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Frances (Courtenay) Nelson (abt. 1682 - 1766)

Frances "Fanny" Nelson formerly Courtenay aka Tucker
Born about in Powderham, Devon, Englandmap
Daughter of [father unknown] and [mother unknown]
[sibling(s) unknown]
Wife of — married about 1702 [location unknown]
Wife of — married 22 Feb 1723 in Yorktown, York County, Virginiamap
Descendants descendants
Died at about age 84 in Yorktown, York County, Virginiamap
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Frances (Courtenay) Nelson resided in the Southern Colonies in North America before 1776.
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Contents

Biography

Frances Courtenay was born about 1682.[1]

Her mother's name was Frances, and in her mother's will, it is listed as Frances Hodgis whose deceased husband was listed as Thomas Hodgis (source: 30 April 1730 will abstract). The abstract stated that Frances Hodgis had two married daughters, Frances Nelson and Elizabeth Thruston. The abstract acknowledged her son-in-laws at the time of the will: Thomas Nelson, husband of Frances Nelson, and Thomas Thruston, husband of Elizabeth Thruston. It listed most of her grandchildren, i.e., her daughters' children. For daughter Frances, the children listed as heirs were: Courtney Walker (note: maiden name Tucker), Robert Tucker, John Tucker, Sarah Tucker and Sarah Nelson. It also acknowledged grandson-in-law Jacob Walker. For daughter Elizabeth, the children named as heirs were Mary, John, Elizabeth, Frances, Susanah, and Thomas Thruston. "Colonial Families of the USA,1607-1775 " states that Edward Thurston married Elizabeth Housden, the daughter of Thomas Housden, on 31 August 1706. So, Thomas Housden must have been an earlier husband of Frances Hodgis.

Frances Courtenay married Robert Tucker and had at least four children by him.[2][3][4]

On 22 Feb 1723 in Norfolk, Virginia,[5] Mrs. Frances Tucker, widow of Robert Tucker,[6] married Thomas Nelson as his second wife (his first wife had been Margaret Reade).[7]

On 20 May 1736, there is a deed from Thomas Nelson of Yorktown, merchant, and Frances, his wife, relict of Robert Tucker of Norfolk, merchant, to John Tucker, son of said Robert and Frances.[8]

Frances (Tucker, née Courtenay) Nelson died in June 1766, "in her 84th year of life."[9][10]

Research Notes

Frances Courtenay who died 1766 was born about 1682.[11] Dates on duplicate profiles:

  • born in 1763[12]
  • born 13 Jan 1703 - possibly her daughter's birth date?
  • died 9 June 1766 - source says only "June 1766"[11]

The duplicate profile that had been incorrectly attached as wife of her daughter's husband also had a daughter attached - Courtenay Walker (died after 1720) - which was detached prior to the merge, but was left attached as daughter of Jacob Walker.

Leads

According to Sondra Bateman: Francis Courtenay and Rebecca Webb are the parents of Frances Courtenay. The profile for Francis Courteney-16 (merged into this profile) had b 1648 in Virginia (and died 1766). It's possible the 1648 birth year was intended for her father. There's a WikiTree profile for a Francis Courtenay b 1651 - but his wife is not Rebecca. ~ Noland-165 11:15, 5 April 2016 (EDT)
In searching for the parents of Frances, I explored Rich & Joyce O'Keefe's Rootsweb tree, which shows that the wife of Robert Tucker & then Thomas Nelson was Frances "Fanny" Houston, born about 1682 in Norfolk, VA and died 1766 or 1760; burial: Grace Episcopal Churchyard, Yorktown, York County, VA. Married Robert Tucker about 1705, Fauquier, Virginia. Married Thomas Nelson 22 FEB 1723, Norfolk, Virginia (citations: International Genealogical Index, familysearch.org electronic record of her birth, marriage, and death, and Find A Grave Memorial #68321118)

