Mary (Dudley) Berry (abt. 1685)

Born about 1685 in Christchurch, Middlesex, Virginia Colony

Ancestors

Wife of John Berry — married 17 Feb 1711 in Christchurch, Middlesex County, Virginia Colony

Descendants

Died [date unknown] in Middlesex County, Virginia (assumed)

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Biography

Mary is estimated to have been born about 1685 by the age of her first husband. She was first the wife of James Dudley. She was mother to the following children:

James Dudley,

Robert Dudley, bap. 18 January 1707/8

Judith Dudley,

Mary was the named wife and executrix in the will of James Dudley dated 6 Feb 1710/11 and proved 3 April 1711 in Middlesex County, Virginia by the oaths of Edward Saunders, John Marston & Thomas Elliott.^[1][2] A codicil James had made to his will dated 5 March 1710/11 required further proof which was attested to by William Blackburn, & Edward Walford during the May Court of 1711.^[3]

As the widow of James Dudley, she was again married to John Berry 17 February 1711/12 in Christchurch Parish.^[4] This is proven by numerous Court records during the administration of both estates of James Dudley, Sr. and the son of the same name she had married. She and John Berry were were defendants in a suit of Chancery filed by her minor brother-in-law William Dudley to divide his father's land, by his guardian and Next Friend, Thomas Elliott.^[5] The latter had been appointed as administrator of James Dudley, Sr. upon the death of his executor, her deceased husband, and was also chosen guardian to his minor children William and Mary Dudley.^[6]

• Statements from Mary (Unknown) Dudley's husband's WikiTree profile below:

James was born about 1680. He was the son of James Dudley who's will was dated 15 Feb 1702/3 in Middlesex County, Virginia. The inventory of the elder James Dudley, Sr. was taken at the home of James Jr. the 1st of December 1707 but James appears to have held onto his father's will which was not submitted to the Court until he too died. This required John Dudley, one of the subscribing witnesses, to make oath and testify it was the same will he had seen his brother sign and it was finally recorded 1st January 1711/12.

Christ Church Parish register: "Mary the Daughter of James & Ann Dudley bap 24th of ffebruary 1693" I used the baptism date as her birth date; assumed this recored refers to the Mary Dudley of this profile

From (Source noted on her father's WIkiTree profile):

Dudley Stephens & the Letter of 1907 - An Update By Ronny Bodine May 17, 2005 at 06:10:05

DUDLEY

Mary Ann Fleet (born 1722) was 1st married about 1740 to Capt. Robert Dudley.He was baptised 18 Jan 1707/8 at Christ Church, Middlesex County as the son of James and Mary Dudley, of Middlesex County.James Dudley was born 1680 and died in 1710/11.His will of 26 Feb 1710/11 was proved 5 March 1710/11 and among other bequests, his sons James and Robert were to receive his land in Gloucester County (Middlesex Co. Wills, A: 244).The Vestry Book of Stratton Major Parish, King and Queen County, Virginia provides some interesting details concerning Capt. Dudley.He first served on the Vestry 8 April 1729, then already a Captain, and was appointed Church Warden and Collector of the Levy on 10 Oct 1732.He was very serious about his duties and never missed a meeting.His last Vestry meeting was on 9 Oct 1747.The minutes of 14 April 1748 note he was now deceased and on 10 Oct 1748 record “John Foster is Appointed Vestryman in the Place of Capt. Robt. Dudley, decd.”The courthouse of King and Queen County was burned to the ground by Union troops on 10 March 1864.Every single record was destroyed with the exception of four land books.Mary Fleet Dudley married 2ndly, a Mr. Tebbs, of whom nothing is known.

In the absence of a will, the 1907 Letter provides the names and birthdates of the of the children of Robert and Mary Ann Dudley as-

Ann Dudley, known as Nancy, born May 5th 1741 Robert Dudley, born May 17th 1743 William Dudley, born June 8th 1745 Henry Dudley, born July 16th 1747

There is some independent evidence to support several of these children.

Robert Dudley may be identified with he who, at age 13, petitioned the Vestry of Stratton Major Parish on 19 Nov 1756 not to levy Negro Sambo who is owned by the orphans of Robert Dudley, decd.

