Location: [unknown]
From Jane's profile, as of 7 October 2023:
Jane (Drury) Stith (abt.1625-aft.1694)
Jane Drury was probably born around 1625 in England, where she married Thomas Gregory.[1] Sometime in the late 1640s or around 1650, the Gregorys immigrated to Charles City County, Virginia, following, or accompanied by, Thomas Drury[citation needed] (Jane's brother or uncle; not her father). Thomas and Jane had a son, Thomas Gregory, Jr.[2]
After Thomas died in 1655,[3] Jane married Joseph Parsons, whose wife, thought to have been a daughter of Edward Mosby, had recently died. Jane and Joseph had one daughter, Judith Parsons. [Note: Probably Judith was the daughter of his previous wife, not Jane.[4]] Then Joseph died, in 1656. Later that year (1656) Jane married her third husband, Maj. John Stith.[5]
Jane had no money for his [Joseph Parson's] funeral, so the county court ordered Thomas Drury (presumably Jane's brother) and Edward Mosby to split the charges. Edward Mosby was named the guardian of Judith Parsons. Twice widowed now, Jane was still very early in her thirties. She took a third husband, John Stith. He had money, so Thomas Drury asked for and got a court order transferring his share of the funeral expenses to John Stith. However, Edward Mosby remained the guardian of Judith Parsons until Mosby died in 1663; then Stith took over the guardianship. He also struck a deal with Richard Mosby, who was evidently Edward Mosby's son and heir, providing that Richard Mosby was to pay half of Judith's inheritance in 1665 and the other half in 1666.[6]
Mosby and Drury have been the two most popular choices for Jane's maiden name. Drury is the obvious choice, because she named a son Drury and that name became traditional for males in the Stith family. No Stith was ever named Mosby. The objection of Mosby partisans has been that Jane cannot be a daughter of Thomas Drury, because there is a 1665 deed of gift in which Thomas Drury gave six slaves to his "dear and onely child" Dorothy. But there is no reason to think Jane was a daughter of Thomas Drury. Thomas Gregory and "Ja. Gregory" are mentioned as headrights in the same 1653 land patent, so there is good reason to think Jane was married for the first time in England. That's where her father was; Thomas is much more likely to have been her brother.
See her profile for more information.
The following is the hidden text that was included on her profile prior to 7 October 2023, when it was moved to this page.
pre-merge datafields
Jane Stith formerly Gregory aka Gregory, Parsons Born 1624 in Prince William, Virginiamap Daughter of [father unknown] and [mother unknown] [sibling(s) unknown] Wife of John Stith — married December 1656 in Henrico, Virginia, USAmap Mother of Anne Stith-267 Died April 3, 1694 in Charles City, Charles, Virginia, USAmap Gregory-3227 — Profile manager: Greg Hays
Jane Stith formerly Drury aka Gregory, Parsons Born about 1625 [uncertain] in Englandmap Daughter of [father?] and [mother?] [brothers or sisters?] Wife of Thomas Gregory — married 1650 in probably Virginiamap Wife of Joseph Parsons — married 1654 in Virginiamap Wife of John Stith — married 1656 in Charles City Co., VA.map Mother of Thomas Gregory, Judith Parsons, John Smith, Jane Stith, John Stith, Agnes Smith, Anne (Stith-5) Bolling, Agnes (Stith) Wynne and Drury Stith Sr. [add child] Died after 1694 in then of Charles City County, Virginiamap Drury-727
for fear it will disappear from the web... following copied from http://stithvalley.com/scottfam/stithfam/wanda.htm on July 11, 2016:
More on the case for Jane Drury
Note from Wanda Stith Hagen 3 April 2000:
Here are my compliments to Harriet Fast Scott. I agree with her %100 and found the information she supplied about JANE DRURY to agree with what I have in my files. Refer to my book, "The Stith Family, Vol. I" p.18 etc. which discusses my theory that John Stith's wife was named "DRURY' and not "Mosby". I think it is possible that Thomas Drewe was her uncle and that her father may have not come to the colonies or perhaps have died but I have no verification. This is a puzzle that keeps coming up and it would be a great break through if it was solved!!