Sources

  1. Frances Norton Mason, ed. John Norton & Sons Merchants of London and Virginia: Being the Papers from their Counting House for the Years 1750 to 1795, David and Charles, Newton Abbot, Devon, pub. 1937 (reprinted 1968)
  2. see his profile for information about her marriage to Robert Tucker and their children
  3. Historical and Genealogical Notes, in William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. X, 1902
  4. McIntosh, Charles Fleming. Brief Abstracts of Norfolk County Wills, 1710-1753, Volume 2, Colonial Dames of America, Richmond, VA, 1922, pp 121-122 lists the abstract of the will of Frances Hodges, mother of Frances Nelson, naming her two daughters (Frances and Elizabeth) and her grandchildren, including Sarah Tucker and Sarah Nelson.
  5. profile for Thomas shows second marriage as 1721 in Yorktown, York County, Virginia
  6. see the footnote to a copy of Thomas Nelson's 1745 will, page 143 of "Berkeley Manuscripts," The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 6, No. 3 (Jan., 1898), pp. 135-152, Published by: Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture; Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1914598, which states:
    "He married, second, Frances Tucker, widow of Robert Tucker, of Barbadoes, and mother of Col. Robert Tucker, of Norfolk."
  7. date and location from text of Margaret's profile, citing O'Keefe, Rich, Rich & Joyce O'Keefe Family Trees Rootsweb accessed November 1, 2014 OR https://web.archive.org/web/20230310190851/https://wc.rootsweb.com/trees/212955/I11400/-/individual
  8. Virginia Historical Magazine, June 1897, p. 361 - https://www.forgottenbooks.com/en/readbook/TheVirginiaMagazineofHistoryandBiography_10846086#422
  9. from transcription of her obituary, posted on her Find a Grave memorial (#68321118). The memorial page shows that it is for "Francis "Fanny" Houston - Tucker Nelson" but includes no information to support "Houston".
  10. Charles Royster. The Fabulous History of the Dismal Swamp Company. Vintage Books, 1999.
  11. 11.0 11.1 Find A Grave: Memorial #68321118 for Frances Courtenay ("died June 1766 in her 84th year of life").
  12. Entered by Jimmy Hunt by 14 Jul 2018; source provided upon inquiry was Find A Grave: Memorial #68321118






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DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Frances by comparing test results with other carriers of her mitochondrial DNA. However, there are no known mtDNA test-takers in her direct maternal line. It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with Frances:

Have you taken a DNA test? If so, login to add it. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA.



Comments: 32

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The abstract of the will for Frances Courtenay's mother states that the mother's married name at time of the will was Frances Hodgis and her married daughters' names were Frances Nelson and Elizabeth Thruston. Most of her grandchildren's names are listed. Colonial Families of the USA,1607-1775 " states that Edward Thurston married Elizabeth Housden, the daughter of Thomas Housden, on 31 August 1706. So, Thomas Housden must have been an earlier husband of Frances Hodgis. Frances Courtenay seems to be younger than Elizabeth, so possibly, Thomas Housden was Frances Courtenay's stepfather or perhaps even her Father. Some Ancestry.com trees list a George Courtenay as her Father, and as another husband of her mother. It would be nice to add Elizabeth (Housden) Thruston as a sister somehow.
posted by DM Finch
Is the Robert Tucker linked correct? I have a Robert Tucker in my tree but he married a Joanna Corbin.

"On the 17th day of May 1739, Robert TUCKER married Joanna CORBIN, daughter of Gawin and Martha CORBIN." [Martha CORBIN was Martha BASSATT, third wife of Gawin CORBIN.] - Excerpt from Tucker Family Bible

His father died July 1, 1722?

posted by Marlena Fryman
That would've been Robert Tucker 'the younger'. On May 20, 1736, there is a deed from Thomas Nelson of Yorktown, merchant, and Frances, his wife, relict of Robert Tucker of Norfolk, merchant, to John Tucker, son of said Robert and Frances. See this link, which mentions Robert 'the younger' as well as his wife and his will: https://www.forgottenbooks.com/en/readbook/TheVirginiaMagazineofHistoryandBiography_10846086#422
posted by Darlene (Athey) Athey-Hill
edited by Darlene (Athey) Athey-Hill
Based on marriage dates for Frances' two husbands, daughter Sarah Ann Nelson should be changed to "Sarah Ann Tucker" and added as daughter of Robert Tucker. See comments on Sarah Nelson's profile page.
I think I found where "Houston" came from:

