Unknown (Unknown) Womack (abt. 1625 - aft. 1677)

Born about 1625 in England [uncertain]

Wife of William Charles Womack — married 1643 in Henrico County, Colony of Virginia

Descendants

Died after Oct 1677 after about age 52 in Henrico, Colony of Virginia

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Unknown (Unknown) Womack resided in the Southern Colonies in North America before 1776. Join: US Southern Colonies Project Discuss: southern_colonies

Disputed Origins

A previous version of this profile claimed that her parents were Timothy Allen I and Abigail (Unknown) Allen, but that relationship is not supported by sources, so the profiles have been disconnected. There is also no proof that Williamn Womack's wife was indeed called Mary. Mary's surname Allen looks like it could have come from another Mary who had married a member of the Womeck family, or even from a second marriage, this is still very unclear, therefore her christian and maiden name remains unknown at this time. The middle name has been removed as there does not seem to be any sources to suggest that it was Jane. Her birth, marriage and death dates remain unknown.

There is no real evidence of the name of William Womack's wife, or where she was born or when and where she married William.

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Biography

Widow Womack was a Virginia colonist.

Very little is known of the widow Womack from primary sources. She survived her husband William Womack, as is known from records dealing with his estate, which was mentioned in the 1674 minutes of the Virginia Council.^[1]

Origins

The Womack family began in the Bermuda Hundred area of what is today Chesterfield County, Virginia, but before 1749, was part of Henrico County, Virginia, south of the James River. Today, this area is a suburb of Richmond, but at the time of the first Womack records, the town of Richmond had not been founded yet. Henrico County was on both sides of the James River, and the Womacks and others on the Southside had to take the ferry to attend court at Varina on the north side of the river.

Known Records

The following records are the only known records of the first William Womack in America who has been listed on many sites as the progenitor, at least in name, of the Womack family of Virginia. They are also the only record of his wife at the time of his death, and his son, the second William Womack, this information at this time cannot be verified

• Excerpt from the Minutes of the Council and General Court of Colonial Virginia - dated 8th April 1674
• Tho: Ludwell (Secretary of Virginia)
• Womeck and Clarke
• The Difference Between Abra: Womeck and Wm Clarke about the estate of Wm Wm {sic} Womeck Deced. It is ordered that the Said Abra: Womeck (brother of the said William) have two thirds of his Estate, both reall {sic} and psonall {sic} and the widdow have the other Pt.

We can learn from this that William Womeck had a brother Abraham, unfortunately his widow's name is not given, but we know that William was deceased before this date of 1674. And it is possible that his widow remarried very quickly, as was the case at that time to the above mentioned William Clarke.

Some have interpreted a Mary Womeck named twice in Orphans Court records^[2] as being the widow, but this is unclear.

Henrico Co, VA Orphans Court, 1677-1739, 1 Oct 1677, p.1 (Original image 256)

• An accott of Cattle belonging to the orphs of William Womeck decd presented by Timothy Allen ____ Mary Womeck 4 Cowes and one heifer. Mary Womeck and Thomas Womeck hath between them 4 Cowes and 3 Calves - the sd Marys proper stock is 5 head of Cattle and the stock between Mary and Thomas is 7 head of Cattle - which is in all - 12 head. It is consented by the Court that one of Mary Womecks Cowes which is changed for a 3 yeare old heifer of Abraham Womeck shall soe stand confirmed. {1 Oct 1677}

The first Orphans record, from Oct 1677, has been interpreted as referring to two distinct Mary Womacks, the widow and daughter of the first William Womack. However, the text starts with "an account of the cattle belonging to the orphans of William Womack deceased." These were the first William’s orphans, and no mention of his widow is made, and no attempt to disambiguate two different Marys.

Henrico Co, VA Orphans Court, 1677-1739, 20 Aug 1678, p.3 (Original image 257)

• An Accott of the Cattle belonging to Mary and Thomas Womeck presented by Timothy Allen Vizt Mary Womeck hath to her selfe 2 Cow, Two Heifers; one of them two in the swamp - in all 4, three Cowes dead, but 2 of them sold. Mary and Thomas Womeck hath between them two Cowes one Calfe at home, 3 heifers in the sw____ {Augst 20th 1678}

The second Orphans record from Aug 1678, "an account of the cattle of Mary and Thomas Womack," makes clear it is talking only about one Mary who had some cattle to herself, and some in common with Thomas. Thus, there is no record that shows the first William Womack’s widow’s given name or surname.

Henrico Co, VA Order Book 1678-1683, 1 Jun 1685 p.186-6, (Transcript image 301-2)

• Upon the peticon of Tho Womack lately an Orphn under ye Guardianship of Timothy Allen, It is Order that ye sd Allen do on ye first of July next in presence of Richd Cocke deliver unto sd Womack the remainder of ye gift bestowed on him by his decd mother with costs at Exec. he having yet recd noe part thereof but ye Gun & Suit of Cloathes (wthout flying coat) as by ye sd Allen’s confession appears, & Mr Richd Cocke is hereby requested and appointed to see ye sd delivery.

The widow was definitely deceased by 1685.^[3]

William Womack married his wife, name unknown, about 1643 in place unknown. The Widow Womack more than likely remarried William Clarke or Timothy Allen, this is still very unclear.

Several of the Widow Womack's children were wards of Timothy Allen after the death of her husband, which is the reason her maiden name is often thought to have been Allen.

Sources

1. ↑ Henry Read McIlwaine, ed. Minutes of the Council and General Court of Colonial Virginia, , Richmond: Virginia State Library, 1924, p. 369 Internet Archive
2. ↑ Pauline Pearce Warner, Orphans Court Book 1677-1739 of Henrico Co., Virginia, Tappahannock, Virginia: privately published, 1963, p. 1, 3
3. ↑ Henrico Co, VA Order Book 1678-1683, 1 Jun 1685 p.186-6, (Transcript image 301-2).