When Peter Winfield of Mecklenburg County, Virginia, arrived to the Rocky River area of Anson County in 1782, along with a caravan of friends and relatives, he brought with him the genetics of his grandfather, Jarvis Wingfield. In the same manner, Jarvis Wingfield carried the genes of his maternal grandfather, Jarvis Dix, whom he was named after. Peter was my fifth Great Grandfather, his father, Edward, my sixth, making Jarvis Wingfield my seventh Great Grandfather, and his Grandfather, Jarvis Dix, my 9th. The first name of Jarvis's mother was unknown, we only know her as the daughter of Jarvis Hix, who married William Wingfield. The Wingfield/Winkfield/Winfield family is one of my most researched families, as I found them absolutely fascinating. There was also material to research, so I didn't become frustrated beating my head against a brick wall, thanks to the Wingfield Society, a group formed to preserve and search for all things Wingfield. I've even attended one yearly meeting, when it was held within a reasonable driving distance. I therefore have folders upon folders, and notebooks, filled with Wingfield/Winfield information. I have two fat folders on Jarvis alone. I promise to keep this brief, or as brief as I can make it. God be with my children after I die who have to sort through this stuff and don't let them toss it aside. I hope I have one who becomes interested in their genealogy when they get older.
The first ancestor in this line to touch ground was William, but we must first travel back to Suffolk, England.
The Wingfield Family stems from a Saxon family that are found in Suffolk, England, prior to the Norman Conquest of 1066. They were from the start an Upper Middle Class family. Several were knights and there were two known to be Knights of the Garter.
Wingfield Castle still stands in the Parrish of Wingfield in Sussex, England. It's story began in 1384 when a man named Michael de la Pole "obtained the Kings’s leave to crenelate his masum mannem Wyngefeld ” and enclose all the land belonging to the estate".
Michael had fallen in love with a lady named Katherine de Wingfield, the daughter and heiress of Sir John de Wingfield, a favorite courtier of Edward of Woodstock, son of King Edward III, known through history as "The Black Prince". Contrary to modern film depiction, he was not black. His nickname derived from two factors, his fierceness and lack of mercy in battle during the Hundred Years War, and the darkness of his armor. Yet, the castle was founded on a love story.
There is little known about William, himself, other than he was born about 1636-1640 in England, migrated to Virginia. He married the daughter of Jarvis Hix. Her given name is unknown. Some sites or researchers use the generic name of Mary. Given she lived in a time and place where 90 percent of all girls were named either Mary, Elizabeth, Ann, Jane or Sarah, there's a good chance she was a Mary. About a 50/50 chance. Those are pretty good odds. If you've ever read ships records, like I have, you'll notice that Mary was as common a given name in England as M******d is now. Forgive me a bit of cheekiness.
William died a young man, before November 6, 1667, in Charles City, Virginia. While the Wingfield family had a hand in the founding of Jamestown, William Wingfield, the Patriarch of my branch, didn't arrive until settlement had safely and successfully been established as growth had spread up the James River. A map drawn by Augustine Herrman showed Charles City overtaking both sides of the river. At present, it's only an incorporated burg with a few hundred people and a deep well, and wealth, of history. Unfortunately for us, Charles City County, is a burned County. He had a Will, as it was mentioned in court records. Dr. John Coggan and John Howell ordered it to be proved on November 7th. That is how we know he died sometime shorty before that date. After William died, his young widow remarried to a man named William Dobson. Dobson, with the consent of his wife, gave guardianship of her two sons with William Wingfield, Robert and Jarvis, to her father, Jarvis Dix. "for as long as the law provides." This arrangement, which leads me to loose a little respect for Generic Mary, was registered in court in February, 1678. I realize things were very different back then. Women had few rights and fewer choices. Children who lost their fathers were considered orphans. Although, it was not the same thing as a woman 'ditching the kids for a dude', today, the fact that William Dobson did not want to take custody of the children, as happened with most stepfamilies, is telling and sad. Thank God for (their) Grandpa Jarvis.
Jarvis was the younger of the two boys, although he was his grandfather's namesake. Older brother Robert would later be associated with properties that had originally been the land of Jarvis Dix. The elder Jarvis had been born around 1616, and had arrived in the colony by about 1636.
Although the Will of William Winfield did not survive, the few recorded terms of Court did. Found in Alexandria, Virginia was the Charles City order book for 1676-1679, and found inside were a few valuable references.
