"He is not man who does not bend the knee,
And she no woman who is not like thee!
Jamestown, and Plymouth's hallowed rock
To Me shall ever sacred be,-
Or breathe Viriginia' air, Or in New England claim his birth,
From the old pilgrims there, He is a bastard, if he dare to mock
Old Jamestown's shrine or Plymouth's rock.
-From "Ode to Jamestown" by James Kirke Paulding (1779-1860).
Mortality was extremely high in the first twenty years or so of the Jamestown Colony, and of the children sent as indentured servants, only one in ten would see adulthood. Between 1618 and 1622, the Virginia Company in companion with the City of London made a pact to send groups of children, in general, ages 8 to 16, to work in Virginia as apprentices or servants, basically the same as indentured servants, and often no more than slaves. The company intended for them to learn skills and become tenants. Those who received them were not ready for what they received. They wanted labor from children who needed care instead. They were mostly orphans, or street urchins, children who ran about the streets of London begging and stealing. They were poor, hungry and often sickly as well. Most came from Bridewell Hospital. Some died en route, others after arriving. One source states that of the first 300 children shipped, only 12 remained four years later. Nathaniel Tatum was one of the very few who beat the odds.
Nathaniel Tatum is one of my tenth Great Grandfathers. In a case of no pedigree collapse, a person would have 4096 ancestors at this level, and just Grandfathers, 2048. I do have pedigree collapse in my tree due to endogamy among the Burris and Mauldin lines, folks marrying cousins, or marrying back into a family after a number of generations, but still, I'm sure I have a large number of Tenth Great Grandfathers, and do not know who most of them were. Nathaniel Tatum is exceptional in that manner, too. I know who he was.
There are two separate Nathaniel Tatum's that people confuse often, Nathaniel the Immigrant and Nathaniel of Barbados. Nathaniel of Barbados was about 6 to 10 years younger, had a family, and arrived later. The Nathaniel I descend from was Nathaniel the Immigrant. He was christened on November 18, 1599, at Holy Trinity the Less Church in London, the son of William Tatum and Ellen Kirk (or Kirke). His parents were married on August 3, 1587, at St. Benet Grace Church on Gracechurch St in London. The Church he was baptized in was built in 1540 and destroyed by fire in the Great Fire of London in 1666, as was the St. Benet Grace Church, were his parents were married.
His Family Origins
Nathaniel was from London, and Tatum is a very old English name, dating at least to the Doomsday Book of 1069. It was "Tateham" in 1202, and essentially meanings "Ham" or Home of a man named Tate or Tata, literally "Home of a man named Tate." His father, William Tatum, appears to have been married twice, first, to Ellen Kirke, and second, to Anne, maiden name unknown.
The children of William Tatum (or Tatam) recorded in St. Michael Crooked Lane Parish were:
1) Samuel Tatam (July 5, 1590) He died young.
2) Anne Tatum (Aug. 25 1593 - Oct. 5, 1593)
3) Samuel Tatum (Oct 8, 1594 - unknown)
Children of William Tatam recorded in Holy Trinity the Less Parish
4) Jerome Tatum (Feb. 27, 1597 to Aug. 8, 1603.
5) Nathaniel Tatum (Aug. 3, 1599 to Jan .27, 1676 Virginia)
6) Nehemiah Tatam (April 25 1602 - August 1603)
Nathaniel was more than fortunate, he was blessed. William and his sons Jerome and Nehemiah were buried on August 1, 1603. His wife was buried two days earlier on July 30th of the same year. The plague killed over 37,000 Londoners between July until November 1603. Nathaniel must have been placed in a healthy home with neighbors or relatives when everyone began getting sick. He was the only family member who survived the dread disease. What happened to the 4-year-old after that is unknown. He may have been placed in an orphanage or became a street child. He was older than the other children when transported to America. Perhaps he was attempting, successfully, to pass for younger than he was. He appears to have been very sharp and sensible for his entire life. Mere survival required cunning.
George the Ship
The ship named 'George' left London on March of 1619 and arrived in Virginia in May of 1619.
"Adventurers of Purse and Person, Virginia 1607 – 1624/5," Fourth Edition, Compiled and edited by John Frederick Dorman, Volume Two, page 16" has the following entry l.
1619 May - Virginia: "Nathaniell Tatam aged 20 yeares in the George, May 1619"
Gotten from a Muster list dated January 22, 1724.
