Research Notes:
Source for most of this material is a rootsweb website named 1658-1758 Charles County MD Familes "The first 100 years": Wills, Court, Church, Land, Inventories & Accounts. Several sources, below, have not yet been seen.
1664 Bill binding John Rowly of Por tobacco, planter, to pay Mr. Edmond Custis of London 537# of tobacco; 14 May 1664; (signed) John Rowly (mark); wit. Edward Richardson, Edmond Lindsey (mark) [1]
1664 Bill binding Edmond Lindsey of Portobacco, planter, to pay Edmond Custis of London 2613# of tobacco and cask; 14 May 1664; (signed) Edmond Lindsey (mark); wit. Edward Richardson, John Rowly (mark) [2]
1684 (land of John Rowley is mentioned in this proclamation): To all Christian People to whom this present writing shall com I Francis Hale of Rappa county in the Collony of Virginia, Planter, sendeth Greeting in our Lord God this tenth day of September in the year of our Lord One thousand six hundred eighty four and in the thirtyeth & sixth years of the Reigne of our Sovereigne King Charles the Second. Now know ye that I the said Francis Hale for the sum of Two thousand fivee hundred pounds of Tobacco & cask in hand paid by Stephen Fewell of the aforesaid County & Colony. Planter have granted unto him the Said Stephen Feuell his heires forever one tract of land conteying one hundred acres being in the aforesaid County of Rappa; on the North side of the River being part of a dividend contenying Thirteen hundred acres bought of Capt wm Haybard by Francis Hale after Pattented in the said Hales own name; The said tract butted and bounded as followeth beginning at Poplar Swamp at Pighickory in the line of John Rouley along the sd Rouleys line Eastward to a white Oake standing by a great Poplar, from thence to an Ash that stands upon the side of a deep gully being a corner tree of Mr Hugh Williams line & so long the said Williams line south to a branch that leased West to the Poplar Swamp Runn and up the said Runn Northerly to the first mentioned Pighickory together with all houses gardens woods profits whatsoever to have and to hold the said land to him the said Stephen Feuell his heirs forever. And I the said Francis Hale do covenant to warrant & forever defend the said land from the claimes of any manner of persons whatsoever, he the said Stephen Fewell his heirs pay the yearly fee for the same due and payable to our Soverign Lord the King as Chief Lord of the Fee. In witness I have set my hand and seal. Signed sealed and delivered in presence of us. (signed) Nebuchodonesor Jones, John Williams, Fancis X Hale. Acknowledged in the Court of Rappa Oct the 11th 1684 and recorded the 16th day of said month Test Wm Colston, Cl Cur [3]
1686 John Rowley (perhaps this one): To All Christian People to whome this present writing shall come John Rowley of Stafford County Senr. send greetings in Lord God Everlastinge this 14th day of August in the yeare of our Lord 1686 And in the Second yeare of the Reigne of our Sovereigne Lord Kinge James the Second. Now Know Yee that I the said John Rowley for severall good causes & consideration me hereunto moveinge have given granted sold & made over & doe by these parts fully & absolutely give bargaine sell & confirme unto my Eldest Son Richd. Rowley ye one halfe of my Dividend of land at the upper End of my line & Joyninge upon John Jones, Stephen Fewell & Wm. Smith beinge part of a dividend of Land the upper a Dividend of Land formerly belong unto Richd. Rosier & now mine by Vertue of a Bill of Sale given & granted for a Valluable consideration to me the said Rowley by the aforesaid Rosier. And further I the said John Rowley doe warrant the said halfe of my dividend of land with all woods guardens houses, Orchards pastures or any other materially thereunto Belonging from the claime of any Person to the aforesaid Richd. Rowley or his heires for ever. And if said Richd. Rowley shall dye without issue the aforesd land shall returne to his younger Brother & he Dyinge without Issue from Bro. to Bro. till there bee no more found. And if said if I said John Rowley shall have any occasion for timber to build with all during his life the sd. Richd. Rowley shall not debar him from it up any parte of the said dividend and I the aforsd John Rowley doe oblidge my selfe to have the same Recorded in Court at the request of the said Richd. Rowley. As Witnesse my hand & Seale the day & yeare above written. Sealed & deld in pre of us. Thomas Parke, Geo. Garrit, Geo. Palmer [4]
1690 On March 4, John Rowley of Stafford aquired rights to 200 acres in Pasbitanzy forest in Stafford County that had been bequeathed to Gerard Banks by Adam Banks, deceased, but which Gerard could not inherit because Gerard was a minor under the guardianship of Richard Martin.
