Margaret (Unknown) West (abt. 1589 - bef. 1628)

Born about 1589 in England [uncertain]

Wife of Edward Blaney — married before 9 May 1625 (to about 1626) in Colony of Virginia

Wife of Francis West Esq. — married before 6 Feb 1626 in Colony of Virginia

Died before Mar 1628 before about age 39 in Colony of Virginia

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Biography

Richardson states that Margaret _______ was married twice: first to Edward Blayney and second to Francis West. She was a widow when she married Francis West before 6 February 1625/6. Francis West remarried 31 March 1628.^[1] Some believe her LNAB to be Stitts but no proof exists for this.

Virginia Immigrants and Adventurers says she married first to Capt. William Powell, second to Edward Blaney and third to Francis West and died in 1628. No info on LNAB/DOB. ^[2]

Research Notes

Margaret Stitts was born ca. 1588/89 (although other references show ca. 1570 or 1 July 1590) in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England or possibly in St Olave Parish, Surrey, England. She died ca. 1628 (although other references show before 1627, or 1612) in Virginia, British America.^{[citation needed]}

• Dorman, J.F: Adventurers of Purse and Person, 4th edn, Vol. 3 R-Z (2007), pp. 486-508 West, pp. 861-865 Yeardley. (Cited by Richardson; not seen)

• ^{[citation needed]} for death of Capt. William Powell. Said (?by John Smith?) to have been killed in a revenge raid on the Chickahominy Indians, but Collins differs.^[3]

• Calendar of State Papers, Colonial, ed. Sainsbury, Vol. 1, p. 81, July 1626. Estate of Capt. Nathaniel Powell in the hands of Blayney, who married William Powell's widow. (Blayney was dead by then, but evidently that news hadn't reached England)

• Records of the Virginia Company of London, ed. Kingsbury, Vol. 4, p. 111, 1623 April 11th. Blayney's marriage is reported.

• Minutes of the Council and General Court, 1625 May 9th, p. 58. Mrs Blayney apparently accused of slandering Dr Pott, concerning an incident when she was married to Capt. Powell.

• Minutes of the Council and General Court, 1625 June 13th and 17th, p. 65 and 66. Blayney claims land occupied by Capt Mathews, on behalf of Capt. Wm. Powell's children. Mathews says he had Mrs. Blayney's permission, but she denies this.

• ^{[citation needed]} for last known appearance of Blayney. After June 17th 1625 there's no further mention of Blayney in the Court minutes, until after his death. McCartney says he was named to the Council in January 1626.

• Minutes of the Council and General Court, 1625/6 Feb 6th, p. 93. Administration of Blayney's estate by his widow Margaret West.

• ^{[citation needed]} for Francis West's marriage to Lady Yeardley, which is the only info on when Margaret died.

• Nugent, Nell M: Cavaliers and Pioneers (Abstracts), p. 165, Col. Henry Bishop. Names George Powell (now deceased) as one of the children of Capt. William Powell, and therefore very possibly of Margaret.

• The 1623/4 and 1624/5 censuses both list Blayney, but not accompanied by any wife or stepchildren. Perhaps she'd gone to England taking Powell's children with her.

• https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.2.1/3MLH-6R5

Sources

1. ↑ Royal Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families vol V, page 356 WEST 15.iv., Francis West, Esq.
2. ↑ McCartney, Martha W: Virginia Immigrants and Adventurers, p. 140. Also p. 576, William Powell; p. 139, Edward Blayney; p. 731, Francis West.
3. ↑ "Doug Collins's research", often cited on the internet, is in a 2007 GenForum posting. Some key sources haven't been found, while others may have been misinterpreted.

• Richardson, Royal Ancestry (2013) Douglas Richardson, Royal Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 5 vols., ed. Kimball G. Everingham, (Salt Lake City, Utah: the author, 2013), volume V, page 356iv, Francis West.