Elizabeth (Stanley) Alvis (abt. 1719 - aft. 1796)

Born about 1719 in Cedar Creek, Hanover, Virginia

Ancestors

Wife of David Alvis — married [date unknown] in Virginia

Descendants

Died after 11 Nov 1796 after about age 77 in Goochland, Goochland, Virginia

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Biography

This profile is part of the Stanley Name Study.

Elizabeth (Stanley) Alvis lived in Virginia.

1931 manuscript by Celeste Terrell Barnhill reported that Elizabeth Stanley, daughter of John Stanley and his first, unidentified wife, married a Mr. "Olvis." From my research in Goochland County I recognized the name as a common variation of Alvis.

"Tony Rockefeller Genealogist and Historian on the Hightower Family" has a birthdate for her of 29 Mar 1718; this must be a confusion with Elizabeth, the daughter of Thomas Stanley, Jr. KP

From http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/STANLEY/1996-12/0851580101, 26 Dec 1996. Comments by Kathy Patterson in brackets. John Stanley, the eldest, and his second wife, Martha Hutchens Stanley, reportedly had a daughter, Elizabeth, who married a Mr. Alvis, given name unidentified. This would have been later than the birth of the Elizabeth Stanley Alvis, described above, however, as John Stanley and Martha Hutchens were not married until 11 OCT 1743. Their daughter, Elizabeth, was reported in Hinshaw's ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN QUAKER GENEALOGY, Volume VI, VIRGINIA, to have been born on 15 MAY 1749. [The daughter Elizabeth of the second marriage is not known in my Stanley sources, although some say she was John Alvis's wife; he would obviously not have married an aunt, even a half-aunt.] The same reference gave the date of birth of Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Stanley [Jr.] and his first, unidentified, wife, as 29 MAR 1719. This data had to come from the Henrico (formerly White Oak Swamp) Monthly Meeting Minutes, as Monthly Meeting Minutes at Cedar Creek did not begin until around 1739 or 1740. A photostatic copy of these minutes can be found at the Virginia State Archives. [Barnhill reported that this Elizabeth married Thomas Beaver.] The Henrico MM minutes reported that Thomas Stanley [Jr.] married Elizabeth Crews at the Charles City County Meeting House in 8 SEP 1726. She was the daughter of John Crew. Hinshaw lists two children of Thomas Stanley who were born prior to 1726: Maddox Stanley, born 17 AUG 1715, and Elizabeth Stanley, born 29 MAR 1719 [contemporary calendar]. The mother of these two was apparently not identified in Quaker records. It seems quite possible that the descendants/family historians who reported that Elizabeth, daughter of John, married Mr. Alvis, confused her with Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas. I, personally, did not find the documentation for an Elizabeth Stanley marriage to a Mr. Alvis when I reviewed the White Oak Swamp and Cedar Creek minutes at the VA State Archives. But I may have overlooked the reference in my haste. [See above for source of this.] I recommend you check Hinshaw's ENCYCLOPEDIA for the names Elizabeth Maddox and David Alvis, possibly mis-recorded as "Olvis" or "Alves." Many public libraries have these six volumes of annotated indices to Quaker records. THE VESTRY BOOK OF ST. PAUL'S PARISH, New Kent (1704-1720) and Hanover Counties (1720 following), includes references to George Alvis, who was a vestryman for the Church of England around 1720. There are no references to other persons named Alvis. Was David Alvis a son of George Alvis? Processioning records indicated that George Alves owned land in the same general vicinity as land owned by John Stanley, the eldest. For example, George Alves was in the same processioning precinct with Cecelia Anderson, who owned land adjacent to one of John Stanley's tracts. You might find data about the Alvis family in THE DOUGLAS REGISTER, which is the published version of the Register of St. James Northam Parish (of the Church of England), Goochland County, which was maintained by the Rev. Dr. Douglas. The parish minister was required by the laws of England to maintain vital statistics for his parish. David Alvis was enumerated on the 1778 personal property tax list for Goochland County as a neighbor of John Strong and Nathan Strong. My ancestor, Anne Stanley Strong, daughter of John Stanley, the eldest, moved into this neighborhood a few years later, by 1781. The 1782 tax list [for calendar year 1781?] listed Ashly Alvis, Shad. Alvis, Elijah Alvis, and David Alvis in this neighborhood. I did not track the Alvis family but got the impression that they fell into a different tax precinct from the Strongs in subsequent years. For example, in 1800, the Strongs were in John Underwood's tax precinct; Harris and Elijah Alvis were listed in Archibald Pleasant's tax precinct. The Goochland County tax lists are available on microfilm from the LDS Family History Center. I believe I have some notes about a [Mrs.] Mary Alvis who was mentioned in the will of Joseph Woodson of Goochland County. Best wishes, Robert T. ("Bob") Strong, Jr.

In another post, Bob Strong said: If John Stanley, the eldest, had a daughter, Elizabeth, who married out of unity, or contrary to discipline, then it is strange that there is no reference to her being "disowned" (excommunicated) from the Society of Friends. There seems to be little proof that John Stanley, the eldest, had a daughter named Elizabeth. That purported child should, thus, thus be labeled a "possible" child. [On the other hand, we know John Stanley had a first wife, but she was never identified in Quaker records, either! John Stanley appears to have not affiliated with the Society of Friends until after he was married and had several children. See the "testification" against Ann Stanley Strong, which suggests she was accepted into the church membership when her father affiliated.]

Notes

If she was the Elizabeth Alvis who was deposed in 1796 concerning Forester's wages, she was still living in that year and likely was Forester's mother.

The names given to several of the sons of David Alvis Sr (Ashley, Shadrach and Stanley) indicate that she was the mother of these, at least.

Sources