1690 On March 5, Richard Bryant and John Rowley granted to Richard Bryant 385 acres beginning in Pasbitansey Forrest, and adjoining Rowleys land bought of Gerrard Bancks on the south side of a branch called Woods Swamp. [5]
1702 John Rowley served on a jury: Richmond Ss:March 30th an'o 1702. A man being found dead att the River banke of Mr: James Keyes plantation his name John Newdell a Jury of Inquest pannell'd and sworne after notice given and we of the Jury find by severall cutts in the forehead was the occasione of his deathby whome we cannot Give any account supposing. (signed) James Phillips Thomas x Pilpin Charles Steward, Tho x Porter John Rowley Mark Rymer, Robert x Engeles John x Clay Robt x Gollop Wm x Bridges John x Corbin James x Richardson. All the Jurors above has given theire opinion and itt is mine he came by his death supposing a hamer was the cause by reason of the dent in his forehead and but small cutt (signed) Alex'r Doniphan Corron'r, James Sherlock Cl Cur.
1704 John Rowley's son, John Rowley Jr and wife Catherine Williams Rowley, were killed by indians. "Att a Court Held att the house of Coll. William Tayloe the 7th day of September 1704 for the Examination of the Prisoners apprehended, and takeing Evidences Relating to the murther of John Rowley two women and a Child" [6]
1705 Catherine, daughter & heir of Hugh Williams wife of John Rowley deceased, seized 500 acres in Richmond County. Escheat Grant to William Wood of Richmond County. Next of kin to Catherine endorsed by Mr. James Sherlock, Clerk of said county adjoining Richard Rosser, by Clerk of said county adjoining Richard Rosser by Pasbytansey, Evan Williams, Mr. Hails 25 Feb 1705. [7]
1709 Gerard Banks sold to John Rowley 183 acres in Pasbitanzy forest that Gerard had inherited from his father, Adam Banks.
"This Indenture made this 11th day April 1709 between Gerrard Bancks of county Stafford of the one part and John Rowley of same county .. Witnesseth that for the consideration of one thousand pounds of To(bacco) be paid by John Rowley .. doth sell all that parcel of land being in the Forrest of Pashitanzy between the main river of Potomack and Rappahannock being the one fourth part of 733 acres of land as per Mr. William Heaberds deed of sale to my Father Adam Bancks dated the 4th day of July 1674 and acknowleged in Court the 9th day 7ber 1674 relation being thereunto had the said land containing by Estimation 183 acres and by death of my Father Adam Banks without any legal. disposition of the same it fell and descended to me .. Presence John Waugh, Gerrard Bancks Wm. Allen. The within sale of land was acknowledged in county court of Stafford the 13th day April 1709 .. & the livery & seizin thereon & Elizabeth his wife relinquished her right of dower to the same which is ordered to be recorded and is recorded. [8]
1709-1721 John Rowley, senior, of Stafford, died 1709-1721. [9]
The will of John Rowley was in the lost volumes of Stafford records. [10]
1734 William Rowley senior bequeathed to his son William Rowley junior, land bequeathed "by my father John Rowley, late of Stafford". To all men.. Know ye that I William Rowley Senior for love towards my Loving Son William Rowley of King George have granted the plantation and all land adjoyning it of that side of Gants Swamp whereon he now lived which is part of 200 acres that my father John Rowley late of Stafford County deceased by his last will and testament gave to me William Rowley Senior. Presence Jos. Crouch John Grant. (King George County, Virginia Deed Book 1, page 293-294).
John Rowley, born about 1645 in England. He was transported to Virginia 1 June 1664, along with 21 other men by Major John Washington. He was married to a woman whose first name was Amey, maiden name unknown. They had at least three children: Richard, William and John. John Rowley Sr. could not sign his name. When he deeded a portion of his land to son Richard about 1691, he signed with a cross. He also inventoried the estate of Thomas Folio the same year, again signing with the letter "I" with a cross mark through it. That same year, John received a levy for killing a wolf with a gun and for killing another in a "pitt". [11]
[1] Charles County Circuit Court, Liber B, 13 October 1664, Page 366.
[2] Charles County Circuit Court, Liber B, 13 October 1664, Page 368.
[3] (Old) Rappahannock County Deed Book 1682-1686.
[4] Stafford County, Virginia 14 Aug 1686.
[5] http://lvaimage.lib.va.us/cgi-bin/GetLONN.pl?first=49&last=50&g_p=G1&collection=NN Grant.
[6] The Washington Ancestry and Records of the McClain, Johnson and Forty Other Colonial American Families, Volume 1, Page 353.
[7] Patent Book #3, p. 128 and King George County DB#1.p.271, Northern Neck Land Grants by Gertrude E. Gray.
[8] Stafford County VA Deed & Will Book 1699 - 1709; The Antient Press, pp. 466-468.
[9] Tyler's quarterly historical and genealogical magazine 15 (1933), 118.
[10] Tyler's quarterly historical and genealogical magazine 15 (1933), 117.
[11] James Hughes 2006-06-28, McCallister's McAlisters.