Although I have had a correspondent send me information that her surname was "Bolling" I never found that to be accurate and he had no verification for it. Harriet's explanation is the best I have seen and very thorough. - Wanda
Excerpt from:
The Stith Family Part 1, Virginia, by Wanda Stith Hagen, printed by Access Laserpress, Phoenix, Arizona, 1994.
Parts of pages 18 and 19 follow along with the reference page for the chapter, page 22.
Speculation has it that Jane's surname may have been Drury or Drewry, because the given name of "Drury" was passed on for many generations, not only through male descendants, but also through female descendants. It has been suggested that Thomas Drewe may have been the father of: Jane and that the name "Drewry" was derived from "Drewe". This is disproved by a Charles City County court order, 18
Vol. 13, p. 5'39, as follows: Deed of Gift, 11 Nov. 1665. Lt. Col. Thomas Drewe gave six negroes to his "...dear and onely(sic) child Dorothy Drew...." It says that if she dies before marriage they go to his "...Brother George Drew, Exqr. of the realme of England...."
It has also been suggested that Jane's surname may have been "Mosby"; however, this is not probable, since none of her children were named either "Edward" or "Mosby". A reasonable probability would be that Edward Mosby may have been the father of the first wife of Joseph Parsons, and therefore would be the grandfather of Judith Parsons. After the death of Jane's second husband, Joseph Parsons, "Edward Mosby" had been made guardian of Joseph's daughter, Judith Parsons. By an order in Westover Court, October 27, 1656, Edward Mosby was ordered to pay "Tho. Drewe" for the expenses of the funeral of ".. Joseph Parsons and other dues...."13 In another court order it is ordered that "...John Stith pay to Edd Mosby 3,'8 sterl' pd by him to Mr Thomas Drew for nesecaris for the funeral of Joseph Parsons...l4 When John Stith and Jane Parsons were married, Edward Mosby retained guardianship of Judith. The marriage had taken place about October, 1656, and it was seven years later on December 3, 1663, only after the death of Mosby, that: John Stith was granted guardianship of the girl.15 In a Westover Court record of April 12, 1664, it is mentioned that the orphan of Joseph Parsons had been "...in the care of Edd Mosby, Dec'd...."l6 Judith was probably about sixteen to eighteen years of age at this time, because in Westover Court' October 18, 1664, there is an agreement between John Stith and "Richard" Mosby, concerning the estate of Judith Parsons, whereby Mosby is to pay Stith half of the estate of "Ed" Mosby by Christmas, 1605 and the other half by Christmas, 1666 It states that in the case of marriage of the orphan, the payment is to be made to her husband, therefore she may be near the marrying age. "Richard" may have been the son of Edward Mosby and for some reason the estate of Judith Parsons had become a part of his father's estate. In another abstract, recorded at about this same time and dated October 3, 1665, Richard Mosby gave a deposition in a lawsuit (not relative to this family), and his age is listed as "about 39". This would be a probable age for him to be Judith's uncle. Judging from many court records which involved John Stith, he was not a man who bargained easily, therefore this contract suggests that these people were all part of his family or his wife's family.
Notes - John and Jane Stith - Immigrants
1. Fleet, Beverly, Virginia Colonial Abstracts Vol. 10, Gen. Pub. Co. Baltimore, 1961 p.91 Charles City County Court Orders (C10-p.116) Merchants Hope
2. Hotten, John Camden, The Original Lists of Persons of Quality 1600- 1760, p.141, Pub.1931 "Importation of Howell Pryse" age 25 -Taken oath of Alleg. "being husbandman" - To be transported to the Barbadoes, imbarqued in the Expedition of Mr. Peter Blackler, from England - 20 Nov. 1635
3. Greer, G. C. Early Virginia Immigrants - 1623-1666 Pub. 1912, a collection of the original records of the land office in Richmond, Virginia
4. Fleet, Va. Col. Abstracts Vol. 10, p. 44 (C10, p.58)
5. Foley, Louise Pledge Heath, Early Virginia Families Along The James River - Vol. II, Gen. Pub. Co., Baltimore, 1980, pp.3,0,31,46 - (500 acres, Chas. City Co. Pat. Book 3, p.299) (550 acres, Book 3, p.304) (636 acres, Book 6, p.555) (263 acres, Book 7, p.244) 6. Fleet, Vol. 10, p.54 (Charles City Co. Court Order Book 10, p.69) 7. Fleet, Vol. 11, p.96/97 (C11, p.277) 8. Fleet, Vol. 10, p.63 (C10, p.81) 9. Fleet, Vol. 13, p.19 (C13, p.516)
