|
Nicholas Perkins & Elizabeth Hardynge
|
|
TYLER'S QUARTERLY MAGAZINE pp. 216-217 The immigrant ancestor of the Goochland PERKINS family which came from Henrico county is supposedly NICHOLAS PERKINS, who was transported to Henrico County, Virginia, in 1641 by Bryant Smith (EARLY VIRGINIA IMMIGRANTS, 1623-1666, by Greer). In 1650 he was granted land in Bermuda hundred, beginning in Cole's swamp, Henrico County, for the transportation of four persons into the colony. Mary Perkins, Wm. Owes, and Richard Hues and the three mentioned (CAVALIERS AND PIONEERS, by Nugent.) There has been much speculation as to NICHOLAS PERKINS' ancestry and as to his marriage(s). His widow's name was Mary and after his death in about 1664 she married Richard Parker: In volume 10, 11, 13 (Charles City County, Virginia) of Virginia Colonial Abstracts, by Fleet, reference is made to the settling of NICHOLAS PERKINS' estate. His two youngest children, Elizabeth and Nicholas, are mentioned as well as his daughter Lydia. ---------- DAUGHTERS OF AMERICAN COLONISTS LINEAGE BOOK Vol. 15 p. 80 NICHOLAS PERKINS born 1624 received a patent No. 2, 1643-51 of 170 acres in Henrico Co., Va. ---------- DAUGHTERS OF AMERICAN COLONISTS LINEAGE BOOK Vol. 17 p. 180 A Hardeman descendant Mrs. Mary Jewel Burton Standefer NICHOLAS PERKINS 1624-1656 received 500 acres of land in Charles City Co., Va. born in Bedfordshire, England --------- THE COMPENDIUM OF AMERICAN GENEALOGY Vol. 4 Mary, m. NICHOLAS PERKINS landed propr..Bermuda Hundred and Henrico Co., Va., 1650 and later; shows son Nicholas Perkins. ---------- THE DESCENDANTS OF NICHOLAS PERKINS by William K. Hall By 1641 Virginia was well established...Many men eager for land would bring friends, relatives, servants, workers, and others to Virginia in order to qualify for the land grants...The fact that NICHOLAS PERKINS arrived in Virginia in 1641 under such circumstances does not reveal much about his background. However the entry is of interest as the first record of this PERKINS family in Virginia. it is on p. 783 of Land Patents Bk. 1 (1623- 1643) that the name of NICHOLAS PERKINS first appears. On Oct. 10, 1641, Bryant Smith was granted 100 acres in Henrico County for the transportation of two persons into the colony: NICHOLAS PERKINS and Gringall Delahaye. Whether NICHOLAS was old or young, rich or poor, there is no way of knowing. The extant records reveal very little about him. Nevertheless, whether he had means when he arrived or whether he acquired means by thrift and industry afterwards, he was able nine years later to pay transportation costs of four persons into the colony and for this he was granted 170 acres. The patent is recorded on p. 262 of Land Patents Bk. 2 (1643-1651) and reads: To all etc whereas etc Now Know you that I the Said Sr Wm Berkeley etc give and grant unto NICHOLAS PERKINS one hundred and Seventy Acres of Land lying in Bermuda hundred in the County of Henrico Bounded Viz:-beginning at a marked Oake in Coles his swamp and Running a Long Cunicott Path west forty Chaynes thence North west by North one hundred and twenty Chaynes thence along the Cart Path to the head of Coles Swamp and Soo along the Said Swamp to the Place where it Begun, the Said Land being due unto the said NICHOLAS PERKINS by and for the transporting of four persons etc to have and to hold etc which payment is to be made seven years after the first grant or seating thereafter etc dated the 30th of August 1650. Mary Perkins, William Owen, Richard HuesThe Mary Perkins mentioned in the patent was very likely the wife of NICHOLAS PERKINS. If so, either she was returning from a visit to England or else NICHOLAS had returned to England after his coming in 1641 because the children of NICHOLAS and Mary were born during the 1640's--but whether in England or Virginia is not known. A hundred was a political subdivision of an English county which originally contained about a hundred families. The term was formerly used in Virginia and in Maryland and Pennsylvania and still survives in Delaware. Bermuda hundred was located where the Appomattox empties into the James. It is on the south side of the James River and not included within the present boundaries of Henrico County. When the original counties were formed in 1634 James City County included Jamestown and the site of Williamsburg. Next up the river was Charles City County, and above that was Henrico County. Although NICHOLAS PERKINS' land grant was to 170 acres in Henrico County, he seems to have lived in Charles City County and it was there that he died probably in 1656. On July 31, 1656, Richard Parker, intending to marry the widow of NICHOLAS PERKINS, signed an agreement confirming to her the estate of her late husband: "...I Richard Parker do freely give and consent to and with Mary Perkins that she shall make over unto herselfe all the estate wch her late decd husband left for & by his will doth appt both here & in England and further I do injoyne myself to bring her children up to Larning to ye true intent and meaning hereof..." This writing was produced in the September Court and recorded on p. 63 of Charles City Records 1655-1665. This record indicates that