Thomas Albritton (1682 - 1731)

Born 1 Aug 1682 in Charles Parish, York, Virginia

Husband of Agnes (Forsyth) Albritton — married 1704 in York, Virginia

Descendants

Died 1731 at about age 48 in Princess Anne, Virginia

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Biography

Thomas Albritton was born on 1 August 1682 in Charles Parish, York County, Virginia Colony, the eldest son of Ralph and Mary Albritton. ^[1] Thomas grew up in York County. We know little of his early life. One of the very few early records that mention Thomas relates to his lack of road service. On 24 October 1702, Anthony Watts, "Surveyor of the High Ways for the Upper Precinque of Charles Parrish," complained to the York County Court that Thomas Albritton was among a group of thirty-eight local men described as

"Divers Persons NotwithStanding they have been Warned to meet him in Order for clearing the Roads within his precinque Refused to performe the Same..."

The Court ordered the sheriff to summon the men to the next Court "to Show Cause why they Misperformed their Duty therein And that a Due Returne thereof be made to the next Court." There is no further reference to the matter, so presumaly, the men thereafter performed their road duty. ^[2]

By 1705, Thomas Albritton had married Agnes Forsyth, daughter of James and Grace Forsyth. ^[3] She was thirteen years Thomas' senior. Agnes had married prior to 1696 and perhaps had children by her first marriage. Thomas and Agnes Forsyth Albritton had two children born in Charles Parish, York County: James, born on 17 September 1705, and Agnes, born on 13 March 1708. ^[4]

Soon after the birth of their daughter, Thomas and Agnes Albritton went south, across the Virginia/North Carolina border into what was then Currituck Precinct, Albemarle County, later designated as Currituck County, the northeastern-most North Carolina county. He must have accompanied John and Elizabeth Northen, also residents of Charles Parish, York County, to North Carolina, as he witnessed several of their transactions over the next few years. On three consecutive days in November 1709, the 12th, 13th, and 14th, Thomas Albritton met with the Northens, William and Christian Reed, William Russell, and Richard Smith to sign a series of legal documents. On the 12th, Albritton witnessed a bond of indenture of £200 by William and Christian Reed to John Northen to faithfully fulfil several planned indentures. ^[5] On the next day, the 13th, along with William Russell and Richard Smith, Thomas Albritton witnessed the lease for “one whole year” of “Powills poynt,” a 560-acre tract of land on the Currituck and Albemarle Sounds by William and Christine Reed to John Northen “in consideration of the Sum of five Shillings of Lawfull [sic] money of England.” ^[6] On November 14th, Thomas Albritton witnessed a second lease and release of William and Christian Reed to John Northen, this time conveying to him for one year the use of all

"…houses, buildings, barnes [sic], Stables, outhouses, yards, Gardens, orchards, with all Rights and priviledges [sic] of hawking, hunting, fishing, fowling with all Rivers, woods, and under woods, wages, waters, [illegible], profits, comodities [sic], hereditaments, and appurtenances whatsoever…"

on same 560-acre tract “for and in consideration of one hundred pounds of Lawfull [sic] money of England.” ^[7]

John Northen soon moved from Virginia to Currituck Precinct, and on 10 January 1711, Thomas Albritton and Richard Smith witnessed Northen appointing “my loving wife Elizabeth Northen to be my true and Lawfull [sic] attorney & Deputy” to transact business in his name. Both Albritton and Smith appeared in court the following July 10th to prove the power of attorney. ^[8] On that same day, Thomas Albritton witnessed the sale of a 300-acre tract of land

"…lying Situate near that poynt comonly known by the name of Powels Poynt… lying or Joyning upon Albemarle Sound…"

from William and Margaret Russell to Richard Smith for £25. ^[9] Finally on that same day in 1711, William Russell “Granted assigned and sett [sic] over unto” Thomas Albritton of Currituck Precinct, Albemarle County, North Carolina Province “this present patent and all the messuage Tenement and hereditaments” for an unspecified consideration. ^[10]

These legal transactions between 1709 and 1711 show that most of Thomas Albritton’s associates were literate, for Richard Smith, John Northern, and William Reid all signed their names to the transactions. However, Thomas was illiterate, for the clerk recorded that he merely made his mark to them, as did William Russell.