The age at 20 in 1619, aligns perfectly with the 1599 Baptism, meaning this is the correct Nathaniel Tatum.
Indian Wars
From its inception, Jamestown was, reasonably, the object of attack from the native peoples. Its mere existence was an invasion of their territory. On March 22, 1622 there was an attack on nearly every plantation and settlement. Charles City Point was reported to be wiped out. The settlers were mostly unarmed and unprepared.
By 1624, the Colony had set up musters at over twenty plantations, with arms and fortifications to prepare for future attacks. Nathaniel Tatum survived this dangerous period as well. He was listed in the muster as an occupant of a plantation known as "Shirley Hundred", and for arms he had, "Peece fixt - one, Armour - one." Shirley Hundred was located in what is now Charles City County, on the northeast bank of the James River. It was north of Eppes Island and across the river from Bermuda Hundred. The Shirley Plantation and house still exists, and is a tourist attraction and historic site today, hailed as "Virginia's Oldest Plantation."
Nathaniel had survived The Plague, Transportation, probable indenture, Indian attacks, disease and the ravages of a new Colony. He was Survivor. At the age of 25, he crossed the river and was living on the South side in "Charles Citty".
As an adult, Nathaniel Tatum returned to England for a time, leaving his property, possibly occupied by attendants. There, he married a woman named Ann, and she gave birth there to their first child there, a daughter named Mary, before returning to Virginia. He would be given a grant for the transportation of his wife and daughter.
Patents
July 24, 1638 Virginia Land Grant to Nathaniel Tatum - 500 acres on the Appamattuck River, west upon a 'great creek' and south in the main woods, east upon Causey's field, and north upon said river, due by assignment from Thomas Causey. '
July 25, 1638 Charles City County, Grant to Nathaniel Tatum, 100 acres on the Appamattox River, "bounded northerly upon the river..easterly upon a creek that parts the said land from 500 acres granted said Tatum, upon the river towards land of John Baker, due for transport of his wife Ann and his daughter Mary Tatum."
According to the book, Purse and Person, Nataniel was named as a tobacco viewer for the north side of the Appomattox River in 1640, along with Cheney Boyce and Anthony Wyatt.
Adventurers of Purse and Person, Virginia 1607-1624/5, Fourth Editions, Volume 3, by John Frederick Dorman – Families R-Z Genealogical Publishing County, Inc. page 260.
December 4, 1641, in Charles City County Grant to Nathaniel Tatum - 500 acres on Appomattox River, "beginning upon the farther side of a creek separate from land of said Nathaniel Tatum from the land of John Baker."
In 1644 there was another attack by the native tribe that occupied the coast of Virginia. In 1656, Nathaniel was part of a militia ordered to secure the immediate area.
Between 1638 and 1669, there were ten mentions of Nathaniel Tatum in the Virginia early land records, either involving his own property, or as a mention in the records of his neighbors. This gives an idea of who lived around him.
May 22. 1638 A Grant to Joseph Farye, 250 acres on the north side of the Appomattox, opposite the property of Nathaniel Tatum.
Oct. 10, 1639, A Grant to Edward Prince, 500 acres adjoining Nathaniel Tatum, with Prince's land running up the falls
Nov. 5, 1649, A Grant to Walter Childs, 813 acres .. running to a patch of water on Nathaniel Tatums property.
Jan. 23,1653 A Grant to Col. Francis Epps, 280 acres adjoining Nathaniel Tatum.
Mar 12, 1654 Walter Brooks purchased 300 acres running east along the head of NathanielTatum's land.
Mar 12, 1662 Grant to John Coleman for 600 acres at the head of Nathaniel Tatum's land.
Mar 18, 1662 Grant to Walter Brooks for 300 acres, north on Appomattox, then east alongthe head of Nathaniel Tatum's land.
Feb. 17, 1663 A sale to Col. Francis Epps for 285 acres at the head of Nathanile Tatum's land.
Mar 25, 1663 A sale to Lt. John Howell for 212 acres adjoining Nathaniel Tatum's land.
Aug 18, 1663 An Indenture to John Howell for 203 acres at place called Bakers, along a trace parting Nathaniel Tatum and Howell, then on to Cawson's Creek.
June 6, 1664 Nathaniel Tatum and Jervis Dix were paid as witnesses for Richard Nance. (Jarivs Dix would later marry Mary Tatum, who married John Howell first.
Jan. 27, 1675 A deed of gift from Nathaniel Tatum "The Elder" to his grandson, Nathaniel Tatum was recorded in Bristol Parish.
