Comfort (Anderson) Finney

Born [date unknown] in Accomack County, Virginia Colony

Ancestors

Wife of Elias Taylor — married about 1690 in Accomack County, Colonial Virginia

Descendants

Died before 31 May 1743 in Accomack County, Virginia Colony

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Dennis Simpson [send private message] and Jonathon Myers [send private message]

Biography

Miles Files 17.2 Comfort [42] Anderson1 F, b. 22 May 1669, d. before 31 May 1743

Father: William Anderson (Burgess) b. 1645, d. b 4 Oct 1698 Mother: Mary [14] Wise b. c 1649, d. b 1678

Charts Descendants of William Anderson (Burgess at Jamestown) Descendants of John Major (Nandua Creek) Descendants of Capt. Edmund Scarburgh (Burgess at Jamestown) Descendants of Col. John Wise (Gentlemen, Chesconessex) Last Edited: 22 Mar 2015

Birth* 22 May 1669 Comfort was born on 22 May 1669 at Accomack Co, VA.2

Will - Grmother's* 20 August 1678 Comfort was named in her grandmother's will on 20 August 1678 at Accomack Co, VA. She was shown as Comfort, daughter of my son William Anderson, in the will of Amy Fowkes..3,4

Land rec'd as gift* 20 July 1687 Comfort received land as a gift on 20 July 1687 at Saxis Island, Acc Co, VA. It was on this date that William Anderson gave 200 acres to his daughter Comfort, who then was single, but she later married Elias Taylor and then William Finney. In 1743 as the widow Finney, she left her 200 acres of Sister's Island to her daughters. She was to be age 21 on 22 May 1690, which puts her brith at 22 May 1669..5,2

Marriage* circa 1690 She married Elias (of Wm I) Taylor, son of William Taylor I (Assawoman) and Elizabeth (-----), circa 1690.1

Married Name circa 1690 As of circa 1690,her married name was Taylor.

Will - Grfather's* 21 October 1693 Comfort was named in her grandfather's will on 21 October 1693 at Accomack Co, VA. In his will John Wise Sr. named Neome Mikemie & Comfort Taylor my grandaughters and gave them 20 shillings each to buy them a ring..6

Will - Father's* 23 July 1698 Comfort was named in her father's will on 23 July 1698 at Accomack Co, VA. She was shown as daughter Comfort Taylor, wife of Elias Taylor, along with her 3 daughters Elizabeth, Naomi & Comfort Taylor, in the will of William Anderson. Land at Sikes Island not already given my daughter Comfort (he had already deeded his daughter Comfort 200 aces at Sikes Island in 1687), being 350 acres to the next daughter my daughter Comfort shall have, if none then to the 3 daughters now living. (NOTE: Since Hannah, who married James Wishart, was the next born, then she inherited the 350 aces at Sikes Island.)1

Will - Husb's* 19 April 1717 Comfort was named in her husband's will on 19 April 1717 at Accomack Co, VA. She was shown as a wife Comfort and named Extr. in the will of Elias Taylor..7

Will - Cousin's* 29 December 1725 Comfort was named in her cousin's will on 29 December 1725 at Somerset Co, MD. In his will Elias Taylor, wife Mary, named: children (under 18) Jobe Taylor, Elias Taylor, Rowland Beavans Taylor and Temperance Taylor; brother William Taylor & Aunt Finney.8

Marriage* 1731 She married William Finney I, son of Andrew Finney I and Jane (of John) Major, in 1731. An Indenture between Comfort Anderson Taylor and William Finney was made 4 May 1730 and recorded 1 Feb 1731. This indenture was between William Finney of Accomack County and Comfort Taylor of the same place Widow of the other part (Witnesseth that for and in Consideration of a marriage shortly to be Chsd and Solomised between the said William Finney and the said Comfort Taylor it is Covenanted Granted concluded condescnded and fully agreed by and between the Parties to these presents that he the said William Finney and the said Comfort Taylor their and either and every of their Severall and respectively Heirs, Executor Admrs and Assigns respectively shall not at any times after the said marriage shall take effect, and is fully comsumated by any ways or means whatsoever intermeddle with claime any right title and interest in or to any part or parcell of the real and personal estate that they and either of them is at the time of the Signing and Sealing of the Same Indenture Severally and respectively in their own proper rights as they are Thereof now Seized and possessed But that the same shall Stand contimue and be as their Several and respective Estates in the same State and Condition as they now are and shall be deemed construed and taken to be to each of them their Heirs Extr Admrs and Assigns as the distinct and Severall rights as they now Tand before the Coverture and that they he she or any of their Heirs Exrs Admrs and Assigns shall not have make claim or may have any pretence of Claim right or Title to any part of any or either of their Estate real of personal ... William Finney Memorandum the within Named William Finney (before the Sealing and delivery of the within Deed or Writing) doe agree to give the said Comfort liberty to dispose of by her last will or Deed of Guift all or any part or parsell of both the real & personal Estate that she is now possesed with or has right or title to to any person or persons whatsoever and likewise during the term of Four Years or as long as the Said Comfort shall think fit within that time to pay to any person that the said Comfort shall appoint Ten pounds a year for and toward her son Joshua Taylor's schooling & Education. Sealed & Delivered in the present of: Griff Savage, Edmd Leatherbury & Chat Leatherbury Signed William Finney..9

