BLEDSOE, George

Notes:

SOURCE: "The Bledsoe Family", by Banks McLaurin, Jr. 3-8-1982

"Caveliers and Pioneers" (BK#843), p.263, it is found that a George Bletsoe is listed as a headright of Col. hugh Gwin on Dec. 6, 1652. Unlike other Bledsoe entries, this name does persist. This seems to be the George Bledsoe who founded the Northumberland family and whos descendants had a part in shaping the course of American history throughout the south and west. Col. Hugh Gwin apparently made more than one trip from England to America as "Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight" (BK#845), p. 678 shows: Elizabeth Gwin, 700 acres, March 23, 1664, due as extrx. of Hugh Gwin who patented land March 3, 1640.

It is not known what part of England this George Bledsoe may have come from but he was brought to Virginia by Hugh Gwin who must have had a base of operations at some English port where he assembled groups to come with him to America. If the name of Gwin's home port and the name of his ship could be found it might provide a good starting place from which to trace this George Bledsoe and find his connection with the English Bledsoes.

This is the only place where George as a first name for a Bledsoe has been found in the records of the English family. But the name George does show as George Bledsoe who left a will dated Jan. 23, 1704/5 in Northumberland County, Virginia. Some have assumed that the George Bledsoe of 1652 is the same George Bledsoe who left the will in 1704/5, but when the few available records are carefully examined, it seems that there must have been two George Bledsoes, very probably father and son.

There is no record of the birth of the George Bledsoe who left a will, but a study of that will and other records seems tio indicate that he must have been born about 1655. Then there is a Sarah Bledsoe who has been "positively identified" as a daughter of George Bledsoe (which one not stated) who married Thomas Dameron who was born in 1650. It has been generally assumed that she was the daughter of the George Bledsoe who left the will in 1704/5 but niether she nor her children were named in that will. Generally when a man had grandchildren, he referred to them in his will even though his daughter may have died before the will was written or may have received her share of the estate when she married.

A genealogy of the Dameron family by Mrs. Helen Foster Snow, (BK#846), shows that a Thomas Dameron, son of Lwrence and Dorothy Dameron, ion Northumberland County, married Sarah Bledsoe, daughter of George Bledsoe. This Thomas Dameron has been frequently listed as Junior, but his father was Lawrence and there was no other Thomas Dameron in that area untill later. This Thomas had brothers and a sister, all born between 1645 and 1656, but his birth is shown as 165_, as the record was not clear ("Tyler"((BK#659)) Vol.23, p. 122). However it seems clear from the other dates that his birth must have been in 1650. As most young men in the early colonies married women very near their own age, it can be assumed that Thomas Dameron who was born in 1650 married a woman only a few years younger than himself, probably born about 1653.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Page 5) In his will of 1704/5 George Bledsoe noted that he had land adjoining that of Thomas Dameron Senior, and the will was witnessed by one who signed himself Thomas Dameron Junior. Thomas Dameron and Sarah Bledsoe had only two sons, Charles and Andrew, but Thomas' brother George who married Elizabeth _________ had a son Thomas born in 1683. This Thomas was then called Junior to destinguish him from his uncle, which was a common practice at the time. This younger Thomas became 21 years old in 1704 and then was legallly able to sign as a witness to George Bledsoe's will. This younger Thomas Dameron later had the title of Colonel and was also called Senior after he had a son Thomas.

The name of George Bledsoe shows up several times after 1652. For Instance:


From the "Minutes of the Council and General Court of Virginia", (BK#847), p.318.


"At a Genll Court holden at James City the 8th November 1672. Afternoone. Ransom vs Bledshaw defdant about a parcel of land of Nine Hundred and fifty Acres in Northumberland County on teh North Side of Devideing Creeke. It is Ordered that a Jury by the Sherriffe of the County be impannelled as neare as Can be to said Land, who are to Enquire whether that Land was seated or Deserted by Peter Ransom ffather to the said James within due time according to his Pattent and returne their Report thereof under their hands to the 3d Day of the Next Genll Court for Judgement."

"At a Genll Court held at James Citty the 12th March 1672/3 Ransom vs Blettsoe. It is Ordered by Consent of the Plaintiff & Defendant James Ransom and Geo: Blettsoe that the Cause of last Court refferred to this be Continued and Refference to the Third Day of the next Genll Court in September to which Court the Juries Vrdt as by that ord is to be returned for Judgmt."

