Rebecca (New) Christian (abt. 1680 - bef. 1743)

Born about 1680 in Charles City County, Colony of Virginia

Ancestors

Wife of Thomas Christian II — married about 1700 in Charles City, Colony of Virginia [uncertain]

Descendants

Died before Apr 1743 before about age 63 in Goochland, Colony of Virginia

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Brett Martin [send private message], Ann Spiess [send private message], and Bob Carson [send private message]

Biography

Rebecca (New) Christian was probably born about 1680 in Charles City County, Virginia to Edmund and Mary New. She married Thomas Christian, likely in Charles City County, Virginia. Their children were mentioned in his will:

1. Thomas Christian of Charles City County
2. James Christian (d. 1759)
3. Robert Christian (1708-1749)
4. William Christian (d. 1776)
5. Ann Mourning Christian (1710-1766)
6. Rebecca Christian
7. Mary Christian
8. Constance (alias "Constant") Christian (d. 1769)

Proposed son alternately proposed as daughter Rebecca's husband:

1. Thomas Christian, III (1700-1743)

Excerpt from will of EDMUND NEW ~ ca. 1655- 1727 document in the "Family of New" Book, copyright(c)1981 by Ann Wall Allgood, Janet New Huff

The inventory of Edmund New, dated 1 February 1726, was recorded 5 June 1727. A copy of this inventory follows the copy of the two wills. The children of Edmund and Mary New were: Prissilla New, Edmund New, Jr., Edward (Edmund) New, married Sarah Bland, William New, Mary New, married Prior/Prire, Rebecca New, married Thomas Christian, Sarah New, married John Tuley/Tully, Elizabeth New, married ____Patterson, Ann New, Henry New.^[1]

In 1726, she and Thomas deeded land to James Christian which had belonged to her father, Edmund New Sr.

• 16 Aug 1728, rec 4 Sep 1728, Thomas & Rebecca Christian of Henrico County, Virginia to James Christian of Charles City County, £15, 100 acres in Westover Parish bound by Potato Run, Stith, Thomas Christian Jr., Edmund New Jr., being land formerly belonging to Edmund New Sr.
  witnesses: John New, William Sledd, Edmund New, James Christian Jr.^[2]

Rebecca's first husband Thomas Christian's will was proved in Goochland County on March 17, 1737.^[3]

The following deed concerns land Thomas left to their son James in which Rebecca had a life interest:

• 30 Apr 1743, James Christian and wife Susannah to Robert Woodson: all of St. James Parish, Goochland County, £100, 200 acres more or less on north side of James River, where Thomas Christian dec'd formerly dwelt, Beaverdam Creek, bound by Samuel Coleman, Robert Christian, Ebenezer Adams, James Christian of Charles City County, Thomas Christian dec'd
  witnesses: Robert Christian, Edward McBride, Aaron Williams
  17 May 1743 Court, ordered recorded, Test. Hen. Wood Clk.
  19 Jun 1750 Court, Susanna wife of James Christian relinquished dower right, Test. Val. Wood Depy Clk.^[4]

This implies that Rebecca was deceased by April 1743, since she isn't mentioned.

Research Notes

Another Thomas Christian also had a wife named Rebecca, which has led to some confusion in various published genealogies.^[5] Theories include the possibility that her daughter Rebecca was this other Thomas Christian's wife, since her two unmarried sisters received bequests from their father after they were to marry, while Rebecca received ewes like her married sister Mrs. Ann Mourning Coleman.^[6] Also, the 250 acres given in the 1737 will to the son named Thomas didn't seem to be in Goochland. It's been suggested that he inherited that land and remained in Charles City County (on 30 Jan 1726, Thomas Christian Jr. sold 115 acres in Westover Parish, Charles City County to James Christian and Elizabeth relinquishes dower right - Thomas Jr. bought the 115 acres on 19 Jan 1726 from Thomas Christian next to land the younger Thomas already owned - no further evidence of Elizabeth as the younger Thomas' wife).

Thomas Christian patented land adjacent to a Drury Stith in Charles City County,^[7] and this has lead some researchers to conclude the use of the name "Drury" was because he might have been Thomas Christian's father-in-law. However, there is no evidence Drury Stith had a daughter named "Rebecca".

daughter Constance

Several researchers claim Jacob Oglesby married Constance Perkins, daughter of Nicholas Perkins by Sarah Childress, but this is incorrect as Nicholas never had a daughter name Constance. However, a Constance Christian did married Jacob Oglesby. See Edith Attkisson Rudder's "My Fathers, Family," 1947 p. 29.

