100 years."^[27]

Death and Will

Thomas Tinsley's will was written on October 9, 1700 in New Kent County, Virginia.^[28] In this will, Thomas Tinsley named his wife Elizabeth and five surviving children. His survivors included three sons: Thomas Tinsley, John Tinsley and Cornelius Tinsley; and two daughters: Ann Tinsley Tyler and Sicily Tinsley Jennings. One grandchild, Deborah Payne, was also named in the will.

Here is a link to the will: http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~lksstarr/knreports/The%20Will%20of%20Thomas%20Tinsley%201700.txt

Thomas and Elizabeth (Randolph) Tinsley are buried at St. Peters Church in Hanover County, Virginia.^[29] This church pre-dates the Revolutionary War.

Sources

1. ↑ Greer, George Cabell [Clerk of the Virginia Land Office]. Early Virginia Immigrants, 1623-1666. W. C. Hill Printing Co., Richmond, Va. 1912, p. 329.
2. ↑ Greer, George Cabell [Clerk of the Virginia Land Office]. Early Virginia Immigrants, 1623-1666. W. C. Hill Printing Co., Richmond, Va. 1912, p. 329.
3. ↑ Greer, George Cabel. Early Virginia Immigrants 1623-1666. Richmond, VA, USA: W. C. Hill Printing Co., 1912.
4. ↑ Cavaliers and Pioneers, Abstracts of Virginia Land Grants 1623-1800. Vol. 1, 1623-1666. Abstracted and Indexed by Nell Marion Nugent. Baltimore, Md. 1963. pp. 103, 204, 211-212, 323, 471.
5. ↑ Cavaliers and Pioneers, Abstracts of Virginia Land Grants 1623-1800. Vol. 1, 1623-1666. Abstracted and Indexed by Nell Marion Nugent. Baltimore, Md. 1963. pp. 103, 204, 211-212, 323, 471.
6. ↑ Patents Issued During the Regal Government. James City County Book No.2, p.307. William & Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine. Vol. X, No. 2. October, 1901. p. 98.
7. ↑ Patents Issued During the Regal Government. James City County Book No.2, p.307. [In] William & Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine. Vol. X, No. 2. October, 1901. p. 98.
8. ↑ Patents No. 2, 1643-1651. Reel 2, Virginia State Library. p. 271.
9. ↑ Patents Issued During the Regal Government, James City County Book No.6, p. 403. William & Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine, Vol. XII, No. 1. July, 1903. p. 23.
10. ↑ The Compendium of American Genealogy, Vol. I
11. ↑ Will of Thomas Tinsley, the Emigrant. "Virginia Records." District of Columbia Genealogical Records Committee, USDAR. 1945-46. pp. 1-3.
12. ↑ Will of Thomas Tinsley, the Emigrant. "Virginia Records." District of Columbia Genealogical Records Committee, USDAR. 1945-46. pp. 1-3.
13. ↑ Will of Thomas Tinsley, the Emigrant. "Virginia Records." District of Columbia Genealogical Records Committee, USDAR. 1945-46. pp. 1-3.
14. ↑ Will of Thomas Tinsley, the Emigrant. "Virginia Records." District of Columbia Genealogical Records Committee, USDAR. 1945-46. pp. 1-3.
15. ↑ Will of Thomas Tinsley, the Emigrant. "Virginia Records." District of Columbia Genealogical Records Committee, USDAR. 1945-46. pp. 1-3.
16. ↑ Early Virginia Immigrants, 1623-1666", W.C. Hill Printing Co., Richmond, VA 1912, p.239.
17. ↑ Cavaliers and Pioneers. Op. cit., p. 471.
18. ↑ Brock, R. A. Secretary of the Virginia Historical Society and the Southern Historical Society.
19. ↑ "The Tinsley Family Virginia Cousins", by George Brown Goode. Richmond, VA 1887. P. 212
20. ↑ https://www.nps.gov/jame/learn/historyculture/bacons-rebellion.htm
21. ↑ https://www.virginiahistory.org/node/2292
22. ↑ http://www.baconsrebellion.com/wp/
23. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathaniel_Bacon_(Virginia_colonist)
24. ↑ https://henrico.us/history/ourhistory/bacons-rebellion/
25. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacon%27s_Rebellion
26. ↑ http://www.nuckollsworldwide.com/court/bliss.htm
27. ↑ https://www.jstor.org/stable/4244522?seq=1
28. ↑ Will of Thomas Tinsley, the Emigrant. "Virginia Records." District of Columbia Genealogical Records Committee, USDAR. 1945-46. pp. 1-3.
29. ↑ Chamberlayne, C.G., Trans. and Ed., The Vestry Book and Register of St. Peter's Parish, New Kent and James City Counties, Virginia, 1684-1786. Richmond, Va. 1937. pp. 22, 89.

• Virkus, Frederick A., Ed., The Abridged Compendium of American Genealogy. F. A. Virkus & Co., Chicago, Ill. Vol.111.1928. p.44.
• Lederer, John. The discoveries of John Lederer, in three several marches from Virginia, to the west of Carolina, and other parts of the continent; begun in March 1669, and ended in September 1670. Coil. and Trans. by Sir William Talbot baronet Printed by J. C. for Samuel Heyrick, at Grays-Innegate in Holborn. London. 1672. pp. 4-8.
• Brock, R. A. [Secretary of the Virginia Historical Society and the Southern Historical Society], "The Tinsley Family." Virginia Cousins, by George Brown Goode. Richmond, Va. 1887. p. 212.
• The Tinsleys of Virginia. [unpublished manuscript]. Compiled by Walter R. Tinsley, Roanoke, Va. [1938.]
• Chamberlayne, C. G., Trans. and Ed., The Vestry Book of Blisland (Blissland) Parish, New Kent and James City Counties, Virginia, 1721-1786. Richmond, Va. 1935. pp. xlii-xlvii.
• Essex County Orders, 1695-1699. (Transcript). Reel 65. Virginia State Library. p.165.
• Laing, Wesley N., "Cattle in Seventeenth-Century Virginia," Virginia Magazine of History and Biography. Vol.67, No.2, April, 1959. p. 160.
• http://www.kemper.msgen.info/firstfamiles/tinsley_family_history.htm
• http://legendsofthefamily.blogspot.com/2015/08/thomas-tinsley-first-immigrant-to.html

• See also:

Place sources here:

First Families: Tinsley Family. http://web.archive.org/web/http://kemper.msgen.info/firstfamiles/tinsley_family_history.htm

• Compendium of American Geneology

• The Virginia Genealogical Society. Virginia Genealogical Society Quarterly and Magazine of Virginia Genealogy. bought womens items

• findagrave bio: He was the first owner of Totomoi, this Thomas was instrumental in negotiating a treaty with the Pamunkey Indians.

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