Virginia Gleanings in England: Abstracts of 17th and 18th-century English ... By Lothrop Withington

(bottom of page 145)

posted by Liz (Noland) Shifflett
Which would mean Sarah Tucker was the daughter who married Mason Combs.
posted by Liz (Noland) Shifflett
I think that daughter Sarah Nelson married Robert Burwell, not Mason Combs?

See info under Marriage on his profile: Burwell-51#Marriage

posted by Liz (Noland) Shifflett
Courtenay-1078 and Courtenay-94 appear to represent the same person because: intended as same person - Frances Courtenay who died 1766. Please merge.
posted by Liz (Noland) Shifflett
Frances Courtenay who died 1766 was born about 1682 - see excerpt on her Find A Grave: Memorial #68321118 memorial (died June 1766 in her 84th year of life).
posted by Liz (Noland) Shifflett
Isn't Frances parents: Francis Courtenay 1651-1699 Powderham Castle, Devon, England and her mother Mary Boevey 1650-1714 Flaxley, Gloucestershire, England died 23 April 1714 in Chelsea, Middlesex, England?
Right about Robert Carter Nicholas "of Isle of Wight Co." being married to Anne Cary. She was his first wife. Their children were Sarah (m. John Hartley Norton), Elizabeth (m. Gov. Edmund Randolph), George (m. a Miss Stith), Lewis, John, Gov. Wilson Cary Nicholas, and Philip Norborne Nicholas (m. Mary Spear).

I don't know of any children from R. C. Nicholas' 2nd marriage with Sallie Nelson.

Sources are mostly the same as I've mentioned earlier in this thread.

posted by Kat (Watson) Prawl
Very surprised to see a mention of a second wife for Robert Carter Nicholas Sr. The Virginia Independent Chronicle of Richmond, Virginia, printed this on 6 December 1786: "Yesterday, died at Williamsburg, Mrs. Anne Nicholas, relict. of the late Honorable Robert Carter Nicholas, Esquire--November 6." * Death: "Virginia, U.S., Extracted Vital Records, 1660-1923"

Virginia Vital Records; Indexed by: Judith McGhan Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 61462 #6803 (accessed 31 August 2022) Anne Nicholas death 5 Dec 1786 in Williamsburg. Robert Carter Nicholas Sr died in 1780, with his wife, Anne, surviving him and dying in 1786, leaving no opportunity for a second wife. Perhaps Sallie Nelson married one of Robert Carter Nicholas Sr's two namesake grandsons?

posted by Cheryl Cruise
Thanks again!

Armistead is in the Burwell line too, I think....

yup! according to WikiTree, they're brothers! ... Elizabeth Carter married (1) Nathaniel Burwell, (2) George Nicholas (sore lack of sources though)

WikiTree also has Robert Carter Nicholas m Ann Cary, and when I was looking around for a Robert Carter Nicholas, if found one - pp 192, 193 (p 192 by full name, p 193 "R.C. Nicholas" son-in-law named executor, daughter Anne is named as one of Wilson's four daughters, but I didn't see any Nicholas grandchildren named, and WikiTree shows two alive in 1772):

Will of Wilson Cary, 1772 The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography Vol. 10, No. 2 (Oct., 1902), pp. 189-193 Published by: Virginia Historical Society Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4242511

posted by Liz (Noland) Shifflett
Robert Carter "Robin" Nicholas (b. 1728) was son of Dr. George Nicholas and Elizabeth Carter (1692-1734, dau. of Robert "King" Carter and Judith Armistead). Robin Nicholas was a member of the House of Burgesses, and was treasurer of Virginia, and one of the 12 original investors in the Great Dismal Swamp Company. See The Armistead Family, 1635-1910 by Virginia Armistead Garber.
posted by Kat (Watson) Prawl

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