John Sanders of Nansemond County, Virginia (c 1610-aft 1681) usually has as wife Susanna Ravenett, daughter of William Ravenett of Warwick County, Virginia. This stems from a suggestion put forth by John B. Boddie in Volume 6 of his Historical Southern Families. Researchers have taken this as proof, but Boddie only says "he may have been the John Sanders who ... patented 1650 acres in Nansemond... part of it lay in Isle of Wight...."
I beg to disagree with this suggestion. No marriage records exist for John Sanders in Warwick, Isle of Wight, or Nansemond Counties. Later deeds recorded in Isle of Wight or Nansemond trace the transfer of John's share (550 acres) of this 1681 patent to three of his sons and two grandsons. At least two of those sons are named as children of Phoebe (Unknown) Sanders Curle, an alternate wife of John Sanders of Nansemond. After John's death she married William Curle/Kirl of Nansemond and lived until at least 1706.
I have written a rather long dissertation to prove Phoebe was John's wife, not Susanna. I feel it is too long to put here and cites several sources so I have added it to his profile page. I would very much appreciate a review of this writing and welcome any comments or suggestions.
