William Grinstead
Sex: M
Individual Information
Birth Date: Abt 1685 - Northumberland Co., Virginia Christening: Death: Abt 1764 - Northumberland Co., Virginia Burial: Cause of Death:
Parents
Father: William Grinstead (Bef 1656-Abt 1696) Mother:
Spouses and Children
1. *Grace ( - ) Marriage: Abt 1711 - (Northumberland Co., Virginia) Children: 1. Susana Grinstead (1712-Bef 1763) 2. Hannah Grinstead (1716- ) 3. John Grinstead (1718-1791) 4. George Grinstead (1719- ) 5. Jane Grinstead (1722-Bef 1763) 6. Leanor Grinstead (1731- ) 7. Martha Anne Grinstead (1733- )
Notes
General:
Northumberland County Orders (Virginia Colonial Abstracts, Series 2, Volume 1, Northumberland County, Virginia 1678 -- 1713; Lindsay O. Duvall, 1979):
Page 323, Book 5, Court 22 Feb 1704/5:
"Thomas Grinsteed orphan of Wm. Grinsteed chose his brother William Grinsteed guardian."
Comment: In 1705 Thomas Grinsteed is about 27; it is not obvious why he needs a guardian.
Pgs 706-09, Book 5, Court 22 Feb 1710/11:
Probat of the Will of Vincent Garner Dec'd to Martha Garner, Parish James and Benj. Garner Exors., proved by David Straughan, Wm. Lewis and Wm. Grinsteed.
"Northumbria Collectanea" (Virginia Colonial Abstracts, Vol 1; Beverley Fleet; reprinted in 3 volumes in 1988, originally published in 34 volumes from 1937 to 1949):
June 13, 1706; Record Book 17, pg 202; (pg 531)
Vincent Garner, planter of Northumberland Co. sells to Wm. Gimstead of Northumberland Co., smith, 50 acres in Bettys Neck adjoining land of Wm. Taylor and that of Robt. Reeves. Rerecorded by Wm. Grinstead July 15, 1713.
March 21, 1716/17; Order Book 6, pg 204; (pg 565)
Jno. Lewis and Wm. Grimstead securities relative to an orphan Goe. Warrick bound to William Lewis to be taught bricklaying.
WILL:
The following will is on pages 425-26 of NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY RECORD BOOK NO. 6, 1762 -- 1766. I have used '&S' to represent a strange symbol that appears several times.
In the name of God amen. I William Grinstead of Northumberland in the Colony of Virginia being very sick and weak of body, tho in perfect sence and memory, thanks be to Almighty God for the same do make and ordain this to be my last Will & Testament Revoking and Disannulling all other Wills by me heretofore made. Imprimis whereof I do give my Soul to Almighty God that gave it me, hoping through the merits of his only son Jesus Christ my blessed Lord and Saviour to Receive full Pardon and Remission of all my Sins, and as to what worldly goods or Estate it hath pleased Almighty God to bestow on me, I give as followeth. Item, I Give or otherwise Lend to my Loving wife Grace Grinstead During her Natural life all my Estate Both Real & Personal to act and do as she pleases with &S.____
Item, I give to my daughter Martha Anne Neal and her husband John Neale & their Survivors heirs &S. that part of my Land whereon I now live, Bounded as followeth on the Land of Joseph Power, George Garner and Thomas Webb, & from thence according to a line made and run by my self in the Presence of Mr. Neddy Barnes to the land of Mr. John Elford, and from thence to the beginning Land of Joseph Power. ____
Item, I Give to my Daughter Leanor Edwards and her husband John Edwards and their survivors &S. that part of my Land called Taylour according to the bounds hereafter mentioned Viz't on the lands before given to my Daughter Martha Anne Neale and John Neale and the Land of Thomas Webb & the Swamp Leeding from Capt. Foushees Mill to John Elfords Mill & on the Lands of s'd Elford.____
Item, I Give to my Daughter Hannah McGoon & to her heirs forever One Shilling Sterl. & no more.
