Philip Buckner (abt. 1640 - bef. 1700)

Died before 10 Apr 1700 before about age 60 in Stafford County, Virginia,

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Biography

A complaint Phillip and Ann Buckner filed against William Fitzhugh in Oct. 1692 would suggest that his wife's name was Ann.^[1]

There is also a "daughter Buckner" named as a daughter in the will of Andrew Gillson of Stafford Co. VA in 1697, so perhaps she was Ann Gillson.^[2] The other possibilities are that she was the wife of one of the other first generation Buckners, John, Anthony (Sr.), or Andrew Buckner, but since Gillson mentions his "son and daughter Buckner" in 1697 and those three were all dead by then, Phillip is the most logical choice, though the second generation Buckners cannot be entirely ruled out. Of the 2nd generation Stafford Co. Buckners, Anthony Buckner Jr. and William Buckner are possibilities, though Anthony was later married to an Ellis, so William would be the more likely of the two. A possible clue is that no grandchildren are mentioned, which would argue against Phillip, but they maybe have simply been omitted. The two slaves left to the Buckners were named "Kofee" (a typical Coromantee name) and "Jan[i?n?]e" or "Jam[m]e". Assertions that Ann's maiden name was Ellis seem to be a fanciful confusion with Anthony Buckner (Jr.) of Stafford Co., who deeded land to his mother-in-law, Charles Ellis' widow Joyce, in 1708.^[3] The fact that Judith Baltrop was a legatee in Phillip's will and that "her mother's" effects were mentioned suggests that Judith may have been Phillip's step-daughter, in which case his apparently deceased wife would probably have been the widow of William Balthtrop. Balthrop's only known wife was definitely named Margaret (Jones), though, so this would require us to posit either a second wife for Phillip (after Ann) or a second otherwise unknown wife for William Balthrop named Ann. In any case, Ann was probably the mother of the children since Robert seems to have reached majority by around 1710.

Phillip was brought to Virginia by Thomas Vickers and John Buckner, who claimed him as a headright in 1669.^[4]

Crozier's treatment of Phillip in the Buckners of Virginia (p. 169) is riddled with errors. First, he was not the Phillip Buckner who married Elizabeth Sadler in London in 1667, and, as has been shown elsewhere, the Mar. 9, 1639 Oxford christening that Crozier quotes is a part of the set of forgeries in the early part of the book. Crozier also incorrectly states that Phillip received the 1669 land grant, rather than simply being a headright. Finally, Crozier's guess that Robert Buckner of Gloucester in 1722 was Phillip's son Robert is wrong, though this is an understandable mistake.

As Crozier states, Phillip did indeed receive a land grant of 90 acres in Chotank Parish in 1692. He also purchased "50 or 60" acres of land from Francis Dade on the Great Mattapony Creek in Stafford Co. in 9 Oct 1689 for 3900 lbs. of tobacco (William Buckner also witnessed the deed).^[5] It is interesting to note that Phillip's land holdings were very limited. It is unlikely that he was particularly poor though, since he was justice of the peace for Stafford Co. around the time he died.^[6] This probably indicates that he had some profession other than as a planter, though what that profession was is unknown. His probable cousin, Phillip Buckner of London (who did marry Elizabeth Sadler) was, for example, a clockmaker, while another somewhat older Phillip Buckner of London (uncle to the clockmaker) was a goldsmith. A possible clue is that Phillip's nephew (or perhaps cousin) William Buckner, son of John Buckner and later executor of Phillip's will, began his legal career in Stafford Co. and was often associated with Phillip, all of which may indicate that Phillip was his mentor. However, there seem to be no references to Phillip acting as an attorney for anyone in known court records.

In 1699, he was a signatory to a petition from Stafford County to prosecute Esquire Tom, a hostile Native American leader.^[7]

His will (below) is probably the most informative record we have of Phillip, however.

Estate Recorded: 21 Nov 1699, Stafford County, Virginia. The Will of Philip Buckner of Stafford County, Virginia - November 19, 1699

In the name of God, Amen. I, Philip Buckner, of the County of Stafford, Being sick and weak in body, but of perfect and sound memory, blessed be God, do make this my last will and testament, as follows:

First: I bequeath my soul to God that gave it, my body to the ground from whence it came. To be buried with decent Christian burial.