Married Name 1731 As of 1731,her married name was Finney. Will* 21 January 1743 She made a will on 21 January 1743 at Accomack Co, VA. To daughter Elizabeth Whittingham (Whittington) To grandaughters Naomy, Ann & Mary Ann Ewell. To daughter Naomy Stockly for life, reversion to grandaughter Comfort Davis. To daughter Mary Kendall. Grandchildren Joshua, Jabez & Mary Kendall. Grandson William Kendall. Grandaughter Elizabeth Beavans till her son Samuel Beavans comes to the age of 21. Grandson Elias White. Grandaughter Comfort Wishart. Grandsons John Kendall & Thomas Wishart. To son in law James Wishart. Daughter Hannah Wishart. Grandaughter Betty Williams. Daughter Ester Williams. Grandaughter Naomi Davis. Son in law John Williams. To 5 daughters Elizabeth Whittingham, Naomy Stockley, Mary Kendall, Hannah Wishart & Ester Williams 200 acres of land & marsh called Sister Island. 5 daughters residual legatees & Executrices. Witt: Thomas Teackle Taylor, Stephen Shay..10

Death* before 31 May 1743 Comfort died before 31 May 1743 at Accomack Co, VA. It was on this date that her will was probated. Jedidiah Ewell, one of the heirs at law appeared by William Arbuckle, his attorney, and the rest of the heirs at law appeared by George Douglas, their attorney, and having nothing to object the said will was admitted to probate. .11

