George Alvis (bef. 1650 - bef. 1733)

Husband of Alice (Unknown) Alvis — married 1679 in New Kent Co VA [uncertain]

Husband of Mary (Unknown) Alvis — married about 1713 in Hanover Co., Virginia

Descendants

Died before 1733 at about age 83 in Hanover County, Colony of Virginia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: L Gaff [send private message]

Biography

This profile is part of the Alvis Name Study.

Mistaken Identity

It has been claimed that George Alves was the same man listed in the International Genealogical Index as follows: George Alves, male, christened 8 Jan 1660, Alves, Moray, Scotland, son of Alexander Alves. This identification is suspect for at least two reasons: it would require George to have been widowed and remarried by the age of 22 to a woman aged at least 40 (her first known son was born in 1661), with a daughter from his first marriage who was herself married by 1688, and it would also require a conversion to the Church of England.

Religion

Religion: Vestryman, St Paul's Parish, Hanover Co VA

Research Notes

Review Possible Sources

Alvis Exchange, issue 49, page 1:

"Susannah Ellitte/Susan Ellitt, George Alvis's Daughter?"

This message to the Genforum website raises some interesting questions:

Posted by Brenda Meyer, 9 Oct 1999, http://genforum.genealogy.com

Susan Alvis of New Kent Hanover Co VA married John Ellitt of Hanover Co. She is the daughter of George Alvis. Susan and John had a daughter Elizabeth that married Samuel McGehee. Does anyone have the family chart of George? His wife's name? Late 1600 dates.

On 15 Oct 1999, Brenda posted the following additional message:

My information comes from the McGehee family. Have not proven any of these but here is what I have. Elizabeth Ellitt b 1714 married Samuel McGehee in 1728. Elizabeth's parents are John Ellitt and Susan Alvis. Susan's father is George Alvis married after 1678 to Alice Harris.

We have had record of a land transaction involving Susannah Ellitte since starting The Alvis Exchange (see issue 6-3 and 11-5), but never made the logical connection that the obvious reason George Alves would deed land to a married woman was that he was her father. Ellitt family researchers have made this deduction, but apparently have no proof.

How old was Susan (Alvis) Ellitte? She was married by 1688, so must have been born by at least 1670. She died by 1735.

This new data brings the figure of our immigrant ancestor into a clearer light. Was a headright filed for Susan Ellitt? This would establish whether she was born in England or America and give a clue to George's arrival date (The Alvis Exchange, 11-5).

Brenda states that George married his second wife, Alice (--) Harris, after 1678, the date we have for the death of Alice's first husband. We can put forth this time line for George:

say 1640-1650 birth

likely first trip to America

say 1665-70 first marriage, birth of daughter

1679-82 second marriage

1711-12 trip to Great Britain, return to America

ca 1713-14 third marriage, birth of son

1734 death

Were there other children from his first marriage or any at all from his second? The vestry records of St Paul's Parish are key to establishing the identity of George Alves (The Alvis Exchange, 5-3). Nowhere is there an indication of a "George Jr." For several decades, one man is present and active in church affairs. He made a trip to Great Britain and left one minor son, David, at his death. He did not bring children from England with him in 1712 since the records are clear: "George Alves and three servants" (AX, 11-7).

This evidence also gives added weight to the theory that George's third wife was Mary Crenshaw. If the minor child, David Alves, had a much older half-sister and married nieces, why would a member of the Crenshaw family be chosen as his guardian, unless that man was an even closer relative? At the death of David Crenshaw, Edward Harris, a step-brother, became David's guardian (AX, 6-2). There are, of course, other possible answers, such as the fact that Susan was a woman who had died and left only daughters.

Alvis Exchange, issue 5, page 3:

The name Alvis appears 114 times in the index of the Vestry Book of St Paul's Parish, Hanover Co VA. Twice the reference is to David and otherwise to George Alvis. What follows is first a summary of those entries and then some conclusions based on these church records.