"Received of said Nicholas Dison, one old parchment book containing about 2 quire of paper and being Procedures of the Bristol Parish Court, held at Fort Henry, beginning 19 May 1655 and ending with a deed of gift from Nathaniel Tatum the elder to his grandson Nathaniel Tatum, of a parcel of land, entered 27 January 1675"
(Henrico County Colonial Deeds 1677-1705 by Benjamin B. Weisinger, III, 1996, page 62.)
April 26, 1684 A Land Patent for 150 acres in Isle of Wright County to Thomas Pill, the land being "which Ann Tatum died seized of". This showed Ann was dead by this date. Most sources secure Ann as Ann Godfrey, daughter of Peter Godfrey and Dorothea Wilde. This makes the most sense as the Tatum held a close and intermarried bond with the Wilder/Wilde family. I've also seen her as Ann Wainwright.
Nathaniel Tatum died about 1675 and his wife Ann died before 1684.
The five known children of Nathaniel and Ann Tatum were:
A) Mary Tatum, born in England. Married 1st: John Howell, Four children; Ann Howell Gibbs, Mary Howell Hood, Nathaniel Howell, John Howell. Married 2nd: Jarvis Hix: two daughters.
B) Nathaniel Tatum II , born in Charles City, Virginia. Married Elizabeth Turner. Children: Nathaniel Tatum III, Edward Tatum, Christopher Tatum, Peter Tatum and Henry Tatum.
C) Samuel Tatum, born in Charles City, Viriginia. Married Mary Elizabeth Moore.Children: Nathaniel (who married Elizabeth and was gifted the deed from his grandfather), Ann Tatum, Rebecca Tatum, Mary Tatum, Barbara Tatum and Samuel Tatum II who married Phoebe.
D) John Tatum , was a resident of Martin's Brandon Parrish, Charles City County. According to The Adventures of Purse and Person, he married Elizabeth (MNU), a widow, who would later marry John Good. They had one daughter, Elizabeth, who was neglected by her stepfather. Elizabeth would marry Anthony Wyatt, who went to court for her and the court ordered Good to restore or return her lands.
1688 April 13 – Charles City-County: At a Court held at Westover, 13 April 1688, complaint made that an orphan, Elizabeth Tatum, now in the care of Jno. Good, is utterly neglected by Good both in fitting education and apparel and other necessaries suitable to her estate. Good summoned to next court with account of Jno. Tatem, deceased. In meantime, Good (is) to decently care for girl or else Captain Nicho. Wyatt to be entrusted with her care. Said Elizabeth likewise to appear at next court.
(Charles City County, Virginia Court Orders 1687-1695, by Benjamin B. Wessiger III, 1980, page 17, original 122)
E) Isaac Tatum, who had a wife, but she is not named. He settled in Surry County. He was 31 when his age was taken from a deposition in 1667. This one is debatable. He seems to be a separate Tatum to me and not of the same class that Nathaniel attained through his long life and industry.
Nathaniel Tatum was an incredible survivor and patriarch. He lived through being orphaned by the plague, crossed the ocean at least twice, fought the land for sustenance and left descendants across America. His daughter Mary married Jarvis Dix. Their daughter married William Winfield and had son Jarvis who had son Edward who had son Peter, who moved to the Rocky River in North Carolina and whose daughter, Sarah, would marry Job Davis, who I named this blog after. They had a son Henry, who had a son Horton, who had a son William, who had a son Lewis, who had a daughter, Joyce, who had me. Now, I am a grandmother and have two generations below me. That's 15 generations in America descended from Nathaniel Tatum, the Immigrant.
Sources:
"Southside Virginia Genealogies," by John W. Pritchett, Genealogical Publishing County, Inc. 2006, on CD.
"Tidewater Virginia Families": Generations Beyond, by Virginia Lee Hutcheson Davis, 1998
"Marriages of Some Virginia Residents 1607-1800," by Dorothy Ford Wulfeck, Volume II, Surnames I-Z.
"Descendants of Cheney Boyce, 'Ancient Planter,' and of Richard Craven," by John Anderson Bayson, 1996
"Adventurers of Purse and Person – Virginia 1607-1624/5," Fourth Edition, by John Frederick Dorman, Volume 3, Tatum
Cavaliers and Pioneers – Virginia Land Patents and Grants 1623-1666, by Nell Marion Nugent and Library of Virginia on-line grants)
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