Land deed named in* 10 April 1769 She was named in a deed on 10 April 1769 at Holden's Creek, Accomack Co, VA. Samuel Beavans of Accomack Co sold to George Holden, Gent, of the same place, for £83:6:8 1/9 part of 950 acres on Crooked Creek in Accomack Co, late the estate of William Anderson late of Accomack Co, Gent, dec'd, the great-grandfather of Elizabeth, the mother of the said Samuel, who was one of the 3 daughters and coheirs of Samuel Davis & Naomi his wife, both dec'd, one of the daughters of Elias Taylor & Comfort his wife, both dec'd, Comfort was one of the daughters of the said William Anderson, who in his will mentioned and devised unto Francis McKemie & Naomi his wife his plantation at Pocomoke containing 950 acres for and during their Natural lives and then to the child or heirs of the aforesaid daughter Naomi and for want of such heirs then to be devised to his granddaughters by his said daughter Comfort and to her heirs forever as coheirs amongst them & to their lawful heirs forever, which said granddaughters were Elizabeth, Naomi & Comfort and named in the will bearing the date 23 July 1698 and recorded in the Court of the said County of Accomack. Said parcel of land is now in the possession of the said George Holden and Ann his wife, the sole surviving daughter and heir at law of the said Francis Mckemie & Naomi his wife in right of the said Anne as tenant in Fee Tail and whereas Expectant on the death of the said Anne without issue the division of the said 950 acres will by virtue of the said devisee be devised one third part thereof in William Whittington, the grandson and heir at law of the said Elizabeth the devisee who intermarried with William Whittington, both now dec'd. One other third part thereof in William Ewell, son & heir at law of Comfort another devisee who intermarried with Solomon Ewell both since dec'd and the other one third part into three equal parts divided one third part thereof in the said Samuel Beavans, son & heir at law of Elizabeth one of 3 daughters & coheirs of the said Naomi the granddaughter & devisee also dec'd. One other third part in Samuel Matthews, son and heir of Naomi another of the daughters and coheirs of the said Naomi last named also dec'd and the other third part thereof in Ephraim Matthews, son and heir of Comfort the other daughter and coheir of the said Naomi last named also dec'd. That the said Samuel Beavans in order to comply performance of the said agreement herein before set forth has also for and in consideration of the sum of five shillings to him in hand paid by the said George Holden hath bargained and sold to George Holden all that one full third part including the plantation whereon William Beavans, grandfather of the said Samuel, formerly dwelt on the tract of land containing 600 acres be the same more or less lying and being on Wallop's Road in Accomack Co, which by the will of William Beavans the father of the said Samuel now devised to him the said Samuel in fee, also the one sixth part of the following Negro Slaves and their issue which were likewise devised to the said Samuel by his said father after the death or marriage of Mary the widow of the said William (to wit) Negro Toby, Dinah, Phillis, Hope, Leah Aminidab and Isaac. To have and to hold the said one third part of the said Slaves and their increase to him the said George Holden ______ Interest to and for the proper use and behalf of the said Samuel during the natural life of the said Anne the wife of the said George and in case of the death of him the said Samuel during the life of Anne to and for the use of such person or persons as shall be entitled to the possession of the said 1/9 part of the said 950 acres on the death of him the said Samuel by the said will of William during the natural life of the said Anne and after the death of the said Anne for the use of the said George Holden & his heirs forever. Provided also nevertheless that if the said George shall Dock the Entail of the said 950 acres in the lifetime of the said Anne and the said George and Anne convey an estate in fee simple in the said 1/9 part thereof to him the said Samuel or in case of the said Samuel's death unto the person or persons entitled to the possession thereof as aforesaid that _____ Samuel or those in reversions as aforesaid shall convey unto him the said George ____ forever the fee simple estate therein or in case he the said Samuel if he should survive the said Anne and the Entail in the said premises not Docked and the said George Holden then living only the said Samuel shall die in the lifetime of the said Anne the said Entail not Docked the person or persons so entitled to ____ of the said 1/9 part of the said provision to said George Holden then living shall permit and suffer the said George to _______ in the nature of and "AdGUact-Damnum" (a Latin phrase?) or if the said George shall for then dead shall suffer or permit the heirs or assigns of him the said George in the named of him the said Samuel or of the person or persons so entitled to possession of the said 1/9 part of the said premises to Dock the Entail thereof and to convey to the said George and his heirs forever _____________ by the will of William Anderson dec'd, then this indenture and every clause thereof to become utterly void and the said land and slaves to be absolute property of the said Samuel Beavans. (NOTE: More details followed.) Signed Sam'l Beavans. Witt: Alexander Stockly, Ezekiel Tunnel, John Milligan. (NOTE: George Holden, the husband of Anne Makemie, her now being about 65-70 years old, was evidently buying the rights to home plantation she had inherited only for her lifetime under the entail laid out in her grandfather William Anderson's will of 1698, from those who were expecting to inherit it upon her death.)12

Family 1

Elias (of Wm I) Taylor b. 1661, d. b 4 Jun 1717

Marriage circa 1690

She married Elias (of Wm I) Taylor, son of William Taylor I (Assawoman) and Elizabeth (-----), circa 1690.1

Children

1. Elizabeth 'Betty' Taylor+ b. c 1692, d. b 30 Nov 1762

2. Naomi Taylor+ b. c 1694, d. b 27 Apr 1762

3. Comfort Taylor+ b. c 1698, d. b 1742

4. Joshua Taylor b. c 1700, d. b 2 Feb 1731

5. Mary Taylor+ b. c 1702

6. Esther Taylor+ b. c 1704

7. Hannah Taylor+ b. c 1706

Family 2

William Finney I b. c 1662, d. b 3 Oct 1738

Marriage 1731

She married William Finney I, son of Andrew Finney I and Jane (of John) Major, in 1731. An Indenture between Comfort Anderson Taylor and William Finney was made 4 May 1730 and recorded 1 Feb 1731. This indenture was between William Finney of Accomack County and Comfort Taylor of the same place Widow of the other part (Witnesseth that for and in Consideration of a marriage shortly to be Chsd and Solomised between the said William Finney and the said Comfort Taylor it is Covenanted Granted concluded condescnded and fully agreed by and between the Parties to these presents that he the said William Finney and the said Comfort Taylor their and either and every of their Severall and respectively Heirs, Executor Admrs and Assigns respectively shall not at any times after the said marriage shall take effect, and is fully comsumated by any ways or means whatsoever intermeddle with claime any right title and interest in or to any part or parcell of the real and personal estate that they and either of them is at the time of the Signing and Sealing of the Same Indenture Severally and respectively in their own proper rights as they are Thereof now Seized and possessed But that the same shall Stand contimue and be as their Several and respective Estates in the same State and Condition as they now are and shall be deemed construed and taken to be to each of them their Heirs Extr Admrs and Assigns as the distinct and Severall rights as they now Tand before the Coverture and that they he she or any of their Heirs Exrs Admrs and Assigns shall not have make claim or may have any pretence of Claim right or Title to any part of any or either of their Estate real of personal ... William Finney Memorandum the within Named William Finney (before the Sealing and delivery of the within Deed or Writing) doe agree to give the said Comfort liberty to dispose of by her last will or Deed of Guift all or any part or parsell of both the real & personal Estate that she is now possesed with or has right or title to to any person or persons whatsoever and likewise during the term of Four Years or as long as the Said Comfort shall think fit within that time to pay to any person that the said Comfort shall appoint Ten pounds a year for and toward her son Joshua Taylor's schooling & Education. Sealed & Delivered in the present of: Griff Savage, Edmd Leatherbury & Chat Leatherbury Signed William Finney..9

