Elizabeth (Underwood) Butler (1632 - bef. 1673)

Born 1632 in Colony of Virginia [uncertain]

Ancestors

Wife of James Taylor — married about 1652 in Virginia

Wife of Francis Slaughter Sr — married about 1653 in Rappahannock, Virginia

Wife of John Catlett IV — married about 1657 in Rappannock County, Colony of Virginia

Wife of Amory Butler — married about 1671 in Virginia

Descendants

Died before 16 Jun 1673 before age 41 in Rappahannock County, Colony of Virginia

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Ancestor of James Madison, 4th US President.
James Madison Jr. is the great-great-grandson of Elizabeth Catlett.

Biography

The following is taken from the well-sourced narrative at Elizabeth Underwood, by The Combs-Coombs &c. Research Group:

Elizabeth Underwood was born before 1640, the daughter of ____ Underwood and Margaret ____. She married first between 1652-54 to Dr. James Taylor, who died 1655 in Surry Co., Virginia shortly after Elizabeth received a legal separation from him. On March 26, 1654 Edward Skynner presented a petition to the Commonwealth of England charging that Dr. James Taylor of Surry County, "chyrugeon" hath lived in loathsome sin of adultery with his late servant Ursula Kettel and that she delivered a bastard child the 18 October last past." Ursula Kettle made deposition and Elizabeth, wife of James Taylor, filed for divorce. She appealed to the court that she be allowed to "goe live at her mother's house and have considerable maintenance out of his estate". Further details of her appeal show that she was afraid to live with James for fear of being maimed or killed.

She married second before 1656 to Francis Slaughter, Sr., who died 1657/58 in Old Rappahannock Co., VA. Elizabeth and Francis had one child:

1. Francis, Jr., b. 1653, m. 1679 to Margaret Hudson, d. 1718 in Richmond, VA ^[1]

Elizabeth married third before 1664 to Col. John Catlett, who died between 1669-71. Elizabeth and John's children were: ^[2][3]

2. John II, b. 1658, d. 1724

3. Thomas, b. c1660, d. age 3 months^[4]

4. Elizabeth, b. 1663, m. Francis Taliaferro, d. 1710

5. Sarah, b. 1666, m. 1682 to Robert Taliaferro (bro. of Francis), d. 1726

6. William, b. 1670, m. Elizabeth Thompson, d. 1698

Elizabeth married fourth in 1671 to the Rev. Amory Butler, who died in 1678-79. They signed a marriage contract in May 1671 in Old Rappahannock Co., VA, and Elizabeth died 1673 in Old Rappahannock Co., VA.

This much-married lady did not long survive her fourth matrimonial venture as her will was entered for probate 7 May 1673, just two years from the date of her marriage agreement. She bequeathed to her son Francis Slaughter furniture in her chamber, the furniture and other things given her by her mother when he is nineteen years of age; to her daughter Elizabeth Catlett bed and furniture in the dining room, her largest diamond ring, necklace with the biggest pearl and some other things; To her daughter Sarah Catlett two stone rings, small pearl necklace, wedding ring, etc. To sons John and William Catlett, the books mentioned in their father's will. To cozens William Underwood, Humphrey Booth, Catherine Booth. To sister Pierce a mourning ring. Executor husband Amory Butler who is to be guardian to children. Cousin Thomas Hawkins, brother Edward Rowzee and Mr. Daniel Gaines overseers of will (1665-1671, 136)^[5]

Will

Elizabeth made her will 7 May 1673 in Rappahannock County: ^[6][7][8]

"Know All Men by these presents that I Elizabeth Catlett of Rappa County Widdow out ot the natural affection I bear unto my loving Children Francis Slaughter, John Catlett, Elizabeth Catlett, Sarah Catlett and William Catlett their heirs and assignes do give grant sell assigne and make over from me my heirs Executors and Administrators one sorrell mare about the age of seven years with a white star on her forehead with all her increase male and female to be divided amongst my said Children as hereafter mentioned Vizt. that when my Male Children shall arrive tot he age of Twenty and one years then to have their part as they do come to their said age and my Daughters at the day of their Marriage or when they shall arrive to the yeares of Eighteen and in the case of the mortality of any of my aforesaid Children then to be equally divided amongst the surviving Children whose shares have not already been taken out. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seale 29th day of April in the 24th year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord Charles the Second &c. and in the year of our Lord 1672. n presence of Thomas Blessed, John Jarvis, Thomas Rawson."

Butler, Elizabeth, Sittingbourn Parish. - -16 June, 1673.

