ANCESTRAL LINES OF GILLIAM WIVES
I. RICHARDSON (Susannah Richardson m. John Gilliam)
I was all set to copy the few facts that I had obtained about John, Suzannah's
father, and let it go at that I happened to ask Mrs. Morton if she knew who John
Richardson's father was and she said that some one had claimed that he was Melchi-
zadek Richardson, but it was unconfirmed. I immediately wanted to claim Melchizadek
for this book, as unusual names have a fascination for me, but further research does
not establish this claim. Melchizadek was born in 1648 and John did not marry until
about 1624, so it seems unlikely that they were father and son. Besides, it would
have been hard to get MELCHIZADEK on the chart!
1. JOHN RICHARDSON (John Richardson m. Mary Curd)
John's birthdate does not seem to be established. He must have married
Mary by 1724, as their son, Isham, was born about 1725. The earliest
record that I have seen for John is: John Richardson patented 400 acres
on Branches of Treasure Run, Goochland Co., March 12, 1739. There are
other deeds for him in Goochland, and in Luenenberg and Amelia Counties.
His place of residence is given as Cumberland Co. in his will, which is
given in an article that runs in several sections of the V.M.H.& B., 1937
and 38 Volumes. The line of descent for some of the descendants is also
given, with emphasis on the descendants of the two sons. Some of them
were prominent in Virginia's history. John left a large estate of at
least 3000 acres, and divided it among the children, giving the sons by
far the larger share.
Issue of John and Mary:
1. Isham, b. about 1725, d. 1789
2. John, Jr.
3. Elizabeth m. a Lumpkin
4. Mary m. Benjamin Lee
5. Martha m. Thomas Dawson, Jr.
6. Ann m. John Harvey
7. Sarah m. Obadiah Claybrook
8. Susannah m. John Gilliam
9. Agnes m. Samuel Vaughter
10. Frances m. Lewis Jackson
2. SUSANNAH RICHARDSON
Susannah's share of her father's estate was: "200 acres of land on the
'Buffelow River' in Amelia Co., a feather bed and some furniture, to her
and her heirs forever." Most of the eight sisters received the same
bequest. Susannah is mentioned in her husband's will.
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The CURD Family
A. JOHN CURD settled on the James River before 1700 and is mentioned in
Hening's Statutes, Vol. 7, 13, and 16.
B. EDWARD CURD, Sr., was on the vestry at St. John's Henrico, and was
probably a Processioner. There is a deed recorded Nov. 1733 which
mentions Edward Curd, bricklayer. Almost every record that I have
found states that his first wife's name is unknown, and that Eliza-
beth Branch was the mother of his children. In the V.M.H.& B., 1937,
Vol., p. 409, we are told that the first wife was the mother, and
that proves to be the case. Elizabeth was married three times: to
Robert Goode in 1710, then to Page Punch, whose will was probated
Nov. 6, 1727, and must have married Edward about 1728. Mary Curd
was married and had children by 1733, as a deed of land is recorded
in Goochland Co. Deed Book, p. 1: "In consideration of the love and
good affection which I do bear towards my loving and lawful daughter,
Mary Richardson, I give and grant to her and the heirs of her body,
lawfully begotten, a parcel of land containing 200 acres in Gooch-
land Co. on the North side of the James River. The aforesaid 200
acres of land to be laid off adjoined and enclosing the plantation
whereon aforesaid Mary Richardson now lives." The deed was by
Edward Curd. Edward's will, dated Feb. 4, 1739, was probated Dec.
1742. Edward's Children by his first wife were: Edward Jr., John,
Richard, Mary, who married a McBride, Mary Richardson, Elizabeth
Williams.
C. SUZANNAH CURD m. John Gilliam
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The BRANCH Family
(Our descent not proven)
I shall give a brief resume of this family because the Branch-
Richardson-Curd families so interrelated. James Branch Cabell, the
author, wrote a work entitled Branchiana, Partial Account of the
Branch Family, from which he was descended. Mr. William Clayton
Torrence added information on other branches of the Branch family in
Vol. 25 (1) of the Wm.& M. Quarterly.
A. CHRISTOPHER BRANCH, b. 1602 in England, d. 1681 in Virginia, m.
Mary Addie, daughter of Francis, in London in 1619. They came
to Virginia in the LONDON MERCHANT in March 1619/20 and settled
in Henrico County. He was a member of the House of Burgesses
in 1639.