"Ordered that Dr. John Coggan and John Howell appear at next court to prove the Will of William Winkfield (another variation of the name), dec'd and that William Dobson be summoned to give security for the estate of the orphans" 7 November 1677. County of Charles City 1676-1679 page 229.
Dr. John Coggin was a large landowner in Charles City County and one of the only Physicians in Virginia during those early years. John Howell had first patented land in Henrico County and in 1637 he patented 212 acres on the south side of the Appomattox River in Bristol Parrish. His property adjoined that of Captain Epps, Cason, and Nathaniel Tatum. Jarvis Winfields land would also border Captain Francis Epps and Nathaniel Tatum. There were much intermarriage and other connections between the families.
Then later, "William Dobson with consent of his wife, gives his two stepsons, Jarvis and Robert Winkfield to their grandfather, Jarvis Dix, for as long as the law provides and at the expiration of their time, to give them whatever the court considers convenient." November 16, 1677.
"The above deed was exhibited in court and registered Feb 4 1678, William Archer, clerk" Page 262.
These prove the parentage of Jarvis Wingfield and his brother Robert, and the timeline shows that they were born in Viginia Colony, in America.
Javis's stepfather, William Dobson, had been imported by Captain James Sturdivant/Studivant. There would become a generations long connection between the Wingfield's and their associated branches, and the Sturdivant's. There were several marriages between the Wynne, Wingfield and Sturdivant families.
Charles City is situated between the James and Chickahominy Rivers and was one of the shires established from the outgrowth of Jamestown in 1634. Jarvis Dix has obtained a land patent in Charles City County, along the James River around 1682, adjoining Williams and Barkers. Land grants show that the Sturdivant family lived in the part of Charles City that would become Prince George County about 1702, on Bull Hill Creek, (it began as City Creek). This is the same area that Jarvis Dix, Robert and Jarvis Wingfield, and the Wynne Family lived.
Jarvis Dix had married Mary Tatum, daughter of Nathaniel Tatum and his wife, Anne Godfrey Tatum, my 10th Great Grandparents.
Unlike his son-in-law, records of the existence of Jarvis Dix exist on two continents. He was baptized in London in 1616, as "Jarvise Dick" with his father being named as Robert Dicke (Dix) and his mother, Tabitha Pickman (Pittman).
| Name | Jervis Dick |
|---|---|
| Arrival Year | 1637 |
| Arrival Place | Virginia |
| Primary Immigrant | Dick, Jervis |
His name appears on a list of those being transported, found at the Virginia State Library, and reported in a book called Cavaliers and Pioneers: A Calendar of Virginia Land Grants, by Nell M. Nugent
He was summoned to court with Nataniel 'Tatem", which proved his status as son-in-law. Land he leased from Edward Hill Sr was sold to Col. John Gilliam, his neighbor.
In 1679, Jarvis Hix was freed from paying levies due to reaching the age of 63. Jarvis and his wife had at least two daughters, Jerusha and Miss Dix Wingfield Dobson. There are no sons noted, which may be why he took in his grandsons.
In the book, "Historical Southern Families IV", Chapter "Winfield-Pettypool" of Sussex, Virginia, that in Prince George County in 1702 and 1704, that Robert Wingfield was holding 107 acres and Jarvis 100 acres.
In 1695, Jarvis married Hannah Wynne, supposedly the daughter of Col. Thomas Wynne and Agnes Stith. There was another Hannah Wynne who married a Malone, and they were not the same person, therefore, they are easily confused.
Deed, 3 November 1701,Wingfield, Jarvis, For real property in that part of Charles City County, Virginia, which later became Prince George County, Virginia, from Thomas Busby to Jarvis Wingfield.
A second deed to Jarvis Wingfield from Thomas Busby was recorded the same day. By 1723, Jarvis and family had removed to Surry County, Virginia. Surry was founded in 1652 by the Virginia Company from a portion of James City County that lay south of the James River.
Surry County, Virginia
Deed Book 7, p. 490, 17 Dec 1723 “Jarvis Winfield and wife, Hannah Winfield, to Stephen Housman.100 acres on south side of Joseph's Swamp and bounded by John Doby Sr., Nathaniel Tatum Sr., and Thomas Busby. Wit: Robert Wynne, Richard Huson, Thomas Wynne. Rec. 18 Dec 1723.” Among the neighbors were Thomas Busby, Nathaniel Tatum and Thomas Wynne. This would have had to have been a younger Nathaniel Tatum, perhaps an Uncle or a Cousin.