Thomas Albritton’s residence in Currituck Precinct during this period suggest that he moved his family there between 1709 and mid-1711. The Albrittons his family did not linger in North Carolina for long. After living in close contact for many years in northeastern North Carolina, a series of white encroachments on Tuscarora Indian territory led to violence. On 22 September 1711, just two months after Thomas Albritton purchased land in Currituck Precinct, the Tuscarora attacked settlements further south on the Trent and Pamlico Rivers, massacring 130 white settlers. The extended hostilities between the North Carolina colonists and the Tuscarora Indians during the 1711–1715 wars drove many recent white immigrants back into the safety of coastal southeastern Virginia. Thomas Albritton and his family had vacated northeastern North Carolina by 1715. ^[11]

Thomas Albritton did not return to his previous home in York County, but merely crossed over the colony line and settled in Princess Anne County, then the southeastern corner of the Virginia Colony. He purchased 57 acres of land there on 2 April 1715. ^[12] On 1 October 1716, Thomas witnessed a transaction from William Oakham to Denis Capps, ^[13] and he witnessed the 18 November 1719 sale of a 200-acre tract of land from Lawrence Brindle to Edward Guisborn. ^[14]

Thomas Albritton made several land purchases in Princess Anne County during the 1720s. He bought a 120-acre tract on 4 April 1721, ^[15] and the following day, he sold a 150-acre tract of land. ^[16] On 3 February 1723, Thomas leased a 100-acre tract at the head of Blackwater River from John and Elizabeth Cummings. ^[17]

Four years later, on 3 April 1727, Thomas Albritton sold his 120-acre tract of land purchased back in 1721 to John Airs, with his wife, Agnes, relinquishing her dower rights to the land on April 5th. ^[18] Later that month, on the 29th, Thomas sold a 33-acre tract of his land to Florence Sullivan. ^[19]

Agnes Albritton died between 1727 and 1730, for by the time Thomas wrote his will on 24 January 1731, he had remarried to Ann, to whom he bequeathed

"…one bay mare bridle & saddle, one pewter dish in William Simmons hands, one chest lock & key, one ewe, one iron pot, rack, pot hooks & frying pann, two Sows & piggs, and powdering tub and whats in it, all my corn…"

To his son, James, Thomas Albritton left

"…my horse and mill all my saddler Tools and bedsted bolster two blankets & rugg one grindstone making him my whole & sole Exor of this my Last will & testament – abjureing & disanuling all former wills by me made heretofore…"

Thomas directed that his lands be sold to pay his debts and any remainder be divided equally between his wife and son. Thomas Albritton died shortly afterwards, for James Albritton presented his father’s will in Court on March 3rd. After he presented it, James also declined the will’s executorship. ^[20]

Sometime afterwards, the Princess Anne County Court appointed James Albritton as the executor of his father's will. On 3 March 1731, the Court ordered that in accordance with Thomas' will, the sheriff sell a 100-acre tract of land on the south side of Blackwater River in Princess Anne County that belonged to Thomas Albritton. The sheriff sold it to Thomas Cornish, but no deed conveying the land to him was ever made. Thomas Cornish willed the land to his brother, Elias Cornish. On 3 December 1740, James Albritton, acting as the son and executor of his father, Thomas Albritton, conveyed the 100 acres to Elias Cornish. ^[21]

Several decades later, after he had settled in eastern North Carolina, James Albritton listed his occupation as “saddler,” indicating that he had made good use of the tools that Thomas had left him. Three of James’ sons and at least one grandson listed their occupations as saddlers, making at least four generations of the Albritton family that worked as saddlers during the 1700s.