NICHOLAS PERKINS possessed property not only in Virginia but also in England and it tends to support those who claim that NICHOLAS PERKINS was a man of some means even prior to his arrival in Virginia. The document of Mar. 17, 1656 (the end of the Julian year), which speaks of other things or servants which shall be sent for his widow further at anytime, also indicates property in England. Probably in August 1656, shortly after the agreement of July 31, was signed, Dr. Richard Parker and the widow Mary Perkins were married. Certainly NICHOLAS PERKINS was only recently dead--his will was not even offered for probate until the September Court--but with the scarcity of women in the early days of the Colony and the economic difficulties which faced a widow with children prompt remarriages were the rule of the times. The will of NICHOLAS PERKINS was presented to the court at Westover in September 1656. Page 67 of the Charles City Records reads. "A probat of the last will and testamt of NICHOLAS PERKINS Decd this day proved in cort is granted to Richd Parker who married the relect and exex of the said decedt." Unfortunately a copy of the will has not been found in the existing records. Another agreement made by Dr. Parker is recorded on p. 87 of the same records. it was made Mar. 17, 1656, and produced in Court and recorded Apr. 5, 1657: "Whereas I Richard Parker chirurgeon did formally freely consent and agree to the signing sealing delivery & in a... estate belonging to my now wife Mary Parker now know yee that I sd Rich Parker for divers good causes and considerations moving me thereto friendly & freely confirm to sd Deeds children by these...I so friendly and freely make over to my sd wife MARY all the crop that her two boyes or servts shall make this ensuering yeare and after so long as they have to serve or any other things or servts which shall be sent from her further at any time or times whatsoever. to have and to hold as her owne property and free the sd two servts wch goods or servants already sent out, to be sent unto my sd wife, unto her for ever without any let or hinderance of me the sd Richd Parker or any other person & ... In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seale this 17th day of March 1656." It was signed, sealed, and acknowledged in the presence of Daniel Llewellen and John Aste and recorded by Howell Pryse, clerk. An account of the Parker family written in 1673 quoted on p. 422 of Vol. 5 of VIRGINIA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY states that Richard Parker was the son of James Parker and Katherine Buller. The account continues, "Rich'd, ye 9th child, Dr. of Phyzicke, went into Virginy, married a Londoner and had issue six children. Liveth upon S'nt James river in ye uplands of Cirginy & hath been High Sherife of ye s'd county." If, as seems likely, the Richard Parker who made a deposition April 3, 1660, and gave his age as 31 (p. 232 Charles City Records), was the son of Dr. Richard Parker, then the doctor must have been married prior to 1629. Very likely his first wife was the "londoner" by whom he had six children and his marriage to the widow Mary Perkins in 1656 was a second marriage for both of them. It seems reasonable to assume that he was born about 1600-1610 and that Mary was born about 1610-1620. On March 3, 1661, Richard and Mary Parker deeded to Richard Taylor land on Powder Creek beginning at Barbado Island (p. 327 Charles City Records). The Charles City County Court of August 4, 1662, ordered "that Richrd Parker shall not depart out of Sherf custody until he give cautions: for or the deliver the estate of ye orphans of NICHOLAS PERKINS decd..." (p. 333 Charles City Records). By December 25, 1664, he had moved to Henrico County and on that date the Charles City County Court appointed the clerk "to request ye Cort of Henrico County to take security of Rich'd Parker for ye estate and education of the two youngest children of NICHOLAS PERKINS deced and satisfie the security so taken to this Cort whereby they may be discharged from the sd estate" (p. 499 Charles City Records). In 1669 Richard Parker patented 350 acres of land on Four Mile Creek in Henrico County. It was also on Four Mile Creek in Henrico County that his stepson NICHOLAS PERKINS later owned land. These few brief items are about all that is definitely known concerning the first NICHOLAS PERKINS and his wife. The references are almost all to the Charles City Records (1655-1665) of which a photostatic copy may be found in the Virginia State Library in Richmond. Many of the records pertaining to the PERKINS family are quoted in BURTON CHRONICLES OF COLONIAL VIRGINIA by Francis Burton Harrison, 1933. In addition to the facts as shown by the extant records, various suppositions have been made about the PERKINS family. Miss Lucie Perkins Stone proposed an English ancestry for the family--see p. 524. Worth S. Ray in his book TENNESSEE COUSINS, 1950, suggested that the wife of NICHOLAS PERKINS was a Mary Burton, possibly the daughter of John Button and Lydia Fry. The known children of NICHOLAS PERKINS and Mary his wife were: Lydia Perkins (ca 1642 - ) m. John Howell Elizabeth Perkins (ca 1643 - ) m. Jones Nicholas Perkins (ca 1647 - ca 1712) m. Sarah Childers At least one more and possibly other children. Jannet Klinker of Abilene, Texas, sent information saying her cousin Ginger W. Stallings of Plano, Texas, did research on this line & that NICHOLAS PERKINS was born 1624 in Bedfordshire, England. He married ELIZABETH HARDYNGE the daughter of Constantine Hardynge. This would account for the names Harding & Constantine which are brought down through this family. I believe ELIZABETH died about 1850 & NICHOLAS remarried at this time. NICHOLAS PERKINS was in Va 1641, children were born 1642-7, and Mary was transported over 1650. There was no indication the children came with her in 1650. I do not believe them to be Mary's children. ---------- VIRGINIA COLONIAL ABSTRACTS Fleet 975.5 F Vol 10 p. 48 C 10 page 62 This present writing witnesseth that I Richard Parker Do freely give consent to & with Mary Perkins that she shall make over unto her selfe all the estate which her late Dec'd husband left her by his will Doth appe, both here & in England & further I do enjoyne my sleft to bring her children up to Learning to the true intent & meaning hereof I the sd Richard Parker hereunto sett my hand Dated this last Day of July 1656 Test Richd Parker Richard Delabere Recorded 7br 5 Seq (5th Sept 1656) p. 52 C 10 page 67 4 Oct 1656 A probat of the last will and testament of NICHOL: PERKINS Dec'd this Day proved in Court is granted to Richard Parker who married the relect and exerx of the sd Dec'edt Vol 11 p. 18 C 11 page 159 Be it knowe unto all men by these presents that I Richd Parker haveing exchanged one cowe called Rose w'ch belonged to Elizabeth the orphane of NICHOL' PERKINS dec'd & delivered the same unto Capt otho Southcott for the use of Robert Rowse, which I hereby confirm unto him & his heirs exrs adm'rs & assigna for ever with all increase, Do therefore xx in lieu xx & for the better breed profitt & increase for the sd orphane give xx for the use of the sayd orphane one cow called Gentle xx & one cow calfe that came of her of the same mark: As also unto Lydia Perkins one heyfer of about two years & a halfe old named Coale xx To have hold & enjoy the sd cattell with all increase profitt & produce threof unto the sd children xx Witness my hand 8 br qr 1658 Wit Rich Parker Wm Ffisher Recognet: in Cur 8br 4 1658 rec 8br 27 Sequ Note: 8br qr 1858 October 4, 1658 qr for quarter - fourth Vol 13 Page 7-8 At a Court for Orphans at Westover. 15 Sept. 1664. C 13 page 498. Abstract. On petition of Elizabeth Perkins, and her discharge to the Court, order "that her porcon (w'ch she confesseth is ready for her) be rendered into her immediate possession". page 498. Upon pet and request of Nicholas Perkins orphane and his release to the C'rt The Co'rt hath appointed Richd Parker to be guardian of the sd Nicholas Perkins and his estate, wch the sd Nicholas being of yeares of eleocon doth wholly intrust to his sd guardian page 498. To the Worp'll com'rs of Charles Citty Com The peticon of Nicholas Perkins Humbly presenth That your pet'r being now seaventeene yeares of age desires liberty to make choyce of his guardian and shall pay &c Nicholas NP Perkins Test m'ke Ho: Pryse C1 Abstract. Court postponed from 3rd of Oct to 18th... page 499. To the Worp'll the Commissioners of Charles City Com The peticon of Elizabeth Perkins Humbly presenteth That my father in Law Richard Parker did according to Act putt in security for the Deliv'ry of my estate now soe it is that I am now 21 yeares of age and desire to be possessed w'th what belongeth to me, it is ready for me if your Wor'pp's be pleased to give order for the delivery and I shall nowforthw'th discharge your Wor'pp's from the same estate and shall ever in duty pary &c Elizabeth X Perkins Test Ho: Pryse C1 her marke Note: Indeed it was high time the children were educated. Elizabeth aged 21 and Nicholas aged 17 both make marks. And it might be remarked tha tit was high time Mr. Fleet learned not to transcribe the same word appearing twich in the same entry in two different ways. My appology being that at least one way must be right. I can prove that in either Co'rt or Court. B.F. ---------- CAVALIERS AND PIONEERS Nugent 975.5N Vol 1 p. 129 Patent Bk #1 Part II Bryant Smith 100 acs Henrico Co, Oct 10 1641 p 783 bounded W. upon the river, E. into the woods... Trans of 2 pers: NICHOLAS PERKINS, Gringall Delayhaye p. 202 Patent Bk #2 NICHOLAS PERKINS 170 acs Henroco Co, 30 Aug 1650 p. 262 Lying in Bermuda hundred, beg. in Cole's swamp running along Cunicott Path w, N, W. by N, thence along the Cart Path to the head of sd Swamp. Trans of 4 pers: Mary Perkins, William Owen, Richard Hues --------- Internet http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/goldenwest/pugh.txt is no longer a good address, but it previously stated that the existing records for Henrico County begin in 1677, and the first mention of Henry's [Pew] name occurs on the Tax List of 1679. The list was officially called "An account of ye several fortye Tythables, and was authorized on 25 April 1679. His name appears on deeds for land located near NICHOLAS PERKINS and John Burton Return to PERKINS page |