10. More information about Bacon's Rebellion: Chpt. I 'DRURY STITH(2) AND SUSANNAH BATHURST"
11. Fleet, Vol. 11, p.46 (C11, p.196)
12. Va. Mag. Hist. & Biog., Vol. 9, p.282
13. Fleet, Vol. 10, p.61 (C10, 0.99)
14. Fleet, Ibid.
15. Fleet, Vol. 12, p.79 (C12, p.433)
16. Fleet, Vol. 12, p.91 (C12, D.455); Vol. 11, p.96 (Cll, p.277) 3 June, 1661: Edward Mosby reports expenses paid out of the estate of Judith Parson, and on 0.97 (Cll, p.278) an order allowing these expenses to be paid reads, "Wheras Edward Mosby, Guardian of Judith Parsons one(sic) of the orphans of Joseph Parsons dec'd having paid from her estate several debts due from her father's estate...."
17. Fleet, Vol. 10, p.83 (C10 p.106)
18. Fleet, Vol. 12, p.83 (C12 p.440/41)
19. Fleet, Vol. 13, D.52 (C;3 D.594)
20. The expression "stretching chains" refers to surveyor's equipment. A "chain" equals 65 feet and contains lt)O oval shaped links which are 7.92" in length. Four "chains" equal one "pole".
21. Caveat: A notice that an interested party files with the proper legal authorities directing them to refrain from an action until he/she can be heard.
22. Fleet, Vol. 13, p.3 (Cl3 p.543)
23. Hopkins, William Lindsay, Some Wills of Burned Counties, p.23, P. O. Box 7254, Richmond, Va. 1987, Will of JOHN STITH, Written: 13 Nov. 1690 - Cocicil: 3 Oct. 1693 - Proven: 3 Apr. 1634, "Charles City Co. Deeds & Wills 1692-1694," pp.135-87
24. Boddie, John Bennett, Historical Southern Families, Vol. 14, 0.54 & Vol. 19 p.53 Records of "Cureton-Bicars", which comprised 600 a:res of land on the James River, were found in the papers of Col. Benjamin Harrison, father of Benjamin Harrison, signer of the Declaration of Independence, about 1746. Part of that land, 470 1/2 acres, granted to H,rrison by "John Stith, Jr." had been given to his son William Stith, who sold it, in 1733, to Col. Harrison.
Chronology of transactions: (1641 -Granted -Thomas Mathews) (6 July 1647 - Pat.- Francis Warradine) (1652, 13 Oct. - Pat. - James Warradine -Renewed-18 Mar.,1662) (1692, 29 Apr. - Granted by escheat patent -"John Stith, Jr.") (I have been unable to associate any of the owners previous to John Jr. with Jane, but because I found no records indicating that Major John S-ith, Sr. owned the land, I think it is possible that John Stith, Jr. claimed his legacy through his mother and that I have just not been able to find the connection. -wh)
25. Hopkins, Some Wills, p.23, WILL-JOHN STITH, names wife JANE, daughters, JANE LLEWELLYN; AGNES WYNN; ANN BOILING; sons, JOHN STITH and DRURY STITH
Footnotes
- ↑ Birth also given as Virginia (see Vital Statistics).
- ↑ See The Case for Jane Drury by Harriet Fast Scott (see Drury as Maiden Name) and More on the Case... by Wanda Stith Hagen, also posted by Jess B. Scott on his Stith Valley website.
- ↑ The Case for Jane Drury by Harriet Fast Scott (see Drury as Maiden Name).
- ↑ See, for example, The Case for Jane Drury by Harriet Fast Scott
- ↑ Genforum Post by Vera Cotter, July 30, 2005
- ↑ GenForum post by Karen Cotter, message 370
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