Most of the occasions when George Alvis's name occurs in the records are vestry meetings. Since he served as vestryman, his presence is noted along with eight or ten other men each meeting. The meetings do not appear to be regular, for instance, once a month or once a quarter, but rather at random. The book's records begin Jan 22 1705/6 and go beyond the mid-1730s. George was a vestryman during all this time, with the exception of a trip to "Great Brittain" in 1711, until his death. The last record of his attendance was [month missing from the entry, but it was after May 4] 19 1734. The next entry was Nov 18 1735.

The entry for Sep 3 1711 reads, "In obedience to an order of Vestry made at the upper church, ye 3d day of April, last past, Mr John Glenn Appeard before this Vestry, and Satisfied them that he would not be Sworn a Vestry man in Lieu of Mr George Alvis, who is gone to Great Brittain, till it be known whether the said Alvis did return to this Parish; or serve as a Vestry man when there; but if the said Alvis do refuse to Serve, that then its Concluded on by this Vestry, that Mr John Glenn Shall be Sworn."

The last time George Alvis was present prior to this trip was Apr 14 1707, and he was again present Aug 8 1712 and constantly after that.

He was elected Church Warden, which was apparently something like the church treasurer, on Apr 7 1713, again on Mar 29 1714 and some years later in 1728. Each time he submitted accounts, including his own expenses: 450 twice in 1713, 1007 in 1714, and 3255 in 1728. In 1723 he was paid 90 C. [it's unknown what the units of currency involved were.] On May 28 1715 he produced his accounting for 1713 and was ordered to produce the account for 1714.

On Apr 16 1723 he was assigned to inspect a chapel. At various times he was an overseer of the precinct, which I take to refer more to land and tithing records than to anything spiritual. His lands are mentioned after his death, both on Feb 9 1735 and Sep 1 1739, in what are called processioning orders. In 1735 David Alvis is mentioned as present at this meeting.

David Alvis is not mentioned in the records until after the death of George. He is listed as a tithable at the first meeting after George's death.

Conclusions I feel we can make are:

1. The same George Alvis was present in this parish from 1705 until his death, although he did make one trip to Great Britain. The "United Kingdom of Great Britain" was very new at the time, having been officially formed in 1707. Previously I believe he would have said "England" or "Scotland."

2. George was Episcopalian, not Presbyterian, therefore more likely English than Scottish.

3. George was responsible and respected. The Vestry preferred to wait for his possible return rather than name a successor.

4. David took his place after his death, but does not appear to have been elected to succeed him. This David was most likely his son.

5. Typical of the time, the name appears both as Alvis and Alves. George himself used both spellings. Alves appears most often in the 1720s, Alvis both before and after that decade.

Alvis Exchange, issue 11, pages 4-7: "SUMMARY OF WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT GEORGE ALVIS (I) AND WHAT WE WISH WE KNEW"

When did he come to America?

Where did he come from?

When was he born?

Who were his parents?

Did he marry twice?

Who were his children?

When he traveled to Great Britain in 1711, did he return to America via Boston?

How many George Alvises lived in Virginia before 1734?

That's the easy part: what we wish we knew. Now comes a summary of what records we have. Thanks to Pam (Alvis) Black who sent me most of this data in 1987, the results of many hours in the Dallas Library. Others have sent me copies of parts of this, which is what made me realize we need to combine our efforts on this early data and look for new information, not duplicate what others have done.

I will list what records I have according to the type of record and chronologically from the first date in each type. I will copy out as much as possible and list what has already appeared in The Alvis Exchange with notes so you can look up that data.

Page 19 of an unidentified book, possibly Henrico Co VA records, gives the following mention of George Alves, the earliest known reference to his being in America:

"George m. bef. 1682, Alice (--) Harris, wid. of Maj. William. Henrico Orphans' Court, 1 Feb 1682."

Various articles on the Harris family refer to George Alves. (In my opinion, the difference in spelling the name is irrelevant. The spelling Alves disappears at an early date from Virginia records. Also found are Aalves, Alues and other variants.) I will quote these articles:

"Three William Harrises in Hanover County," Malcolm Hart Harris in The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 22, p. 189: "William Harris, the patentee of this land on Cub Creek on 24 March 1725, had been closely associated with George Alves who had married the widow of Major William Harris of Henrico County. In the Vestry Book of St. Paul's Parish, William Harris and George Alves were closely associated in the processioning of land in the parish. Later, they owned land adjacent to Groundsquirrel on the South Anna River."

