Elizabeth (Gilliam) Maybury (abt. 1654 - bef. 1715)

Born about 1654 in Colony of Virginia

Descendants

Died before 15 Feb 1715 before about age 61 in Surry County, Virginia

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Biography

Elizabeth was married first to John West, prior to 1673, because her son John West deposed on 1 Feb 1693 that he was 20 years of age. By 6 Nov 1679, Elizabeth was married to William Bevin when she surrendered her dower right. Bevin died before 1 Feb 1685/86–his will dated 11 May 1685. In that Will he mentioned his "son in law [son by law, or stepson] John West, and sons William, Matthew, and daughter Elizabeth. Wife Elizabeth was appointed sole executor, the Will proved 1 Feb 1685/6. Administration was granted Francis Maybury on 22 Oct 1685 - he had by then married Elizabeth Gillam West Bevin.

Timeline

Birth
abt 1655 • Virginia

Marriage
bef 1673
John WEST Sr
[John West, Jr deposed on 1 Feb 1693 that he was 20 years of age.]

Marriage
bef 6 Nov 1679
William BEVIN Sr
(–1685)

Deed: William Bevin to James Fracklynn
6 Nov 1679
Elizabeth surrenders her right of dower.

Deed: William Bevin and Elizabeth to George Hunt, James Franklin, and Nicholas Dyson.
6 Nov. 1679 • Henrico County, VA
William Bevin and his wife, Elizabeth, sold land he bought from Wm Randolph in 3 tracts of 100 acres each to George Hunt, James Franklin, and Nicholas Dyson. ^[1]

Will of William Bevin
11 May 1685
Will mentioned his "son in law [son by law, or stepson] John West, and sons William, Matthew, and daughter Elizabeth. Wife Elizabeth was appointed sole executor, the will proved 1 Feb 1685/6. Adminstration was granted Francis Maybury on 22 Oct 1685

Marriage
Oct 1685 • Henrico County, VA
Francis MAYBURY Sr
(1660–1712)

Medical
1 Feb 1693
John WEST, 20 years of age swore he heard Dr. Irby say that he would charge no more than 1,400 pounds of tobacco to cure Elizabeth MAYBURY and her daughter of distemper.

Will of Francis Maybury
22 Mar 1711 • Surry County, VA

Probate of Will of Francis Maybury
18 Jun 1712 • Surry County, VA
The Last Will & Testamt. of Francis Maybury dec'd. present in Court by Elizabeth Maybury his Exectrx who made oath thereto. Proved by oaths of Thos. & Robt. Wynn, witnesses. On the motion of Elizabeth Maybury, Certificate is granted for obtaining Probate.

Inventory of Francis Maybury
20 Aug 1712 • Surry County, VA
Elizabeth Maybury, Executrx of Last Will and Testament of Francis Maybury dec'd presents an Inventory of the sd dec'd Estate. Ordered recorded.

Will of Elizabeth Maybury
6 Jun 1713 • Surry County, VA
Children named were Charles, George, and Hinchia Maybury, John and Francis West, and daughters, Judith, Mary, and Ann. Elizabeth identified also her brothers, Hinchia Gilliam and John Gilliam.

Death
bef 15 Jan 1715 • Surry County, VA

Probate of Will of Elizabeth Maybury
18 Jan 1715 • Surry County, VA
Will of Elizabeth Maybury dec'd presented by Charles Maybury one of her Executrs who made oath thereto and proved by John Bolling witness. Admitted to record. On motion of Charles Maybury certificate is granted for probate. ^[2]

Inventory of the Estate of Elizabeth Maybury
21 Mar 1715 • Surry County, VA
Charles Maybury Executr of Will of Elizth. Maybury dec'd presented Inv & Appraisal of said deceased's estate. Ordered recorded. ^[3]