I believe Edith Attkisson Rudder's book, "My Fathers Family," on the Perkins family is the most reliable source available on the Perkins family. She gleans her records using both primary and secondary sources. The Virginia Genealogist is a book that is known to have numerous mistakes recorded within its pages and I would haphazard a guess many researchers use that source as documentation without checking the actual records being researched for accuracy.

One of the misconceptions people have is the maiden name of Constance who married Jacob Oglesby. Several people claim she was the daughter of Nicholas Perkins by Sarah Childress. There is absolutely no proof that this is the case. Mrs. Rudder clears this up in her book on page 29 when she records eight children born to Nicholas Jr and Sarah, Constance not being one of them. The youngest child was Constantine born 1682 in Henrico County, Virginia. His parents never lived in Goochland County where Constance was born in 1709 27 years after Constantine was born. It is possible people confused Constance with Constantine.

Further research shows several people submitting their records on Ancestry.com where this rumor probably began. Clearly no one ever submitted documents proving Constance was the daughter of Nicholas and Sarah Perkins. I suspect many of the researchers just copied and pasted what others have submitted. They were relying on hearsay. The eight children of Nicholas Jr and Sarah (Childress) Perkins after they were married in 1670 are not in order of their birth. Philemon, 1680-1709 married Elizabeth surname not known. Nicholas, died 1709, Richard, Sarah, Abram, Elizabeth, Mary and Constantine, 1682-1769 married Ann Pollard.

Abstracts of Goochland County Wills 1736 to 1742: Provides evidence for wife and children for Thomas Christian. Daughter Constant Christian is believed to be the Constance that married Jacob Oglesby. Thomas Christian held land adjoining Richard Oglesby's land patent from 1730 (see Richard Oglesby's record. born 1688). Richard is the father of Jacob Oglesby. Furthermore, Constance's brother-in-law Samuel Coleman died in 1748. Jacob was named as executor of his will along with Samuel's wife (and Constance's sister) Ann.

She passed away after 1700.

Sources

1. ↑ Colonial Wills of Henrico County, Virginia Part One 1677-1737, Benjamin B. Weisiger, III, comp., Iberian Publishing, Athens, GA, 1996, p. 154, 160-161 (1725-1737 Book, pp. 50, 107, 113) father's will
2. ↑ Charles City County Virginia Wills & Deeds 1725-1731, Benjamin B. Weisiger comp., Iberian Publishing, Athens, GA, 1994, pp. 23 (1725-1731 Book, p. 207)
3. ↑ Goochland County, Virginia Wills & Deeds 1736-1742, Benjamin B. Weisiger, comp., Iberian Publishing, Athens, GA, 1997, p. 4 (WB1:32) husband's will
4. ↑ Deed books (with wills, inventories, etc.), 1728-1901, Virginia. County Court (Goochland County), Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 1948 (DB4:160-161) film 31654 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9P6-9SRY?i=99&cat=406600
5. ↑ Goochland County Virginia Wills 1742-1749, Benjamin B. Weisiger, III, comp., Iberian Publishing, Athens, GA, 1995, pp. 6-7 (DB4:316-8) other Thomas Christian's will
6. ↑ Deed books (with wills, inventories, etc.), 1728-1901, Virginia. County Court (Goochland County), Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 1948 (DB3:32) film 31654 "Will of Thomas Christian" https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99P6-9Q7Q?i=459&cat=406600
7. ↑ Virginia Land Office Patents No. 10, 1710-1719, p. 211 (Reel 10). https://lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007360350205756

• Ann Wall Allgood, Janet NEW Huff, The Family of NEW (Natchez, Mississippi 39120, , 1981), Los Angeles Main Public Library, Los Angeles, California, John NEW, page 1-16, plus misc pages.
• "Pedigree Resource File," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:2:3MLH-P2Q : accessed 13 April 2018), entry for Rebecca /New/; file (2:2:2:MM4X-8RH), submitted 30 March 2012.

Acknowledlgements

• WikiTree profile New-235 through the import of Delong gedcom.ged by Sandy Minder for creating on Apr 27, 2013.
• WikiTree profile New-105 created through the import of 2010-09-14.ged on Jul 28, 2011 by Bob Carson
• Greenwood Genealogies; Genforum