Elizabeth Grinstead (abt. 1782)

Born about 1782 in Henrico, Virginia

Ancestors

Wife of Isaac Phillips — married 12 Dec 1807 in Henrico, Virginia, United States

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Biography

Isaac Phillips married Elizabeth Grinstead December 12, 1807 in Henrico Co., Virginia.^[1] She presumably died between 1850 and 1860.

THE WILLIAM GRINSTEAD FAMILY IN AMERICA (Gorrell Shumaker and John L. N. Grinstead, April 1974):

pg 12: "Elizabeth Grinstead married Isaac Phillips 12-12-1807."
pg 147: "Elizabeth was born in Henrico Co., VA. She and Isaac were married in Henrico County. It is said that they came to Kentucky."

COMMENT:

WGFA believes that this Elizabeth is a daughter of John Grinstead (1718-1791). According to his will written in 1791 John Grinstead did have a daughter Elizabeth.

The marriage records of Henrico County do indicate that Elizabeth Grinstead married Isaac Phillips December 12, 1807. The 1810 census indicates that Elizabeth, the wife of Isaac Philips, was born no earlier than 1785. Her age in 1830 indicates that she was born between 1780 and 1790. In 1850 she is 68, indicating that she was born in 1782. All of the other children of John Grinstead (1718-1791) were born before 1765 based on later censuses. Thus there is a gap of at least 17 years between their births and that of Elizabeth. In 1782 her father would have been 64. John was born about 1756; Richard was born before 1755. If the oldest child had been born in 1754, the mother would have borne children over a period of 28 years. That is very unlikely. The father's age and the 17-year (or longer) gap are also improbable. There is nothing in the 1791 will to indicate that Elizabeth was a minor. Hence it is highly probable that the Elizabeth Grinstead who married Isaac Phillips is a different person from John's daughter Elizabeth.

John's sons Richard and Jesse are old enough to be the father of Elizabeth. Richard has another daughter named Betsey, a common nickname for Elizabeth, so it is reasonable to choose Jesse as the most plausible father for Elizabeth. Jesse left Virginia for Kentucky several months before Elizabeth married in December 1807, but she could have remained in Virginia with one of her uncles.

We have no evidence about when John's daughter Elizabeth was born or what happened to her.

Sources

1. ↑ Virginia, Compiled Marriages, 1740-1850 at ancestry.com

Acknowledgement

• This person was created through the import of mostrecentforgramps.ged on 13 September 2010.