Deed: John West to Instance Hall
13 Jun 1720 • Surry County, VA
John West to Instance Hall. 200 acres in Bristol Parish bounded by Drury Bolling, John Gillam, being land given to Elizabeth Gillam by her dec'd father, John Gillam, Sr. & from her descended to her son & heir John West. Sig: John [W] West Rec. 8 Aug 1721. ^[4]

Francis Maybury

Notes for FRANCIS MAYBURY:
Francis Maybury (ca 1650 - 1712) was almost certainly born in England although our research has yet to discover the exact place of his birth or the names of his parents. We only know that he was in Virginia at least as early as 1 October 1679 when John Pleasants and Jno. Haddelsey were granted 548 acres on "the maine brook of 4 Mile Creek, adjoining Capt. Matthews, etc." on the north side of the James River for their having transported eleven persons into the Colony. These persons are named in the patent book as: Melch. Richardson, Math. Mock, Fra. Mawbury, Mary Clarke, Samuell. Anderson, Hen. Turney (or Turner), Jos. Wells, Susan Perrott, Jno. Kempton, and Abra. Goff. There can be little doubt that the "Fra. Mawbury" listed is Francis Maybury whose records are found in Henrico, Charles City, and Surry Counties over the next thirty five years. Because the headright grants were made to encourage immigrants from England, it is almost certain that England was the place of Francis Maybury's origin. It is entirely possible that he may have come to Virginia several months or even years prior to October 1, 1679 "headrights" were very often bought and sold.

The earliest records to locate Francis Maybury in a specific area suggest that he lived in Henrico County just west of the present city of Hopewell, Virginia, or about four or five miles west, southwest of the point where the Appomattox River empties into the James. We believe he lived on Swift Creek which flows into the Appomattox. Surely it is no coincidence that directly opposite the mouth of Swift Creek is "Gilliam's Island", almost certainly named three hundred years ago for the family of Francis Maybury's wife, Elizabeth Gilliam. This location is confirmed by the fact that the other families known to have been neighbors and associates of the Mayburys and the Gilliams also received grants of land in the same area, often called "the Curles of the James", an apt description of the meandering James River. The Jordans and Bollings were on the north side of the James a short distance away. The Walthalls were south of the James, perhaps only a mile or two from the Gilliams and Mayburys. Other nearby families include the Cockes, the Brownes, and the Wynnes. Henry Walthall and John Bolling were two of the three witnesses when Elizabeth Gilliam Maybury wrote her will in 1713. John Bolling (1676-1729) was the great grandson of John Rolfe and Pocahontas, whose families a century earlier had lived along the James, not far away.

By far the best known of the neighbors of the Mayburys and Gilliams was the Randolph family. Henry Randolph, a half brother of the English poet, Thomas Randolph, was born in England in 1623 and came to Virginia in 1642, about the time Sir William Berkeley came to be the Colony's Governor. Henry married Judith Soane, daughter of Henry Soane, speaker of the House of Burgesses. Randolph was also Clerk of Henrico County from about 1656 and of the House of Burgesses from 1660 until shortly before his death in 1673. He went back to England in 1669, but became homesick for Virginia and returned to spend his last days there. However, the real founder of the Virginia Randolphs was not Henry, but his nephew, "William Randolph of Turkey Island", who probably came to Virginia when his uncle returned from England in 1670. Both Henry Randolph and his nephew, William, owned land along Swift Creek. In 1655 Henry acquired a 1000 acre tract on the north side of Swift Creek at its Falls in the Bermuda Hundred. This consisted of two separate tracts of 850 acres and 150 acres previously patented in 1637 and 1638 by Wm. Hatcher and which Hatcher later abandoned. It is believed that Henry Randolph built his home on this land shortly after acquiring it and that he maintained it until his death in 1672. On January 29, 1663 Henry Randolph received another patent for 800 acres along both sides of Swift Creek, but mostly on the north. As we will see below, Henry Randolph's nephew, William also owned land on Swift Creek.