"Evidence of the Descent of William Harris," by William R. Taylor in The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 22, excerpt from pp. 262-263: "The association of George Alves with William Harris, son of Major William Harris, is long standing and more than casual. Alice, the widow of Maj. Harris, married George Alves soon after her husband died.* George Alves is found as principal or acting as witness in five Henrico County deeds involving the known sons of Maj. Harris, William and Edward.*

"This close relationship of George Alves with his stepsons continued in New Kent County where on 4 June 1714 William Harris had a patent 'over against George Alves on South Anna River.'* This alliance continued as proved by the processioning records of St. Paul's Parish. In 1708/9, 1711, 1716, 1731, 1735, 1739 and 1743 the lands of William Harris and George Alves were in the same precinct. In 1708/9 the two men were the overseers.** Since it is known that George Alves died about 1734, the 1739 and 1743 appearance of his name must indicate that there was still land held in his name or that he had a son named George. From the records the former is more likely. The processioning records for the period 1719 to 1739 are not complete but it seems very likely that the same situation would be found if they were.

"These same St. Paul's processioning records clearly show Capt. William Harris (who married Temperance Overton) and his son, William, Jr., in other precincts and with other neighbors, but not with George Alves. [Editor's note: I do not know who these William Harrises were. Maj. William Harris married Alice--, and his son William married Mary --. KP]

"One of the surviving Hanover deeds reinforces the evidence that William Harris and George Alves had land close together and also indicates the approximate date of the death of the latter. William Harris is a witness to this deed which refers to the 'boundary of George Alves, lately deceased.'*

"Thus George Alves and William Harris were in close association from the time Alves married William's mother until the former died about 1734."

Page 267 of this article shows that William Harris and George Alves were also associated with the Cawthon family. I will not copy this page, but note that George's probable grandson David was married on Aug 20 1768 to Mary Cauthon (see The Alvis Exchange, No. 8, page 1). This Virginia Genealogist article shows that Mary's parents were John Cawthon, as the name was more often spelled, and Agnes Harris, the granddaughter of William Harris, George Alves's stepson.

Adventurers of Purse and Person, Virginia, 1607-1624/5, revised and edited by Virginia M. Meyer and John Frederick Dorman, published by Order of First Families of Virginia, 1987, on pages 354-361 gives a current view of the entire Harris family back to Jamestown, ca. 1611. (If any of us could prove descent from David and Mary [Cauthon] Alvis, this would be our ancestry too.)

Maj. William Harris was born in Virginia ca 1629, died before Oct 7 1678, was married twice, his first wife unknown and his second wife Alice. The first wife had one son Thomas, who died soon after his father. Alice's known children were William, probably born in the early 1670s, died in Hanover Co VA between 1743 and 1749, Edward, who was living in 1719, and a daughter, Love Harris, who was mentioned in her half-brother Thomas's will.

The Journals of the House of Burgesses of Virginia, 1659/60-1693, p. 180: "10 November 1682, payment ordered to (in pounds of tobacco) Jno Epperson 1:100 Geo: Alues 1:200 paid for taking up a runaway."

We have a page from The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 10, describing Edward Pleasants Valentine Papers, which are available in many libraries, and lists families with more than five notices in the index. This list includes the name Alvis. I have three items:

First, a extract from page 1639: "Isaac Winston, deed from Martin Slaughter and Jane, his wife: Robert King and Susannah, his wife; and Samuel Macgehee and Elizabeth, his wife, 217 acres of land, being the land conveyed by George Alvis to Susannah Ellite, descended to her daughters the said Jane, Susannah and Elizabeth. Witnesses, John White, Jr., William Winston, Jr., Isaac Winston, Jr., and John Talley, July 16, 1735."

A separate notice of this deed which appeared in Hanover County Virginia Court Records 1733-1735 was copied in The Alvis Exchange, No. 6, page 3.

