Goodrich Lightfoot (abt. 1685 - 1738)

Born about 1685 in New Kent County, Virginia

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Chew) Lightfoot — married 9 Jun 1709 in Orange, Virginia

Descendants

Died Jul 1738 at about age 53 in Orange County, Virginia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Dale Gorham [send private message]

Biography

Goodrich Lightfoot was born in 1685 in New Kent County Virginia. Goodrich was the son of John Lightfoot and Ann Goodrich.

Goodrich Lightfoot married Mary Chew in New Kent County, Virginia on 9 June 1709, Virginia. [Citation needed]

Baker-53780 Obituary - "Williamsburg,newspaper - issue of July 14, 1738 -
We hear from Orange County that Col. Goodrich Lightfoot died lately at his house in that County. He went to the Courthouse in good health, was taken ill there, carried home that evening, and not withstanding all possible care of him, he died the next morning."

Goodrich and Mary Chew Lightfoot were the parents of the following children whose births and baptisim are recorded in the St. Peters Parish Register in New Kent County, Virginia: Anne Lightfoot born 22 September 1708 ; John Lightfoot born 7 February 1711; Goodrich Lightfoot Baptised 14 February 1713.^[1] The birth of the following children of Goodrich and Mary Chew Lightfoot are not found in the St. Peters Parish Register in New Kent County, Virginia: Mary Lightfoot; William (Maj.) Lightfoot; and Elizabeth Lightfoot.

Goodrich served as a vestryman of St. George's Parish in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, 1727.^[2]

Goodrich was a lay reader at Germanna Church.^[2]

By 1724 he had moved to Spotsylvania Co where he witnessed the will of John Roberts. [citation needed]
Goodrich was a member of the first vestry of St. Mark's Parish, Spotsylvania County, Virginia.^[2] (St. Mark's Parish formed the new county of Orange when it was created)

Goodrich was involved in a number of land transactions in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. The following abstracts of deeds have been found: Deed Book A 1722-1729: May 7, 1729 Henry Willis of King and Queen Co. Gent., to Goodrich Lightfoot of Spotsylvania Co. 60 pound sterling, 200 acres of land in Spotsylvania Co. on South side of the South West Mountains. Witnesses Wm. Johnson, Ambr Grayson, Wm Hockney

Deed Book B 1729-1734: April 4, 1732 Goodrich Lightfoot of Spotsylvania Co., Gent. to John Lightfoot of same county, Gent. 100 pound sterling, 300 acres in Spotsylvania Co. Witnesses Thos. Chew, Wm Bledsoe.

Deed Book B 1729-1734: 3 April, 1733 Goodrich Lightfoot of St. Mark's Parish Spotsylvania Co., to Charles Morgan of same parish and county 12 pound currency 86 acres in St. Mark's Parish Spotsylvania Co. Witnesses R. Progens, Elisha Perkins. June 5, 1733 MARY, WIFE OF GOODRICH LIGHTFOOT, acknowledged her dower.

Deed Book B 1729-1734: March 2, 1733 Goodrich Lightfoot of St. Mark's Parish, Spotsylvania Co., to Richard Wright of same parish and county, 4 pound currency 50 acres in St. Mark's Parish Spotsylvania Co. part of a tract granted said Lightfoot by Patent June 26, 1731. Witnesses Jane Teele, Anthony Sculthorpe, Wm Russell.^[3]

Goodrich's name appears in the list of Sheriffs of Spotsylvania County, Virginia Will Book A 1722-1749, pages 32 and 48, Commissioned in 25 April 1726, and 1 April 1727.^[4]

1731-1734 - He was elected Vestryman of St. Mark's Parish in January of 1731. Orange County, Virginia was created in 1734, which included St. Mark's Parish [Citation needed]

Goodrich lived in Spotsylvania County, Virginia at a time when the Virginia House of Burgesses adopted an Act for Dividing Spotsylvania to create Orange County, Virginia. Orange County, Virginia was created in August 1734.^[5] The division of Spotsylvania County to create Orange County is the reason Goodrich is shown living in Orange County, Virginia at the time of his death.

Goodrich passed away in 1738 in Orange County, Virginia. The following notice was published on page 4 of the Virginia Gazette: "Williamsburg, July 14 We hear from Orange County, That Col. Goodrich Lightfoot died lately at his House in that County. He went to the Court house in good health, was taken ill there, Carried home that evening, and notwithstanding all possible care of him, he died the next morning."^[6]

Goodrich Lightfoot died intestate: Orange County, Virginia - Will Bk 1 p 79-80
22 Mar 1738/9 - Bond of Goodrich Lightfoot admr. Bondsman: Philemon Cavenaugh & John Christopher
Bk 1 p 94-96 - Inventory recorded 24 May 1739
Bk 1 , pg 116 - additional inventory recorded 28 Feb 1739/40
Bk 1, pg 152 - additional inventory recorded 29 May 1741
Bk 2, 31-32 - 22 Nov 1744 - Bond of Edward Spencer as guardian to William Lightfoot, orphan of Goodrich, Bondsman: Henry Downs.

