Bullards of Virginia

Profile manager: Lynette Jester [send private message]

[BULLARD] Va Bullards Sandra Ferguson 9/23/2000, 9:04:59 AM

There is a notation, in JOHN H. BRADSHAW AND SCYTHIA ENFIELD FRITTER of STAFFORD COUNTY, VIRGINIA, compiled by J. Douglas Bradshaw, on pg.. 163... "The Bullards were early settlers in the Colony of Virginia and in order to pay for their transportation they likely became indentured servants. Rich. (Richard) Bullard and Tho. (Thomas) Bullard arrived in Westmoreland Co., VA in 1654 and were transported by Col Humphrey Higgerson and Abraham Moone. Another Thomas Bullard arrived in 1637, and also was transported by Col. Higgerson. John Bullard came in 1642, having been transported by Thomas Say, and Henry Bullard arrived in 1636, transported by Christopher Calthropp." The book doesn't make it clear if these Bullards were indentured, or entered VA as "headrights"....the colony of VA would give anyone (I'm assuming men only) 50 acres if they would emigrate to the colony. So, many struck a "deal" with a Virginia resident to give them the 50 acres if the person would pay their passage to VA. These were called headrights, and actually arrived in VA unencumbered, but without land. (This didn't seem to be too big a deal, for one of my ancestors came over this way in 1650, and in 1661 brought over 11 "headrights" himself! It was infinitely better than spending 4 to 7 years in bondage.....

The above Bullards are all listed in EARLY VIRGINIA EMIGRANTS 1623-1666, by George Greer. And, TIDEWATER VIRGINIA FAMILIES, by Davis, also lists, on page 217, that a "Mr. Bullard" served as a justice of James City county, for at least the year of 1664. These are only the know Bullards, and there may well have been others, so, there wasn't any particular shortage of Bullards in VA, at a fairly early date.

Couldn't this be the origins of your Thomas, who was in VA/NC? One of these VA Bullards rather than those who emigrated to New England? I've always wondered if my own Reuben's family had, somehow made it's way south, but researched the New England ones and couldn't seem to find any "spare" male members that disappeared, etc, and could account for those in VA (not to say there weren't any, but I just couldn't find them). I finally decided that it makes more sense for him to have been a descendant of those earlier VA Bullards.

https://lists.rootsweb.com/hyperkitty/list/bullard@rootsweb.com/thread/34974201/

So my arguement would be "WHY would anyone look to another area like Massachusetts for the for the origins of the Bullards in Virginia, when there are plenty of candidates in your own backyard that come to within a generation or two of Henry Bullard of Virginia?"