Son Francis Slaughter; daughter Sarah; son John Catlett; daughter Elizabeth; son John, son William; my deceased husband John Catlett; cousin William Underwood, Sr.; cousin Humphrey Booth, cousin Katherine Booth; sister Peirce, money in Mr. Griffies' and Mr. Manford's hands in London; my husband Amory Butler to be executor; my cousin Capt. Thomas Hawkins, brother Edward Rowzee and Mr. Daniel Gaines to be overseers; brother Booth's children;

Witnesses Thomas Lucas, Sr., John Dawson^[9]

Research Notes

Here is a well-searched websites to use: Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck Counties, Elizabeth Underwood.

Place Creation

• Essex County, Virginia, was created in 26 Apr 1694 from Old hannock County.

Marriages

Note: will try to substantiate these multiple marriages^[10]

Husband 1: Francis Slaughter, b. 1630, Isle of Wight County, Virginia d. Jun 1657, Old Rappahannock County, Virginia (Age 27 years)

Married Abt 1652 Old Rappahannock County, Virginia

Husband 2: James Taylor, b. Bef 1630, d. Bef 1 May 1655, Surry County, Virginia (Age < 25 years)

Married Between 1652 and 1654 Isle of Wright County, Virginia

Children

1. James Taylor, b. 1649, Old Rappahannock County, Virginia d. 27 Apr 1715, Westmoreland County, Virginia - Executor Bond (Age 66 years)

Husband 3: John Catlett, b. Between 1624 and 1625, Canterbury, Kent, England d. 18 Apr 1670, Old Rappahannock County, Virginia or Port Royal, Essex County, Virginia (Age ~ 46 years)

Married Jan 1656/57 Old Rappahannock County, Virginia {now Richmond County, Virginia}

Children

1. William Catlett, b. Abt 1657, Old Rappahannock County, Virginia d. Bef 11 Apr 1697, Essex County, Virginia (Age ~ 40 years)
2. John Catlett, b. 1658, Sittingbourne Parish, Old Rappahannock County, Virginia, d. 19 Jan 1724/25, St. Mary's Parish, Essex County, Virginia - Probate (Age 67 years)
3. Thomas Catlett, b. c 1660, d. age 3 months^[4]
4. Elizabeth Catlett, b. Abt 1663, England d. 8 May 1717, St. Maries Parish, Essex County, Virginia - Inventory (Age ~ 54 years)
5. Sarah Catlett, b. 1666, Sittingbourne Parish, Old Rappahannock County, Virginia d. 1726, St. Mary's Parish, Essex County, Virginia (Age 60 years)

Husband 4: Amory Rev Butler, b. Abt 1639, Va d. 29 Jan 1678/79, Old Rappahannock County, Virginia - Probate (Age ~ 40 years)

Married May 1671 Old Rappahannock County, Virginia

Birth & Death Places

• Her birth place was previously listed as Essex, Virginia. Essex County did not exist in 1632. Spratlin-29 16:16, 9 September 2022 (UTC)

• Her death place was previously listed as Rappahannock, Essex, Virginia, United States. Essex County did not exist in 1673. The place was presumably (Old) Rappahannock County. Spratlin-29 14:03, 5 September 2022 (UTC)

Sources

1. ↑ Francis Slaughter, Jr. (1657-1718), by Janet Ariciu
2. ↑ Stubbs, Dr. & Mrs. William Carter. A History of Two Virginia Families transplanted from County Kent, England: Thomas Baytop, Tenterden, 1638 and John Catlett, Sittingbourne, 1622. Published in New Orleans, LA, 1918.
3. ↑ Sweeny, William Montgomery, 1871-1945, Wills of Rappahannock County, Virginia, 1656-1692, page 2
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} RootsWeb.com, mailing list, Margaret Amundson, "Re: Catlett: Study of families, 10 Jul 2003, (URL: vafauqui at rootsweb.com).
5. ↑ Underwood Family of Virginia published in Genealogies of Virginia Families from Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Volume V, page 631
6. ↑ Rootsweb: Ham/m: Sarah Catlett, by Tom Hamm, Jr., 09 Oct 2016
7. ↑ RootsWeb.com, mailing list, Jim Burgess, "Will of Elizabeth Butler," 15 Jul 2003, (URL: vafauqui.rootsweb.com); giving will date 7 May 1673, proved 16 Jun 1673, full transcription.
8. ↑ The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography , Virginia Historical Society , JUL 1913, Vol. 21, No. 3, pp. 307-308
9. ↑ Rappahannock County Wills, Order Book, 1664-1673.
10. ↑ Robert K Headley Jr, Virginia, Marriages of the Northern Neck of Virginia, 1649-1800, (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2003), Ancestry.com, p 61, 70, 321, 345; giving husbands Dr. James Taylor, Capt. Francis Slaughter, Col. Jn. Catlett, and Rev. Amory Butler."

See also:

• The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Volume 3 edited by Philip Alexander Bruce, William Glover Stanard.
• Headley, Robert K. Married Well and Often: Marriages of the Northern Neck of Virginia, 1649–1800. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2003, p. 61.