William Armistead (abt. 1610 - abt. 1660)

Born about 3 Aug 1610 in Kirk Deighton, Yorkshire, England [uncertain]

Ancestors

Descendants

Died about 30 Aug 1660 at about age 50 in Elizabeth City County, Colony of Virginia

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Biography

William Armistead was a Virginia colonist.

William Armistead arrived in Virginia in 1633.^[1]

"Note, William Armistead settled in Elizabeth City County in 1633, was vestry man of Hampton Parish 1646, Married --------- and had with other son I Col. John Armistead long Justice of Gloucester County, sheriff, 1675, appointed to the council 1687, His John's seat was 'Hesse' Gloucester county."^[2]

On 7 July 1636, William Armestead was granted 450 acres, in Elizabeth City County, Virginia, southeast upon the land of Mr. Southell, northeast upon the land of John Branch, easterly upon the Creek, westerly into the woods, for the transportation … of nine persons. Nine persons are listed: Ann his wife, Rowland Owen, Rich. Clements, Robt. Glenister, Yorath Dane. Rich. Banks, Robt. Kendall, Andr. Strecher, Gilbert Guy.^[3][4]

An account submitted by Joseph Clifton, executor of Daniell Hopkinson merchant of the Tristram and Jane of London, Mr. Joseph Blow, for servants carried on her late voyage to Virginia. Dated April 26,1637, this list includes: Turned over to William Armstead: a maid Katherin Teague.^[5]

"Mention of John Armistead heir and one of the executors of Mr. Wm. Farmstead deceased, who was assignee of Mr. Mathew Bassett, Sept. 11, 1660."

Children

Children:^[6]

1. William Armistead, b. c. 1638, no issue.
2. John Armistead, b. 1640, d. 1688.
3. Anthony Armistead (Capt.), b. 1645, d. 26 Oct 1726, Elizabeth City Co. VA.
4. Frances Armistead, b. c. 1647, d. 25 May 1685; m. 1) Justinian Aylmer, 2) Anthony Elliott, 3) Christopher Wormeley.

His second son, John, was named heir of his first son, William, who died childless.^[7]

Death and Legacy

William died by 1660, when on the "last of August" 1660 John Armistead, as executor for his brother, William Armistead, made power of attorney in York County, Virginia.^[8]

Research Notes

Disputed Origin

William Armistead was born 3 August 1610 in Kirk Deighton, Harrogate,Yorkshire, England the son of Anthony and Frances Thompson Armistead.

Kirk Deighton, Yorkshire, England is often given as the place of origin for William Armistead, however we have no record to prove this. Patricia Hatcher, in her 2011 article on Judith Horne, does not accept the idea. She argues there are chronological difficulties with the claimed relationships. In addition, she points out that the surname, "Armistead," is common in Yorkshire, and the given names are found in other areas.^[9]

Anthony Armistead and Frances Thompson are frequently named as the parents of William Armistead, immigrant,^[7] yet the only "evidence" is that William named two of his children "Anthony" and "Frances." It seems there are no actual records which prove William Armistead's ancestry.^[10]

The family of Anthony Armistead and Frances Thompson had a son, William, christened at All Saints Church, Kirk Deighton, Yorkshire, on 3 August 1610.^[10] However, if this was the immigrant who patented large tracts of land in Virginia in 1636, then he was "a rather younger man than one would expect," at only twenty-six.^[11]

The Parish Records at Kirk Deighton, Yorkshire, England have by now been thoroughly searched, and there is not a Ralph Armistead.^[12] On record, there are 10 baptism dates, 6 burial dates (some of William's siblings), but no Ralph.^[12] In fact there is not any record of birth, baptism or death for any Ralph Armistead in Yorkshire.^[12]

When this is viewed in connection with the discrepancies in time-line between Ralph, supposed son of William, and the other children of William, as pointed out by Virginia Garber, the chances that William had a son named Ralph seem very remote.^[13]

Unknown Wife's Maiden Name

• In the 7 July 1636 land grant, Anne is listed as "Anne his wife." As the land grant was issued 3 years after his arrival, and the date of transportation is not listed, we don't know for certain from this record whether they were married in England prior to transportation, or after they arrived in Virginia. They were likely married in England prior to transportation, otherwise William would have likely listed her with her family and her maiden name.^[3]

• William married between 1627 and 1634 probably in Virginia, to Ann Unknown.^[6] There is no evidence of Anne's maiden name. She is called only "Anne" by Charles P. Keith, by William Crozier,^[7] and also by Virginia Garber.^[13]

• He married 1632 in Giggleswick, Yorkshire, England Ann Ellis .