The 1st four children were born in St. Peter's Parish, New Kent -
Anne Daughter of Mr: Goodrich Lightfoot Born 7br ye 22 1708
John son of Mr: Goodrich Lightfoot Born ffebry: ye 7th 1711/12
Goodrich Son of Mr: Goodrich. Lightfoot Baptised ffeb: 14th: 171[ ]
Mary Daughter of Mr G: Lightfoot Born 8br ye. 2nd. 1717

Daughter Elizabeth Lightfoot & Son William Lightfoot were born after the move to Spotsylvania.

Research Notes

Footnote to Tyler's article that names Col. Goodrich Lightfoot (d 1738) as father of John Lightfoot (with 1735 will): "Dr. A. G. Grinnan writes that there is only one Lightfoot will on record, viz: that of John Lightfoot, probated 17 June 1735. Gives negroes and land to his brother William, sisters Mary and Elizabeth, father Col. Goodrich Lightfoot, Sr. and to Mrs. Martha Chew; his father sole executor. Witnesses, Thomas Chew, John Howard, and Isaac Smith. 'Mrs. Martha Chew,' adds the Doctor, 'was Martha Taylor, sister of Erasmus and George Taylor, wife of Thomass Chew, magistrate, vestryman, etc., of Orange, in 1734, and after. It is a mystery to me (A.G.G.) that he should leave property to Mrs. Chew. I know the Taylor connection, and there was no relationship to the Lightfoots.'" ^[2]

John Frederick Dorman, a descendant and genealogist, publisher for 50 years of the Virginia Genealogist, a magazine. Proved the wife of Goodrich Lightfoot, named Mary was NOT a Chew. Please research Dorman's extensive research. The marriage date.

Sources

1. ↑ pages 21 & 22 in The Parish Register of Saint Peters New Kent County, Virginia 1680-1787 published by The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in The State of Virginia, Parish Record Series, No. 2, Richmond, VA 1904.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} Lyon G. Tyler, "Lightfoot Family," The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 2, No. 3 (Jan., 1894), pp. 204-207. (Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture; DOI: 10.2307/1915320). Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1915320 (page 205)
3. ↑ The above abstracts found at: pages:106, 122, 126 & 129, Spotsylvania County Records 1721 - 1800 Edited by William Armstrong Crozier Southern Book Co., 1955.
4. ↑ page 512, Spotsylvania County Records 1721 - 1800 Edited by William Armstrong Crozier Southern Book Co., 1955.
5. ↑ Wikipedia, Orange County, Virginia. On-line at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_County,_Virginia
6. ↑ The Virginia Gazette, Williamsburg, Virginia, page 4. on-line at: https://www.newspapers.com/image/40444354/

Source: S-2051525074 Repository: #R-2139932814 Title: Family Data Collection - Deaths Author: Edmund West, comp. Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2001. Note: APID: 1,5771::0

Repository: R-2139932814 Name: Ancestry.com Address: http://www.Ancestry.com Note:

Source: S-2051529288 Repository: #R-2139932814 Title: American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI) Author: Godfrey Memorial Library, comp. Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999.Original data - Godfrey Memorial Library. American Genealogical-Biographical Index. Middletown, CT, USA: Godfrey Memorial Library.Original data: Godfrey Memorial Library. American Genea Note: APID: 1,3599::0

Source: S-2067278831 Repository: #R-2139932814 Title: U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 Author: Yates Publishing Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.Original data - This unique collection of records was extracted from a variety of sources including family group sheets and electronic databases. Originally, the information was derived Note: APID: 1,7836::0

Source: S-2067278839 Repository: #R-2139932814 Title: Family Data Collection - Individual Records Author: Edmund West, comp. Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000. Note: APID: 1,4725::0

Source: S-2067278841 Repository: #R-2139932814 Title: Virginia Census, 1607-1890 Author: Jackson, Ron V., Accelerated Indexing Systems, comp. Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999.Original data - Compiled and digitized by Mr. Jackson and AIS from microfilmed schedules of the U.S. Federal Decennial Census, territorial/state censuses, and/or census substitutes.Orig Note: APID: 1,3578::0

Source: S-2067278842 Repository: #R-2139932814 Title: Family Data Collection - Births Author: Edmund West, comp. Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2001. Note: APID: 1,5769::0

Source: S-2067278845 Repository: #R-2139932814 Title: Virginia Land, Marriage, and Probate Records, 1639-1850 Author: Ancestry.com Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.Original data - Chalkley, Lyman. Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish Settlement in Virginia, 1745-1800. Extracted from the Original Court Records of Augusta County. Baltimore: Genealogical P Note: APID: 1,7832::0

Acknowledgements

• WikiTree profile Lightfoot-199 created through the import of Gorham Family Tree.ged on Jan 27, 2012 by Dale Gorham. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Dale and others.