Issue: a. Thomas, of Henrico.
b. William, of Henrico, b. about 1625, d. about 1676,
was ancestor of Thomas Jefferson.
c. Christopher, b. about 1627, moved to Charles City
Co., d. about 1665. Branchiana deals with the
descendants of his son, Benjamin.
B. THOMAS BRANCH, of Henrico, b. 1623, d. about 1694. Married
Elizabeth --.
Issue:
a) Thomas, Jr.,
b) Mathew,
c) James,
d) Elizabeth m. Melchizadek Richardson,
e) Martha m. Richard Ward.
C. THOMAS BRANCH, Jr., of Henrico Co., b. about 1658, d. 1728. He
married Elizabeth, orphaned daughter of George Archer, of
Henrico County. Issue includes five children youngest of whom
is Elizabeth.
D. ELIZABETH BRANCH married Robert Goode first.
Issue: a) Robert m. Mary Turpin, b) Frances. Robert Goode's
will was proved July 17, 1718. Elizabeth then married Page
Punch and had one daughter, Mary Punch. Page Punch's will was
proved Aug. 31, 1727. Elizabeth Branch-Goode-Punch married
Edward Curd after that date. He had been married before and had
several children. Elizabeth far outlived her three husbands, as
Edward Curd died in 1742 and she died Nov. 30, 1766. The wills
of the various Branches, Goodes, and Punches are given in Mr.
Torrence's article and are most interesting.
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II. ROBERTSON (Mary Robertson m. Richard Curd Gilliam)
The Robertson family has also proved to be a discouraging one for me, but I
am determined to pursue it later. Aunt Mary's records show that she was the
daughter of Nicholas and Mary ---. The source for this is the Gilliam Family
Bible which is owned by Lucius Dillon, Jr., in Lexington, Virginia. The date
of the marriage of Mary and Richard is also given and the list of the children
and their birth dates. Virkus' Compendium stated that Nicholas Robertson
came on THE BLESSING in 1643 and had sons John and Jeffrey. They settled in
Chesterfield or Buckingham County, Virginia. I have not been able to tie our
Nicholas in with these three, although I imagine that he was the grandson of
one of them. I recently went off on a real tangent, as a chart of the Gilliam
family which I borrowed from Mrs. Morton gave the brother of Richard Curd
Gilliam, John Jr., as marrying Judith Robertson, daughter of William Robertson
and Elizabeth Bolling. It seemed logical to me that Richard and John married
Robertson sisters, and the ancestry of William Robertson's family and of the
Bollings and related families is very easily established. But I have been
unable to find any evidence that the sisters married Gilliams. There are some
intriguing aspects to the case, but after finding that Nicholas is given as
the father in the Gilliam Bible, I abandoned this theory.
The names ROBERTSON and ROBINSON seem to be interchangeable in Virginia
records and the following have been listed as either or both in Bristol
Parish Vestry Book.
1. ISRAEL ROBERTSON m. Sarah ---.
2. NICHOLAS ROBERTSON, son of Israel and Sarah, was born Sept. 12, 1731, and
baptized Nov. 7, 1931. (Note: I inadvertently omitted a generation of
Robertsons from our ancestral chart, which has already been reproduced.
The first Nicholas was omitted.)
3. NICHOLAS ROBERTSON, son of Nicholas, married Mary Wooldridge of New Store,
Buckingham Co., in 1769.
4. MARY ROBERTSON, b. April 6, 1780. The Gilliam Bible has this entry:
"Richard Curd Gilliam and Mary Robertson was married January 22nd 1798.
Mary Gilliam, wife of Richard Curd Gilliam, departed this life
January 17, 1858."
WOOLDRIDGE Family
I have searched for Mary Wooldridge's parents, but have been unable
to establish them. I have read a number of Wooldridge wills but have
been unable to find records of any marriages to Robertsons. One Mary
Wooldridge married a Flournoy, and another an Inge, and still another a
Martin.
William Wooldrige was in Virginia by 1625 and was a Burgess in 1643
representing Elizabeth City County. Edward and Thomas Wooldrige, per-
haps his sons, were in Virginia by 1643. I would appreciate assistance
from readers of this book in tracing this family.
III. DUPUY (Mary Elizabeth Dupuy m. Spencer Gilliam)
See Dupuy Line.
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