While it is clear that the Randolphs and the Gilliams were neighbors, there exists the possibility that they were more closely related. This is suggested by several land transactions which involve both families. Henry Randolph and Eliza Repps were the witnesses on July 21, 1664 when Edward Hill sold a 1,300 acre tract to John Gilliam. On September 21, 1671 Henry Randolph applied for a patent for another 244 acres on the south side of the Appomattox in Bristol Parish, Charles City County. This was a tract of land that had been patented ten years earlier, in 1663, to John Guillam, who later deserted it. Nineteen months later, on April 17, 1673, Randolph received the patent. Some might suggest that Randolph, as Clerk of the County, was simply taking advantage of the opportunity to acquire additional land. It seems clear, however, that his real purpose in gaining possession of the 244 acres was to return it to John Gilliam's widow, Margery because two months later, on July 16th, he assigned the patent to her. Then, a few weeks later, before he could acknowledge the assignment in court, Henry Randolph died. His reason for returning the land to the Gilliams was probably stated in his will which, unfortunately, has been lost. That he had a will is proved by another court record in which Judith Randolph, his widow, is named and qualified as his Executrix. Some of the provisions of the will were delayed until 1687 when Henry Randolph II, only eight years old at the time of his father's death, reached the age of majority. Thus it was Henry Randolph II who, by means of a deed executed in 1687, finally accomplished the actual transfer of the 244 acres to Margery Gilliam. In the meantime Margery had remarried to Henry Briggs.

"To all who whom these presents shall come Greetings; Whereas Henry Randolph, late of this county of Henrico, deceased, did, by virtue of the General Court bearing date ye 21 of September 1671, make out and patent a tract formerly deserted by Mr. John Guillam as by ye patent for ye same dated at James Citty ye May 17, 1673 may plainly appear; and the said Randolph did assign over ye said land unto Mrs. Margery Guyllam, relict of ye said John, her hairs and assigns forever on 16 July 1673, but before ye same was acknowledged in court or ratified accordingly did depart this life., Now I, Henry Randolph, son and hair of ye before mentioned deceased Henry Randolph, out of filial duty and reverence I bear to ye memory of my said deceased father, do grant unto Margery Briggs, late relict of ye aforesaid John Guilliam and assignee of Mr. Henry Randolph and assign forever that piece, parcel and tract of land situated, lying or being in Bristol Parish in ye county of Charles Citty on ye southside of Appomattox river as in contained herein ye bounds in ye before mentioned patent granted ye said Henry Randolph." It may be that Henry Randolph's gift to Margery Gilliam Briggs of the 244 acres, previously owned by her late husband and William Randolph's sale of 591 acres to Margery's son-in-law, William Bevin were simply transactions common among neighbors and friends. However, it still seems likely that there was some family connection between Elizabeth Gilliam and the Randolph family. It may well be that the con-nection will be found when we learn more about Elizabeth Gilliam's first husband who was a West. It may be no coincidence that the parents of the elder Henry Randolph (1623-1673) were William Randolph (1572-1660) and his second wife, Dorothy Lane, who when she married William, was the widow of Thomas West.

Francis Maybury married Elizabeth Gilliam sometime in the late summer or early fall of 1685 in Henrico County. This is documented by a court record, "Whereas Wm. Bevin late of this county of Henrico in Virginia, dec'd, did by his last will and test. make and app't Eliz., his wife his whole and sole Exr., who has since married unto Francis Maybury…". The same record goes on to name Francis Maybury the new executor, "as marrying ye relict (widow) of Will. Bevin, dec.".

It may be that after their marriage, he and Elizabeth continued to live on the Swift Creek land that Elizabeth inherited from William Bevin. In 1692 Francis Maybury received his own headright grant of land on Swift Creek, adjoining Henry Randolph, Sam'l Newman, & Wm. Pride. This land was sold a few years later to Ralph Jackson. The seven children of Francis and Elizabeth Maybury were born in Henrico or Charles City County. Then, sometime around 1700, the family moved to nearby Surry County where Francis is shown on the 1704 Rent Roll with 347 acres.