The other two references from the Valentine Papers which I have seen relate to later generations: David Alvis in 1746 (see The Alvis Exchange, No. 7, page 1) and the three sons of Mary Ann Alvis and Joseph Woodson (see The Alvis Exchange, No. 7, page 2).

Numerous references to George Alves in the Vestry Book of St. Paul's Parish, Hanover Co VA, were extracted along with the editor's conclusions in No. 5, page 3, of The Alvis Exchange. These references date from 1705/6 when the book's records begin to after his death in 1734.

Page 89 of the published edition of the Register of St. Peter's Parish, New Kent County, VA, has the following undated item, possibly from 1703:

"George Alves aploying him Selfe to this vestry for help to Cleere the roades in his precinct is ordered John Tyler Richard maidlen nicholas Gentrey Thomas Tinsley John Burley and all the Tithables from thence up the north side of Totopotomoys Creeke."

Page 425 has this notation for 1687: "Thom: Cook servant to Geo: Alvise deceased ye : 4th : of Desem:"

There are many published references to patents issued to George Alves, including the following from English Duplicates of Lost Virginia Records by Louis des Coquets, Jr.:

Page 67: "A List of Patents Signed in November 1700: New Kent County, Alvos, Geo, 767 acres." Page 74: "List of Patents Signed in April 1703: New Kent Co, Geo. Aalves, 1668 acres." Page 101: "4843 acres, New Kent Co, George Alves, 12-16-1714."

Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. 3, gives land granted for transporting immigrants. This was often done years after the actual sea voyage. Patent Book No. 8, p. 377: "GEORGE ALVES, 653 acs., New Kent County., in St. Peter's Par., 29 Apr. 1692, p. 234. Beg. at land, now or late, of William Bassett & James Astin; to Beaver Dam Sw; to land, now or late, of Charles Turner; & land, now or late, of Littlepage. Imp. of 14 pers.* [Asterisk not explained.]

Patent Book No. 9, p. 37: "GEORGE ALVES, 1014 acs., New Kent Co., in St. Peter's Par; on both sides of Totopotomoys Cr., 24 Apr. 1700, p. 268. Adj. Roger Thompson; Charles Turner & Thomas Wilkinson &c. Trans. of 21 pers" Among those listed were George Alves and Alice Alvis. This seems to indicate that while Alice's first husband was American born, she was not, and that no land had ever been claimed for her as an immigrant. George was able to claim that land. George was not American born.

Page 39 of the same book: "GEORGE ALVIS, 767 acs., New Kent Co., in St. Peter's Par; on N. side of Totopotomoys Cr; adj. Thomas Wilkinson; 7 Nov 1700, p. 284. Imp. of 16 pers"

Patent Book No. 10, p. 162-163: "GEORGE ALVES, 4843 acs. (N.L.), New Kent Co., in St. Paul's Par; beg. at Col. James Taylor at head of Meadow Br; to Taylor's Cr; to S. br. of Pamunky Riv., called the South River; 16 Dec. 1714, p. 212; Imp. of 97 pers"

Page 211 of the same book has a land grant dated Jul 11 1719 to John Aldredge for the importation of 10 persons, including a Harawell Alvis, about nothing else has turned up. Did he go back to England, die without children, or was he an ancestor we cannot trace? This land grant was also in New Kent Co VA, St. Paul's Parish, so he probably knew George and very likely was a relative.

Patent Book No. 11, p. 247: "GEORGE ALVES, of Hanover Co, 400 acs. (N.L.), at a place called Bear Garden: on Richard Harris' line; 5 Sept. 1723, p. 216. 40 Shill. Just below this Nicholas Meriwether received land described as near the "land of George Alves; on Alvis' Creek." There are many references to George Alves's land in these patents.

Patent Book No. 12, p. 277: "GEORGE ALVES, 385 acs. (N.L.), Hanover Co; on both sides of Elk ford Cr; adj. Nicholas & Richard Johnson's corner; 22 Feb 1724, p. 144. 40 Shill. P. 295: GEORGE ALVES, 400 acs. (N.L.), Hanover Co; on both sides of Beech Creek; 24 Mar. 1725, p. 351. 40 Shill. SAME, 400 acs. (N.L.), same Co., date, & page. On both sides Maidlin's Folly Creek. 40 Shill. "GEORGE ALVES, 400 acs. (N.L.), Hanover Co; on both sides of Beech Creek; 24 Mar. 1725, p. 352. 40 Shill."