Item, I give to my grandson William Bailess & to the heirs of his body Lawfully begotton all that Tract of Land whereon John Neale now lives on, the s'd John Neale not to be Disturbed or Molested during my and my wifes Natural Life.____
Item, I give all the Remainder part of my Estate after my wifes death be it of what kind or Quality soever to be Equally Divided between my two Daughters Martha Anne Neale & Leanor Edwards & their heirs forever, the s'd Hanah McGoon nor her heirs not to have any part or parcel thereof in any kind or shape whatsoever. I nominate & appoint my Loving Wife Grace Grinstead and my Son in Law John Neale my whole & sole Exec'x and Exec'r In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seale the 16th day of September 1763.____
his
William WG Greenstead (seal)
mark
Sealed & Delivered in
Presence of us. Sam'l Eskridge
Neddy Barnes
John Smith
At a Court Held for Northumberland County the 11th day of June 1764.
This Last Will and Testament of William Grinstead dec'd was Pesented in Court by Grace Grinstead the Exec'x therein named who made oath thereto according to Law. And being Proved by the oaths of Samuel Eskridge and Neddy Barnes two of the witnesses thereto was admitted to Record. And on the motion of the s'd Exec'x Giving Security Certificate is granted her for obtaining a Probate thereof in due form_____
Teste. Tho. Jones
WGFA:
The William Grinstead Family in America (Gorrell Shumaker and John L. N. Grinstead, April 1974):
pg 11 & Supplement pg S-2: "Generation III - William Grinstead III was born in 1685. There are five children of record, namely: Susanna, born 1-21-1712; Hannah, born 6-26-1716; John, born 3-4-1718; (died 7-22-1791); George, born 2-16-1719 and Jane, born 12-29-1722. Here our interest lies in John to whom we shall refer hereafter as John Grinstead I."
Supplement, pg S-60: "William III died between Sept. 16, 1763 (date of will) and June 11, 1764, date the will was presented to the Court. His wife's name was given as Grace. Children named in the will were: Martha Anne m. John Neale; Leanor m. John Edwards; Hannah m. ? McGoon. Also listed was a grandson, Wm. Baily."
ANALYSIS:
The name 'William Grinstead' occurs several times in the public records of Northumberland Co. between 1705 and 1764. In 1706 he bought land and in 1705 he was chosen by his brother Thomas to be his guardian; in 1711 he proved a will. Between 1712 and 1733 7 children were born to him. He wrote his will in 1763.
These references could be to one person or to two. For the moment assume one.
In 1705 it is unlikely that he was younger than 18. If he was 18, he was born in 1687, and when he died in 1764 he was 77. In the 18th century 77 is quite old, so it is convenient to say that he was relatively young in 1705 and that if he was born before 1687, his birth year was not much before 1687. If he was born in 1685 he was 21 when he bought land, 20 when he became the guardian of his brother and 79 when he died. We know when Adam Grinstead was born (14 Oct 1674) and we know that he proved a will in 1704 (15 Nov) when he was 20.
The parish records in Northumberland Co. indicate the name of the child and the name of the father. There is no record of William's birth, but between 1712 and 1733 7 children were born to William Grinstead. For a woman 21 years is a reasonable period of time between the first and last child. If William were born in 1685 he would have had children between the ages of 27 and 48. The gap between Jane and Leannah suggests that William may have had 2 wives. The 7 births are
Susana 21 Jan 1712
Hannah 26 Jun 1716
John 4 Mar 1718
George 16 Feb 1719
Jane 29 Dec 1722
Leannah 26 Aug 1731
Martha Ann 2 Feb 1733
See notes under John Grinstead, this William's uncle, for details about the reliability of these dates.
Another William Grinstead was born in 1701. The children born in 1731 and in 1733 could have been his, and he might have been the William Grinstead who wrote his will in 1763. However, the will lists Leonor born in 1731 and Martha Anne born in 1733 AND Hannah born in 1716. It is very unlikely that William Grinstead born in 1701 was the father of Hannah. Thus he was also not the father of Leonor and Martha Ann and he was not the author of the will.
1 Beverley Fleet, "Northumberland County, Record of Births, 1661 -- 1810; Virginia Colonial Abstracts, Vol. 1," 1988 reprint; originally 34 volumes 1937 -- 1949, pg 55.
2
Beverley Fleet, "Northumberland County, Record of Births, 1661 -- 1810; Virginia Colonial Abstracts, Vol. 1," 1988 reprint; originally 34 volumes 1937 -- 1949, pg 56.
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