Will of Elizabeth Maybury

Will of Elizabeth Maybury 6 June 1713

In the name of God, Amen: I Elizabeth Maybury, widow and relict of Francis Maybury, late of Surry County. deceased, being weak of body but of sound mind and memory, do make this my last Will and Testament in manner following, that is to say: Item First I bequeath my soul to God that gave it me, believing remission of sins and everlasting life by the merritts death and passion of Jesus Christ, my Lord and only Saviour. Item I give and bequeath to my son Charles Maybury my Indian slave named Robin to him and his heirs forever, also one featherbed and furniture, curtaines and vallance excepted, as also my riding horse named Paul and one well fixtt gunn. Item I give and bequeath to my son Hinshaw Maybury, my Indian slave named Jack to him and his heirs forever, also the featherbed and furniture as to my son Charles, as also one gray mare about a year old and now running with my old mare, and one well fixt gunn. Item I give to my son George Maybury one featherbed and furniture as to my sons above men’d, also one young horse named Dearich, as also one long gunn now in my house, also to my said son three cows and the largest iron pott and hooks and racks that I have now in my house. Item I give to my daughter Judith one bed I commonly lye on. with all the furniture thereto belonging, one Indian girl called Nan now about five year, to serve my old mare, one iron kettle, one pr pott racks, also my pewter & three cows. Item I give and bequeath to my two sons, Charles and Hinshaw, to each of them three cows and my will is that all the rest of my cattle be equally divided by my two brothers, John and Hinshaw Gilliam, between my four children above mentioned, as also my sheep except five, which are to be first set apart for my son Francis Maybury [I] desire also may be divided amongst my four children above by my two bothers, John and Hinshaw, or the survivors of them. Item I give to my son Francis Maybury over and above the five sheep, all my carpenters. coopers, and joyners tools, and one long table and form and one silver dram cup. Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Eliz. Paine, widow, my largest gold ring. Item I give to my son Francis West my smallest gold ring. Item I give to my daughter Mary one Pr. of Womens … Item I give to my daughter Ann all my weaving tackle. Item I give and bequeath to my son John West one gold ring I formerly lent him and now in his possession. also one pound and a half of drest flax, also one cowbell without a clapper. All the rest of my estate of what nature or quality soever after my just debts and funeral expenses are first satisfied and paid, I give to be equally divided amongst my four children, Charles, Hinshaw, George and Judith, and the division to be made by my brothers, John and Hinshaw Gilliam, whom I leave as trustees to my two sons, Charles and Hinshaw Maybury, and I do appoint my two sons to be sole, Executors of this my Last Will and Testament. hereby revoking all other or former wills by me made. In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand and affixt my seal, this 6th day of June Anno 1713. My will is that all my wearing linnen be equally divided between my two daughters Judith and Ann. Elizabeth her “E” mark Maybury Sealed with a wafer. Signed, Sealed, and Published in the Presence of Henry Walthall, John Bolling, Susan Featherstone.

Elizabeth was dead by 15 February 1715/6 when her will was proved in open court and ordered recorded.

Sources

1. ↑ Henrico Co. Deeds & Wills 1677-92, pp. 112-113
2. ↑ Surry County, Virginia, Court Records, 1712-1718, Book VII, p64.
3. ↑ Surry County, VA Court Records 1712-1718 Book VII, p.68
4. ↑ Prince George County, Virginia, Wills and Deeds, 1713-1728, Benjamin B Weisiger, III, 1973, p476.

• The Mabry Family: Descendants of Francis Maybury and Elizabeth Gilliam of Surry County, Virginia by Donald E. Collins, Gateway Press, Baltimore, MD, 1997.
• Donald E. Colliins. The Mayburys. Otter Bay Books, Baltimore, MD, 2011