Patent Book No. 14, p. 400: "GEORGE ALVES, 400 acs. (N.L.), Hanover Co; on both sides of Dirty Sw; 25 Aug 1731, p. 216. 40 Shill."

Another unidentified book of early deeds has the following occurences of either George or Alice Alves. One of these gives us the last known date when Alice was living.

Page 84: p. 505 31 July 1694 William Harris, son of Maj. William Harris, dec'd, now of St. Peter's Parish, New Kent Co., carpenter, to Sarah Knibb, widow, of County & Parish of Henrico., for £52/10, land

Wit: George Alves, All. Clerke Signed: William Harris Recorded 1 Aug 1694

Mary Harris, wife of William Harris, appoints Allanson Clerke her attorney to relinquish her dower rights in above land. 28 July 1694

Wit: George Alves, Alice (A) Alves Signed: Mary (M) Harris Recorded 1 Aug. 1694

Page 95: George Alves witnessed the deed when Edward Harris, son of Maj. William Harris, sold land on Aug 20 1696. There is a reference to p. 648 of what were possibly the New Kent County Records.

Pages 110-111 have several notices: "p. 173 George Alvis of New Kent Co., planter, for £18, to Timothy Allen of Henrico Co., planter, tract on south side of James River called 'The Ware,' bounded by Hon. Wm Byrd, Mr. Robert Hancocke, Edward Skerm and Ashen Swamp, which I bought of Edward Harris and Mary his wife, 27 Sept. 1698. 1 Apr 1700

Wit: Stephen Cocke, Matthew Raysons Signed: George Alvis Recorded 1 May 1700

Benjamin Hatcher, attorney for Alice Alvis, wife of George, relinquished her dower right."

"p. 174 George Alves of New Kent Co., planter, for £18, to William Hatcher of Neck of Land, Henrico Co., planter, 183 acres on south side of James River, being 1/2 the land I purchased of Edward Harris of New Kent Co. and Mary his wife, known as 'The Ware,' adjoining Richard Womack and Peter Ashbrook and Timothy Allen. 1 April 1700.

Wit: Stephen Cocke, Mathew Rayson Signed: George Alves Recorded 1 May 1700

Alice Alves, wife of George Alves, appoints Benjamin Hatcher her attorney to release dower right in above lands to William Hatcher and Timothy Allen.

Wit: Thomas (R) Rise, Nicholas (4) Gentry Signed: Alce (A) Alves Recorded 1 May 1700"

"p. 177 Mary Harris, wife of Edward Harris of New Kent Co., appoints Benjamin Hatcher her attorney to release dower right in land sold by her husband to George Alves.

"Wit: Thomas (R) Rise, (missing) Gentery Signed: Mary (M) Harris Recorded 1 May 1700"

References to George Alves in The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography are as follows:

Vol. 31 (1923), p. 215: "New Kent County Rent Rolls 1704. A rent roll of the lands held by her Majestie in the parish of St. Peters and St. Paul' s anno 1704 Allvis, George 325 acres." P. 342: "Some King William County, Va., Records" 1702/3 Anthony Winston to Thos. Bradley Deed wit. John Duffield, Geo. Alvis 21 to 23.' P. 343: "1702 Frances Littlepage, wife of Richard relinquishes right of dower in above property. Wm. Aylett, atty., wit. Geo. Alvis, David Clarkson, Geo. Clough."

Vol. 33 (1925), p. 24: "13 June 1728 of the said Ambrose Joshua Smith for 5000 acres of land in Goochland formerly Henrico joining on the line which divided that County and the County of Hanover on the head of deep and Fork Creeks and branches of the James River formerly surveyed for John Syme, Isaac Winston, William Morris, George Alvis and John Mathies." P. 353: reference to ohter property adjoining George's.

Vol. 36 (1928), p. 144: Council held at the Capitol July 1730 granted petition, "To George Alvis One Thousand five hundred acres in Hanover County on Maudlins folly Run."