It would seem from that that George Bledsoe had attempted to take possession of land that James Ransom claimed had been left to him by his father Peter Ransom. The vedrdict of the jury does not show.

"Duval (Northumberland Co Records)", (BK #848) lists several references to George Bledsoe. p.4. On Jan. 10, 1679 there was a suit between George Bledsoe and John Harris, John Waddy and Thomas Ingram. p.6. This suit was still pending April 20, 1681. On June 16, 1681 there was another suit by Ann Gaylord, administratrix of James Gaylord, deceased, vs George Bledsoe. p.10. In 1687 George Bledsoe was appointed with Mr. John Curtis and Henry Butler to be surveyors of highways, and p.23, on July 27, 1689, on the petition of Mary, widow of Capt. Richard Lynsfield, deceased, probate to her of his last will by the oaths of Thomas Winter and George Bledsoe. Then the "Genealogical Bureau of Virginia", (BK#849), shows that on May 20, 1691, Mrs. Anne Bledsoe acknowledged a deed made by her husband, George Bledsoe, to Thomas Dameron for 60 acres of land, and finally in the Northumberland Co., Record Book 1706-1710 is found the will of George Bledsoe dated Jan. 23, 1704/5 and proved Aug. 15, 1705.

A George Bledsoe came to Virginia Dec. 6, 1652 as a headright. The records do not show when or where he was born or married or where he claimed his land, but the fact that he was a headright seems to be sufficient justification for saying that he was at least 21 years old when he arrived. If this George Bledsoe was already 21 years old in 1652, it does not seem that he would have had a son in 1697 when he was at least 66 years old, but the will of 1704/5 names a son Thomas, who was not then21, who still had to be kept in school for three years, who was to be allowed to live and work on his brother William's farm until the age of 21. This Thomas seems to have reached his majority in 1718 when he was arrested and fined for not going to church. If he reached the age of 21 in 1718, he was born in 1697.

The other four sons named in the will were all 21 years or older in 1704/5 because they were all old enough to own land in their own names. It may then be assumed that they were not born after 1683, and it does not seem that they were born very much before that date, so using the generally accepted figure of two years between births it can be said that they were born in 1683, 1681, 1679, and 1677.

The great majority of young men of that day seem to have married when they reached the age of 21 and had first child at the age of 22. If the first child in this family was born in 1677, when the father was 22 years old, then the father must have been born in 1655 and could not have been the headright of 1652.

The will of 1704/5 names five sons but no daughters. If there had been a daughter in the family, it seems srange that niether she, her husband nor her children were mentioned in the will. If Sarah Bledsoe belonged to this family and if she had been the oldest child, she would have been born about 1675 which would have made her 25 years younger than the man she married. There are few cases on record where a man married, as his second wife, a girl much younger than himself, but there is nothing to indicate that Thomas Dameron was married more that once. This Sarah Bledsoe Dameron had sons as old if not older than the sons of George Bledsoe who died in 1704/5 as the records ("Fleet-Northumbria Collectenea") (BK#850) show that Cahrles and Andrew Dameron (sons of Thomas and Sarah Bledsoe Dameron) were presented in court for not going to church in Wicomico Parish May19, 1714, the same date on which John Bledsoe (son of George 1704/5) was presented on the same charge. It does not seem that Sarah could have been the daughter of this George Bledsoe, but as she was the daughter of a George Bledsoe, there must have been another of that name.

George Bledsoe, the headright, left England without leaving a trace of himself. Why? Did he leave because of religious persecution? or to avoid prosecution for something more serious? If he ahd been arrested and convicted for some violation of the law, there should be a record of him in England. Whatever the reason, no record of him has been found. If his reason was objection to religious persecution and a desire for more freedom to worship than he was allowed in England, it shows that he was not a conformist and was willing to do something to get what he wanted. This may have made him somewhat of an obstreperous young man so that when he got to America he tried to grab land that he wanted, which led to arguments and lawsuits with his neighbors, such as the one with james Ransom in 1672 and the suits with John Harris in 1679 and with Ann Gaylord in 1681. The suit of 1679 was still pending on April 20, 1681. Then no further record until 1687 when George Bledsoe with others was appointed a surveyor of highways.