William Dudley is named in the will of his uncle Edwin Fleet (1729-1778), the brother of Mary Ann Fleet Dudley, written on 27 April 1778 and proved 13 July 1778.William was married in 1773 to Ann Pinchback, served as Vestryman for Stratton Major Parish from 1780 and left a will written 7 Nov 1794 and proved 12 July 1802 in King and Queen County.This will, too, is among those lost in the King and Queen courthouse fire, but was abstracted from the original and published in Rev. Alfred Bagby’s history King and Queen County, Virginia, 1908, p. 373-74.Therein were named his wife, Anne, and their children, Henry Fleet Dudley, Mary Dudley, Ann Pinchback Dudley, Frances Dudley, Martha Elizabeth Dudley, William Dudley, and George Fleet Dudley.Executors were wife Anne Dudley, son Henry Fleet Dudley, and William Chamberlayne, of New Kent County.

Henry Dudley was a Captain in the American Revolution (RW File R. 13891).He never married, but left a will written on 16 Feb 1788 as Harry Dudley of King and Queen County, proved 13 Sept 1790.Therein he made bequests of the 4,000 acres of land he had received as a Captain.1,000 acres went to his nephew Henry Fleet Dudley, 1,000 acres to his niece, Ann Pinchback Dudley and 2,000 acres to his brother William Dudley.The 4,000 acres that Harry Dudley received were located in the area that Harry referred to as Cain tuckey.Cain tuckey was reference to Kentucky County, Virginia which contained a significant portion of the military lands set aside by Virginia to reward its soldiers.Created in 1776 from Fincastle County, it was divided in 1780 into the counties of Fayette, Jefferson and Lincoln.Through the subsequent creation of a series of progeny counties, at least a portion of this land was ultimately located in McCracken County, Kentucky.

Regretfully, neither William nor Henry Dudley make any mention of their sister Ann (aka Nancy), who, according to the 1907 Letter married John Stephens on 27 July 1759

.

Research Notes

POSSIBILITY? that she is Mary Dudley-2776?

Sources

1. ↑ [1] Will of James Dudley (her husband) dated 6 Feb 1710/11, proved 3 April 1711 [widow Mary].
2. ↑ [2] Will of James Dudley presented by widow Mary Dudley. Middlesex O. B. 5. p. 13.
3. ↑ [3]Codicil of Dudley's will further proved 1 May 1711 by William Blackburn, & Edward Walford. Middlesex O. B. 5. p. 17.
4. ↑ [4] The parish register of Christ Church, Middlesex County, Va., from 1653 to 1812 by Christchurch, Va. Christ Church; National Society of the Colonial Dames of America. Virginia. Richmond, W. E. Jones, Printer, 1897. p. 82.
5. ↑ [5][6] William Dudley, by his guardian Thomas Elliott, filed suit against John Berry and Mary, his wife, widow & executrix of James Dudley [JR] to divide his father's [SR's] land. (First appears as wife of John Berry, 3 June 1712).
6. ↑ [7] Thomas Elliott, who witnessed codicil to s'd [Jr's] will, administered upon the estate of James Dudley [SR] & chosen Guardian & Next Friend to the elder Dudley's last two minor children Mary & William (this Mary's niece & nephew). Middlesex O. B. 5. p. 17.

• [8][9]John Berry & Mary, his wife, Executrix of the last will and testament of James Dudley, her late husband, and late called James Dudley of Middlesex Co. as plaintiffs against Edward Couch, the defendant...
• Virginia Births and Christenings, 1584-1917 database, FamilySearch, Mary Dudley, ; citing , reference ; FHL microfilm 873,777.

• The parish register of Christ Church, Middlesex County, Va., from 1653 to 1812 Author: National Society of the Colonial Dames of America. Virginia. Publisher: Richmond, W. E. Jones, Printer 1897. Page 82. John Berry & Mary Dudley married February 17, 1711

• Genealogies of Virginia Families From Tyler's Quarterly Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Volume 1. Reprinted by: Genealogical Publishing Com, 1981. Page: 627.
• Christ Church Parish Register - Middlesex County, Virginia notes:

"John Berry & Mary Dudley 17th of ffebruary 1711" married

.