Thomas Key

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Husband Thomas Key

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: Abt 1636 - England
         Buried: 

       Marriage: 

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   Other Spouse: Martha (      -      )

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Wife

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

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Children

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1 F Elizabeth Key

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           Born: 1630 - Warwick Co., Virginia
     Christened: 
           Died: Bef 1667 - (Northumberland Co., Virginia)
         Buried: 

         Spouse: William Grinstead (Abt 1632-Abt 1662)
           Marr: 21 Jul 1656 - Northumberland Co., Virginia 1

         Spouse: John Parse (      -Abt 1667)

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General Notes: Husband - Thomas Key

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On page 272 in the "Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography", Volume 1 (Lyon Gardiner Tyler, 1915):

Key, Thomas, "an ancient planter," had land on Warwicksqueake river, opposite Basse's Choice; in 1626 was member of the house of burgesses for Denbigh, 1829--1830 [sic]. His wife was named Martha.

At http://www.jstor.org/pss/4241796 the following with notes:

Martha Key, wife of Thomas Key, of Warwick River, planter (as his personal dividend, being an ancient planter), 150 acres lying on Warwicksqueake River, opposite the land of Captain Nathaniel Basse and adjoining that of Rice Jones. Granted by F. West Dec. 2d, 1626.

Explanation:

"Ancient planter" is a term applied to colonists who migrated to the Plantation of Virginia "before the coming away of Sir Thomas Dale" in 1616, and continued there for at least three years. These colonists received the first land grants in Virginia. Those who paid their own passage to Virginia received a "first dividend" of 100 acres, free of quit-rent. Those who were brought at the Company's expense also received 100 acres, subject to an annual rent of one shilling per 50 acres. Planters who arrived later than 1616 were entitled to a lesser grant of 50 acres.

Virginia became a crown colony in 1624 after the Virginia Company of London, chartered in 1606 to establish a settlement in North America, was dissolved.

Denbigh was a small unincorporated community in Warwick County, Virginia (now extinct), and was long the county seat. After a municipal consolidation in 1958, it became a neighborhood of the independent city of Newport News, which includes essentially all the territory of Warwick River Shire, formed in 1634 in colonial Virginia, which became Warwick County in 1643.

Newport News is on the north side of the mouth of the James River. Isle of Wight County, where Martha Key owned land, is on the south side of the mouth of the James River.

1 Ruth & Sam Sparacio (The Antient Press, 1993), Repository: Clayton Library, Houston, Texas.