It is possible that the George Bledsoe who had so much trouble with his neighbors may have died not long after 1681, and that his son George may have been a more moderate man with a desire to get along with those living near him, and was the one who in 1681 was considered a respectable, responsible citizen and was appointed surveyor of highways.

There is no record to suggest who or when George Bledsoe, the headright, married but it seems that he must have been the father of Sarah Bledsoe who was born about 1653 and of George Bledsoe who was born about 1655.

While it has been assumed by many of the family historians that the George Bledsoe who died in 1705 was the father of the Bledsoe family in America, the few known facts, such as the arrival in 1652 of a George Bledsoe who could not have been the one who died in 1705 leaving a son only seven years old, and the existence of agirl, Sarah, daughter of a George Bledsoe and wife of Thomas dameron, who could not have been the daughter of a man who died in 1705, seem to provide evidence that the George Bledsoe who arrived in 1652 was the first of the family here.

-

The known facts about George Bledsoe are as follows:

Bk. #843. Nugent's, Cavaliers and Pioneers, p. 263:George Bletsoe is listed as a headright of Col. Hugh Gwin on 6 Dec 1652>

Bk. #846. The Dameron/Damron Family Genealogy, by Mrs. Helen Foster Snow states that Thomas Dameron in Northumberland Co., VA, married Sarah Bledsoe, daughter of George Bledsoe. This Thomas Dameron was born 165-, per Bk #659, Tyler's Quarterly, vol. 23, p. 122.

Bk. #847. Minutes of the Council and General Court of Virginia, p. 318, states that at a General Court held at James City on 8 Nov 1672, James Ransom filed suit against George Bledshaw about a parcel of land of 950 ac. in Northumberland Co on the north side of Dividing Creek. (See Introduction, p.5) this suit was continued on 12 Mar 1672/3 (see Introduction p.5)

Bk. #848. Duval's Northumberland Co (VA) Records, p. 4, lists a suit between George Bledsoe and John Harris, John Waddy and Thomas Ingram. p. 6. states that this suit was still pending 20 April 1681. On 16 Jun 1681 there was another suit styled Ann Gaylord, administratrix of James Gaylord, deceased, vs. George Bledsoe, on p. 10. In 1687, George Bledsoe was appointed with John Curtis and Henry Butler tol be surveyors of a highway. On p. 23, on 27 July 1689 Mary Lynsfield petitions that the will of her husband, Capt.Richard Lynsfield be admitted to probate on the oaths of Thomas Winter and George Bledsoe. (see Introduction p. 5)

Bk. #849, Genealogical Bureau of Virginia, shows that on May 1691, Mrs Anne Bledsoe acknowledged a deed made by her husband, George Bledsoe to Thomas Dameron for 60 ac. of land. this is found on p. 28, Northumberland Co., VA deed book 7. The consideration was 6000 pounds of tobacco and the tract lay on the south side of Great Wicomico river near Dividing Creek. The deed is dated 13 may 1691.

The last reference to George Bledsoe in the records is his will which is on a seperate page. His widow's will is also given on a page from john T. Bledsoe's book, #1910, Bledsoe Family Supplement. Following the will of Geroge Bledsoe are some comments by Bryce Templeton.

George — Anne. Anne died Aft 1691, She Released Her Dower Rights In Land Conveyed By Her Husband.. [Group Sheet]

George — MUMFORD, Elizabeth. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

William was the executor of his father's will in 1705.
William was commisioned the first sheriff of Spotsylvania Co., Virginia on July 9, 1722, and Captain of the Militia in 1729.

William married Anne 1727. [Group Sheet]

Hannah — CAVE, Benjamin. Benjamin was born Abt 1703; died Abt 1762, Will Probated Orange County, Virginia; was buried , Pine Stake Church Cemeterymontebello, Orange County, Virginia. [Group Sheet]

Aaron — HORD, Mildred. [Group Sheet]

William — Margaret. [Group Sheet]

Ann married KAVANAUGH, Philemon Bef 1710. Philemon (son of KAVANAUGH, Philemon) was born Abt 1669, Leitner, Ireland; died 9 Apr 1743, Culpeper County, Virginia. [Group Sheet]

Ann married STROTHER, William 9 Jun 1775. [Group Sheet]

Hannah — MALLOY, Uriel. [Group Sheet]

Elizabeth — JOHNSON, William. William was born 1714; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]