Disputed Children

Above are the only proven children of William and Anne. Others include the child below (without evidence, source is Ancestry Family Trees and U.S. and International Marriage Records):

• Mary Armistead, b. 1645.

Note: Virginia Garber is not sure that Ralph Armistead (who patented 48 acres in 1678 at Kingston Parish, Gloucester) was a son of William, because his timeline is different than the other children (Page 19).^[13] As noted above, it now seems there was no sibling named Ralph, so the chances the Ralph who immigrated in 1678 was a son of William seem remote. If Ralph was not a family name, there is actually no reason to believe he was closely related to William.

Sources

1. ↑ "Genealogical Notes York County, Virginia" Page 25: #74.(https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/556900/?offset=0#page=25&viewer=picture&o=info&n=0&q=_
2. ↑ Genealogical Notes York County, Virginia (https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE1312633)
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Virginia Land Office Patents and Grants, Patents No.1 1623-1643 Vol.1&2, p370; digital images, Library of Virginia (http://image.lva.virginia.gov/LONN/LO-1/001/001_0372.tif).
4. ↑ Early Virginia Immigrants, 1623-1666, Greer, 1912. Page 69 and 245 (https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uva.x002706133&seq=253&q1=Armistead)
5. ↑ The Complete Book of Emigrants 1607-1660 by Coldham, 1987, p186. Can be purchased.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} Keith, Charles Penrose, (1893) The Ancestry of Benjamin Harrison ... Philadelphia: [J. B. Lippincott Co.] Archive.org (Page 13).
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2} Crozier, William A., Virginia Heraldica Being a Registry of Virginia Gentry Entitled to Coat Armor, with Genealogical Notes of the Families , (Page 96) New York: The Genealogical Association, 1908, Web accessed September 14, 2014.
8. ↑ AmericanAncestors.org, Hatcher, Patricia, L., (2012) "Identifying Judith Hone, Wife of John 2 Armistead of Virginia, with Hone and Aylmer Ancestry of Presidents William Henry and Benjamin Harrison." ' 'American Ancestors Journal. Boston, MA: NEHGS (2012, Pages 362 footnote).
9. ↑ Hatcher, Patricia, L., (2012) "Identifying Judith Hone, Wife of John 2 Armistead of Virginia, with Hone and Aylmer Ancestry of Presidents William Henry and Benjamin Harrison." American Ancestors Journal. Boston, MA: NEHGS AmericanAncestors.org (2012, Pages 352-64).
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1} Keith, Charles P., The Ancestry of Benjamin Harrison President of the United States of America, 1889-1893: in Chart Form Showing Also the Descendants ... and Notes on Families Related. (Page 13), Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 1893, Web accessed July 11, 2014.
11. ↑ Appleton, William S., The family of Armistead of Virginia, (Page 5) Boston: David Clapp & Son, 1899, Web accessed July 11, 2014.
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1 12.2} Zimmerman, Doug and Linn,"ARMISTEAD", extracted from The Armistead Family by Virginia Armistead Garber, March 26, 2014, Web accessed September 14, 2014.
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1 13.2} Garber, Virginia A., The Armistead Family. 1635-1910. (Page 19) Richmond: Whittet & Shepperson, 1910, Web accessed July 28, 2014.

• John Michael Harris, Camberwell, London, England, research presented here [English Armisteads].
• Kinard, June. comp. Early Immigrants to Virginia from the 1500s and 1600s. Ancestry.com.

Acknowledgments

• Thank you to Doug and Linn Zimmerman for the extraction of the dense but confused book, The Armistead Family. 1635-1910, by Virginia Armistead Garber.