Executive Journals of the Council of Colonial Virginia, Vol. 3, p. 511: "At a council held at the Capitol the 14th day of July 1719. On the petition of George Alvis, John Lyme [sic, Syme?] and William Clapton; Leave is granted them to take up Three Thousand Acres of Land in one tract and Two Thousand acres of land in another in the county of New Kent; This Board being satisfied of their ability to cultivate the same according to law."

Vol. 4, p. 79: "At a Council held at the Capitol December 9th 1724. To George Alvis and John Syme four thousand Acres in Hanover County joyning the County Line and Deep Creek and Fork Creek."

Page 95 of the same volume: "15 December 1725. The following petitions for taking up wast [sic] land were read and granted Viz:

"To Isaac Winston, William Morris, George Alves, John Syme and John Mackie 5000 acres in Henrico County to be taken up in one or more Tracts joining the County Line where it crosses Deep Creek and Fork Creek which runs into Pamunkey River and extending upon the head of the said Creeks and branches of the James River."

Page 227: "July 9th 1730. To George Alvis one thousand five hundred Acres in Hanover County on Maudlins folly Run."

Robert N. Alvis sent the above data and the following summary of passenger arrivals in America. The VA arrivals we have seen, and all of the Boston references could refer to the same VA George Alves since the St. Paul's Parish Vestry Book shows clearly that he was in Great Britain in 1711.

Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, Vol. 1, Gale Research:

ALVIS, George, n.a. Boston, Mass., 1712. Boyer, Ship Passenger Lists, National and New England, p. 178 with three servants.

ALVES, Alice, n.a. Virginia, 1700. Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. 3, p. 37.

ALVES, George, n.a. Virginia, 1700. Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. 3, p. 37.

ALVIS, George, n.a. Boston, Mass., 1712. Oates, Naturalization Records, p. 310.

ALVES, Harawell, n.a. Virginia, 1700. Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. 3, p. 211.

Tepper, Passengers to America, p. 136, reads "Arrivals in Boston, Mass., June 1712"

ye 6th

Jethro Furbur ye sloop Tyall from Fyall

George Alvis and three servants

The Quit Rents of Virginia, 1704, p. 2: ALVIS, George, New Kent County, 325 acres, James Mosse, Sheriff.

We have a copy of one Louisa Co VA deed book entry: Deed Book A. pg. 37-39. 1 Feb. 1742/1743. John Michie of Hanover Co. to Benjamin Arnold of Louisa Co. £24 currt money 200 Acres in the forks of the Pamunkey River adj. lands of George Alvis, Thomas Henderson, and Alexander Carr; part of 400 Acres obtained by patent in St. Martins par.

This document does not say that George Alvis was living, only that lands were held in his name.

OTHER EARLY ALVISES

There is one reference to a Robert Alves in the Nugent book. I do not have page number, just the following: Robert Alves Line mentioned 16 Dec 1714.

One solution to the question of who this Robert is would be to take this as a copyist's mistake for George Alves. Since no other references to this Robert have been found, this is indeed a possibility.

Or he could be a son of the immigrant George Alvis, aged 20-30 in 1714, who died with no further reference.

There is also a reference to lands of a William Alvis in 1734 in King William Co. The same possibilities exist as with Robert. See The Alvis Exchange, No. 6, page 3.

See The Alvis Exchange, No. 6, pages 1-2, for documents dated in 1734 relating to David Alvis, the orphan of George and Mary Alvis.

OBSERVATIONS

1. There is no indication in any of these records that George and Alice Alves had children. Her Harris children were probably born in the early 1670s. If she was in her thirties when she married George Alves prior to 1682, we can also assume that he was at least 25 or older, giving him a purely hypothetical birthdate of 1645-55.

2. Alice was living in 1700, but may have died before George's trip to Great Britain in 1711. She does not appear on his entry at Boston Harbor in 1712, al-though three servants were listed. He probably remarried about 1720 or later, and died in 1734 leaving one minor son, under 16, named David. If David was born in, say, 1725, his father would have been about 70 or 80.