Sources

1. ↑ Bell, Landon C. Charles Parish, York County Virginia, History and Registers. Richmond, VA: Virginia State Library Board, Division of Purchase and Printing, 1932, p. 42.
2. ↑ York County VA Deeds, Orders, Wills, Etc. Book 12 (1702-1706), p. 48.
3. ↑ Bell, p. 90 (Agnes Forsyth born 6 March 1668/1669). York County VA Deeds and Bonds Book 3 (1713-1729), pp. 432-434 (John James and Thomas and Agnes Albritton to Thomas Nelson, 14 November 1724).
4. ↑ Bell, p. 42.
5. ↑ Currituck County NC Deed Book 3, p. 110 (William and “Christain” Reed of Albemarle County North Carolina to John Northen of Charles Parish, York County Virginia, 12 November 1709). This bond was also witnessed by Henry “Baradale” and James Shelton.
6. ↑ Currituck County NC Deed Book 3, pp. 102–103 (William and “Christain” Reed of Albemarle County North Carolina to John Northen of Charles Parish, York County Virginia, 13 November 1709).
7. ↑ Currituck County NC Deed Book 3, pp. 104–105 (William and “Christian” Reed of Albemarle County North Carolina to John Northen of Charles Parish, York County Virginia, 14 November 1709). Thomas Albritton signed his name as a witness to this unusual document three times. First, he witnessed the actual document, presumably signed by William Reed, along with Henry “Bradle” and James Shelton. Next, he witnessed the signature of “Christain” Reed, along with William Russell and Richd Smith, presumably on the same day. Third, Thomas Albritton witnessed the William Reed’s receipt of £100 from John Northen on that same day, together with Henry “Barradle” (presumably, the same Henry “Bradle” who witnessed the lease/release).
8. ↑ Currituck County NC Deed Book 3, p. 103 (John Northen of Currituck Precinct, North Carolina to wife, Elizabeth Northen, 10 January 1710/11).
9. ↑ Currituck County NC Deed Book 3, pp. 106–107 (William and Margaret Russell to Richard Smith, both of Albemarle County, Currituck Precinct, North Carolina, 10 July 1711).
10. ↑ Currituck County NC Deed Book 3, p. 107 (William Russell to Thomas Albritton, both of Currituck Precinct, Albemarle County, North Carolina, 10 July 1711). The consideration was left blank, and it is unclear precisely which “present patent” Russell sold Albritton. He had perhaps recently obtained a patent for another tract of land, but the document did not describe it at all. There is no recorded document showing Thomas Albritton’s disposal of this land.
11. ↑ Swanton, John R. The Indian Tribes of North America. Smithsonian Institution Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin 145. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1952 (reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore, MD, 2003), pp. 86–87.
12. ↑ Princess Anne County VA Deed Book 3 (1714–1728), Part 1, pp. 82–83 (Denis and Milborrow Capps to Thomas “Allbritons,” 2 April 1715).
13. ↑ Princess Anne County VA Deed Book 3 (1714–1728), Part 1, p. 110 (William Oakham to Denis Capps, 1 October 1716).
14. ↑ Princess Anne County VA Deed Book 3 (1714–1728), Part 1, p. 294 (Lawrence Brindle to Edward Gursborn, 18 November 1719).
15. ↑ Princess Anne County VA Deed Book 3 (1714–1728), Part 1, p. 370 (John and Thomas Henly to Thomas Albritton, 4 April 1721).
16. ↑ Princess Anne County VA Deed Book 3 (1714–1728), Part 1, p. 371 (Thomas Albritton to Robert Land, 5 April 1721).
17. ↑ Princess Anne County VA Deed Book 3 (1714–1728), Part 1, p. 550 (John and Elizabeth Cummings to Thomas Albritton, 3 February 1723).
18. ↑ Princess Anne County VA Deed Book 4 (1724–1735), p. 111 (Thomas and Agnes Albritton to John Airs, April 3 and 5, 1727).
19. ↑ Princess Anne County VA Deed Book 4 (1724–1735), pp. 117 (Thomas Albritton to Florence Sullivan, 29 April 1727).
20. ↑ Princess Anne County VA Deed Book 4 (1724–1735), p. 318 (Will of Thomas “Albrittin,” dated 24 January 1730/31, filed in court 3 March 1730/31). Many Albritton researchers have claimed family conflict for the reason that James declined executorship of his father’s will, but there is no firm evidence for this conclusion. While animosity between James and his stepmother may have caused him to decline it, there are many other possible reasons he may have not wished to serve as executor.
21. ↑ Princess Anne County VA Deed Book 5 (1735–1740), pp. 530-531 (James Albritton to Elias Cornish, 3 December 1740).