In the Albemarle Parrish Register it was reported by William Winfield (his oldest son),In Sussex County, Virginia, that "Gervas Winfield aged 87, died March 24, 1756". Sussex County had been carved from the southwestern half of Surry County, two years earlier, in 1754, the part south of the Blackwater River.
The most telling record we have of Jarvis Wingfield is his probate file.
In a Chancery Court Suit titled Wingfield Vs Wingfield dated 1757, the children of Jarvis Winfield battled it out for a fair division of property in Sussex County. The Lawsuit in its' entirety can be found at the link below.
From the lawsuit we get the following information on the heirs of Jarvis Wingfield and wife, Hannah. The younger Wingfield children were suing their oldest brother, William, and their mother, Hannah.
“John Wingfield, John Barlow and Mary his wife, Thomas Dixon and Judith his wife, Richard Huson and Elizabeth his wife, Thomas Wynne and Martha his wife, Joel Wingfield, Joshua Wingfield, Martha Wingfield, and Peter Wingfield by Mary Wingfield their mother and protector, which said Joshua, Martha and Peter are infants under the age of twenty one years and children of Edward Wingfield deceased and which said Edward Wingfield was and the said John Wingfield, Mary Barlow, Judith Dixon, Elizabeth Huson and Martha Wynne are the children of Gervas Wingfield late of this county deceased. That the said Gervas Wingfield being in his life time and at the time of his decease possessed a considerable personal estate consisting of sundry valuable slaves and other things departed this life on or about the 24th day of March one thousand seven hundred and fifty six Intestate leaving Hannah Wingfield his widow and relict and William Wingfield his oldest son and heir at law."
In a later paragraph:
"In the year of our lord One thousand seven hundred & fifty six Administration of the estate of the said Jarvis Wingfield was committed to the said Wm. Wingfield who whereupon conceiving himself to have authority to do so, did of his own accord assign to the said Hannah Wingfield slaves as her third part-.that the said slaves are more than the said Hannah's full and equal third part of the slaves whereof the said Jervis died possessed, and that by the above recited Clause of the Act of Assembly the said William had no power to do so. "
There would be more suits to follow in 1757, in Dixon vs Wingfield, a disagreement over a slave was heard. Thomas Wynne and his wife, Martha Wingfield Wynne testified. It was a cousin marriage, not rare.
Family disputes over property, money and objects have divided families for generations. Hannah Wynne Wingfield would later even sue her grandson, Joshua Wingfield, son of Edward, for trespass.
In this suit, we see that Edward Winfield had died young leaving minor children: Joel, Joshua, Martha, and Peter. Peter is my direct ancestor who would first settle in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, on Taylors Creek, and then later remove to North Carolina and settle along the Rocky River, primarily in Anson County, but as he lived on or near the River, there was property on both sides. Later records include another daughter for Edward, Hannah. It seems Edward predeceased the lawsuit by a brief period, and Mary may have been expecting.
The children of Jarvis Wingfield and Hannah Wynne Wingfield were:
- William Wingfield (1694-1770) married Sarah Harris
- Edward Wingfield (1695- 1755) married Mary Harris
- Martha Wingfield (1696 - 1759) married Thomas Wynne
- John Wingfield (1698-1771) married Anne Eustace Buckner
- Mary Wingfield (1700-1756) married John Barlow
- Elizabeth Wingfield (1700-1770) married Richard Huson
- Judith Wingfield (1707-1772) married Thomas Dixon
Another fact that has always intrigued is the fact that it was recorded that Edward Wingfield had paid "667 pounds of tobacco for Elizabeth Davis". Who was she? His granddaughter, Sarah would marry into a Mecklenburg County, Virginia Davis family after moving to the Rocky River.
Children of Edward Wingfield and Mary Harris Wingfield were:
- Joel Winfield (30 Dec 1731-1777) Wife Unknown. At least two daughters, Martha and Mary.
- Martha Winfield (1736) Married William Faison
- Joshua Wingfield (1739-1818) Married 1st Jemima Freeman 2nd Rebecca Thrower Carloss.
- Hannah 1744 - ? ) Married Matthew Godwin
- Peter (1746-1802) Married Charlotte Freeman
And they removed to Anson County, North Carolina and settled along the Rocky River in the area that now covers
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