3. It seems possible to me that David was the son of a second George Alvis, who pre-deceased his father and never appears in the records. Arguing from silence is dangerous; until evidence of a second George is found, this is just a hypothesis.

Possible Ancestry

The following information is the result of research by Mary Alvis Overstreet (Alvis-2382) and Brian Thomson, Bsc PhD, Edinburgh, Scotland, with notes and sources from the Old Parish Register for Alves Parish, Morayshire, County of Moray, Scotland. Alves Parish is located in the Highlands on the North Sea.

This information presents the possible conclusion that the George Alves born in Alves Parish, Morayshire, Scotland in 1660 is the George Alves who is documented in the Virginia Colony.

George Alves was the child of Alexander Alves (born about 1604) and Margaret Anderson whose marriage was recorded in the Alves Parish Register in June 1651.

George was baptized on January 8, 1660. The first born child of Alexander Alves was David who was baptized June 27, 1655. The second child was Alexander who was baptized October 25, 1657. The third son was John who was baptized September 12, 1658. A daughter, Issobel, was baptized on March 16, 1662. A daughter, Jean Alves, was baptized on March 20, 1670. Jean is shown as a "natural" daughter which indicates she is the daughter of Alexander but not Margaret. It was typical of baptism records of that period for the father's name to be recorded, but not the mother's name.

Alexander resided in different places within the Alves Parish which suggests that he was probably a poor farm servant which would require him to move with his wife and children to different farms in search of work. A Parish entry in 1685 indicates that Alexander Alves and David Alves were Church elders in the Parish Church of Alves.

There is no further mention of George in the Alves Parish Register or the Alves Parish Elgin Church cemetery records. It is probable that George left Scotland as a young boy to seek a better life. At that time boys aged 15 or younger were considered men. No record has been found of George's departure from Scotland or England. Most 17th Century ships between Scotland and North America were trading vessels and most carried a few passengers and some passengers worked on the ship to pay for passage and bondage.

Questions to be considered in the conclusion of George of Scotland.

1) Why did George marry the older Widow Alice Harris? This might best be answered by considering his meager upbringing. The wealthy Widow presented George with an opportunity to acquire wealth and position in the Colony.

2) Why was George a Vestry in the Church of England if he had a Church of Scotland background? It would have been to George's advantage to change faith in order to prosper in the Colony. Alice could have had an influence in this regard.

3) Was George a bonded servant when he arrived in the Colony? If so was he bonded to Maj. William Harris? This would explain the close connection to the Harris family.

4) Was George married before he married the Widow Harris? If so there should be a Parish record of the marriage.

5) Did George father Susannah? If so there should be a Parish record of the birth and/or baptism. If Susannah's birth date is correct there is a conflict with George's baptismal date which usually relates closely to birth date. There is no proof to support that George Alves (Alvis) fathered a daughter.

6) Did George marry Mary (Last name unknown)? If so there should be a Parish record of the marriage. There is no proof to support this marriage.

7) Was it a coincidence that George named his son David and that George's elder brother was named David?

Sources

See also:

• Alves Parish, Morayshire, County of Moray, Scotland Old Parish Register (copies on file).
• Alves Parish Elgin Church Cemetery records (copies on file).
• Elgin Old Parish Record, Moray, Scotland, Marriage of Alexander Alves and Margaret Anderson, June 15, 1651.
• Alves Old Parish Record, Moray, Scotland, Birth and Christening of Children of Alexander Alves and Margaret Anderson.
• Alves Old Church and Cemetery, Alves Parish, Moray, Scotland, ISBN 978-0-9557032-3-2, October 2006.
• Elgin Cathedral Churchyard Records, Alves Parish, Moray, Scotland.
• Historic Scotland, Moray Council, Alves Parish, Scottish Ministers' Statutory List, HB No. 2330, Item No 9, April 25, 1989, Reference: This Church of Alves, 1900, p. 119, George Hay.
• Historic Scotland, Moray Council, Old Parish Church and Walled Burial Ground, The Church of Alves, 1900, p. 119, William Gramond.
• Virginia Colony records as stated previously.

Acknowledgements

This person was created through the import of Alvis families 9a.ged on 18 January 2011.