Citations [S570] Stratton Nottingham, Accomack Co, VA, Wills & Administrations, 1663-1800, p. 30 (will of William Anderson). [S93] Accomack County, VA, Wills & Deeds, 1676-1690 (vi), p. 455 (Wm Anderson gift to daughter Comfort of 200 acres on St. Georges or Sickes Island). [S570] Stratton Nottingham, Accomack Co, VA, Wills & Administrations, 1663-1800, p. 9 (will of Amy Fowkes). [S93] Accomack County, VA, Wills & Deeds, 1676-1690 (vi). [S572] Ralph T. Whitelaw, Virginia's Eastern Shore (A History of Northampton and Accomack Counties), p. 1276 (tract A153). [S570] Stratton Nottingham, Accomack Co, VA, Wills & Administrations, 1663-1800, p. 25 (will of John Wise Sr.). [S570] Stratton Nottingham, Accomack Co, VA, Wills & Administrations, 1663-1800, p. 56 (will of Elias Taylor, wife Comfort). [S200] Matthew M. Wise, Boston Family of Maryland, 2nd Ed, p. 376-378 (Dennis - Taylor Families). [S624] Virginia M. Meyer & John Frederick Dorman, Adventurers of Purse and Person, Virginia, 1607-1624/5, 3rd Edition. [S570] Stratton Nottingham, Accomack Co, VA, Wills & Administrations, 1663-1800, p. 128 (will of Comfort Finney). [S112] Accomack Co, VA, Wills & c., 1737-43, p. 467. [S631] Virginia Accomack County, Accomack Co, VA, Deeds, No. 003, 1757-1770, Part 2, p. 666 (Samuel Beavans to George Holden).

Comfort Anderson married about 1659 in Accomack County, Virginia to Elias Taylor. ^[1] (b: 21 Sep 1641).

About 1717 she was one of the witnesses to the last Will of her husband, Elias Taylor. ^[2]

Their daughter Mary Taylor married Samuel Alexander and they later moved to Cecil County, Maryland where they both died.

Research Notes

Per some genealogists, her husband Elias was also known by George.

Sources

1. ↑ U.S. and International Marriage Records 1560-1900 compiled by Yates Publishing on ancestry.com
2. ↑ Will of Elias Taylor, 19 June 1717 with witnesses daughter Mary Taylor & wife Comfort Taylor & Thomas Perry.

• Miles Files (Comfort Anderson, daughter of William Anderson & Mary Wise)

• Virginia, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1900> Accomack> Wills, 1692-1715. Image 1092. Database and images on-line at Ancestry.com. Image Original data: Virginia County, District, and Probate Courts. Typescript.

Will of William Anderson of Accomack County. Signed: 23 July 1698; Proved 4 October 1698.

Bequests to: Mr. Francis Makemie and Naomi his wife my eldest daughter; granddaughters – Elizabeth, Naomi, and Comfort Taylor -- by my daughter Comfort Tayler; to wife Mary; conditional bequest to Elias Taylor or Comfort his wife; nephew and godson Anderson Parker conditionally to Thomas Parker and Mathew Parker; sister Comfort Scott; nephew William Hope son of George and Temperance Hope; nephew William Parker.

Executors son-in-law Francis Makemie and daughter Naomi Makemie. Request that friends Edmund Custis, Edward Moore, George Hope, Thomas Perry do the inventory and division of the estate. Bequest of personal items to each of these.

Enslaved people named in will: .... Guy, old Sarah, Nanny, Mary’s son George – left to daughter Comfort Tayler; girls named Bab, Jenny, young Sue – left to Tayler granddaughters

Acknowledgments

• Anderson-10062 was created by Jonathon Dale Walter Myers on 18 Jun 2013.

• Anderson-39828 was created by Dennis Simpson on 13 Sep 2018.