First, I bequeath to Judy Baltrup the mare "Bonny" and her colt and one great feather bed in the loft, and an old gold ring to be kept in her god-father's hands while the day of marriage or comes of age; and two brass kettles, one great and one little one and a copper skillet, one pewter candlestick, the rest are at her brothers and all her mother's wearing clothes in general of what sort soever that shall be found in my custody.

Second: I bequeath to my two sons, Robert and Andrew, all my land to equally be divided between them, and all the rest of my estate, movable and unmovable, to be equally divided between my two sons aforesaid, Robert and Andrew.

Thirdly: I appoint my cousin, William Buckner, at York, to be my Executor, but if he shall refuse, then my cousin, Thomas Buckner.

Fourthly: My will is that they take my children down with them and to remove their estates with them if they see fit, but to be sure to take my sons down at they may have learning.

Fifthly: My will is that Broard Mann shall live upon my plantation as long as he will

Sixthly: My will is that Broard Mann shall pay Sara Napp, her tobacco that is due to her out of my own house before any probate of this my last will and testament, and do give him, the said Edward Mann, full power to do the same if he shall have occasion. Furthermore my will is that Sara Napp stays here as long as she pleases, if she doesn't go for England.

Philip Buckner (Seal)

Signed and sealed in the presence of us: Joseph Walker Sara (X) Napp Edward (X) Mann

The above will was proved by the oaths of Ralph Walker and Sara Napp in the Court of Stafford, April 10, 1700, and there recorded

The manuscript record agrees mostly with the abstract made by Ruth and Sam Sparacio, but adds a few details. Here is the latter part of the will, verbatim:

...Bequeath my two Sons Robt & Andrew all my land to be Equally divided between them & all the Rest of my Estate Moveables & unmoveables to be Equally to be divided Between my two Sons aftoresaid Robert & Andrew. Thirdly I do appoint my Couzin Wm. Buckner at York to be my Exec't but if he shall Refuse then my Cousin John Buckner to be my Exec't & if he refuse then my Cousin Thomas Buckner. Fourthly my Will is that they take my Children Down with them & to remove their Estates with them if they see fit But to be sure to take my Sons Down that they may have Learning. Fifthly my will is that [Edward Mann? blot] shall live upon my Plantation as long as he will. Sixtly my will is that Edw'd Mann shall pay Sarah Napp her tobacco that is due to her out of my one [own?] house before any Probat of this my Last will & Testament & do give him the sd Edward Mann full Power to do the same if he shall have occasion furthermore my will is that Sarah Nap stay here as long as she pleases if she does not go for England. Signed & sealed in the presente of us - Ralph Walker [Sparacio says Buckner], Sarah (mark: Y?) Nap, Edward (mark: M) Mann.

Sources

1. ↑ Buckner family. Suit papers, 1692-1707. Accession 22391. Personal papers collection. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.
2. ↑ Adventurers of Purse and Person, 4th edition, vol. 1 (2004), p. 220-221, see also [1]; note that older references do not seem to be aware of Gilson's will, e.g. John Bailey Calvert Nicklin. “Descendants of Capt. Robert Behethland of Jamestown.” The William and Mary Quarterly, vol. 9, no. 3, 1929, pp. 175–185. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/1921299.
3. ↑ R. Sparacio, Deed and Will Book, Stafford County, Virginia 1699-1709, Antient Press, 1987, p. 419
4. ↑ LVA, Land Office Patents No. 6, 1666-1679 (pt.1 & 2 p.1-692), p. 144 (Reel 6)
5. ↑ R. Sparacio, Stafford County, Virginia Deed & Will Abstracts 1689-1693 Antient Press, 1989, pp. 148-149
6. ↑ "Public Officers in Virginia 1680",The Virginia magazine of history and biography, 1893, v.1.n.1,p. 231
7. ↑ Legislative Journals of the Council of Colonial Virginia, H.R. McIlwaine, ed., Richmond, Va.:The Colonial Press, (1918), p. 1517

• Stafford County, Virginia Deeds and Wills, Book "Z" (F), 1699-1709, p. 24