Bartholomew Yates of Middlesex County Virginia and Some of His Descendants

By Helen K. Yates

Bartholomew Yates was an immigrant to Virginia in 1700, a visitor to William and Mary College, professor of divinity, minister of several Anglican parishes in Middlesex county, and the patriarch of a large Virginia family. This geneology describes in detail many of his descendants and relatives, including Pocahontas and Powhatan, John and Thomas Rolfe, Robert "King" Carter, the Bollings and Murrays, and many Virginians who served America in every major war down to the present. Sprinkled throughout are little-known anecdotes passed down through generations of the families.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Robert Bell
• Release date: Jan 28, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463371985

Book preview

Bartholomew Yates

of

Middlesex County Virginia

and

Some of His Descendants

Compiled

and

Privately Published

by

Helen Kay Yates

(Mrs. Sherman Wirt Yates)

1980

Electronic Edition

Copyright 2018 Helen K. Yates

CONTENTS

Introduction

Yates Chart

Bartholomew¹ Yates and some of his descendants

Appendix:

Eltonhead

Conway

Will of Robert Page of Hanover County

Montague Chart

Rootes and Reade connection

Randolph Chart

Will of Robert³ Yates

Who is Susanna Meriton?

Bland Chart

Susanna³ Yates and John Murray (proof of marriage)

Murray, Bolling, Rolfe, Pocahontas connections

Yates Land, Deeds, and Suits

Children of Edward R. Yates

Tisdale Chart

Pope Chart (from Father Bayne)

Nathaniel Pope Chart

George Williams connection

Ralls Chart

Cemetery Inscriptions

Yates Bible records

List of Family Names and Places

INTRODUCTION

his family history was begun many years ago. At first the research was confined to the direct blood lines of Benjamin Lewis Yates, Sr., but as the research proceeded through the years, notes were taken on collateral lines. It was not the intention of the compiler to publish a family history. If it had been, a different approach would have been taken, and this compilation would have been more complete, with additional generations.

This is only a basic family history and it is hoped that a future genealogist will continue these lines and fill in the missing names, dates, locations, and correct errors found herein.

The Yateses of Middlesex and Gloucester Counties, Virginia, were from an ecclesiastical family, the first Bartholomew Yates having three sons who also were ministers, and the second and third generations were also a part of the Anglican Church. It is satisfying to know that these families were good, solid, Christian people, educated in England, but eventually turned their loyalties from England to America where the sons and grandsons of these ministers participated in the American Revolution. It is hoped that they would be as proud of the present generation as we have every right to be of them.

They lived in perilous times; some were more successful in their occupations than others, but they were loyal citizens, serving their country or communities in time of need. They all have contributed in some small way to the well-being, and the good life the present generation enjoys today.

My special thanks to all who have been of assistance:

To Mr. George H. S. King, Fellow, American Society of Genealogists, Fredericksburg, Va. for his contribution, especially on Thacker, Stanard, Robinson, Reade and Rootes families, and others.

To Mrs. Thomas E. Godfrey (Priscilla) for information on Robert Yates¹ family and the marriage in England of William Yates.

To Bertie R. Yates who helped with the Lunenburg-Mecklenburg families and who has been my consultant, and inspiration to get all of this information together, and who has been the family archivist for many years, for which we are grateful.

To members of the family who have sent in their own family groups without which this booklet would not have been possible.

This is the compiler's personal Bicentennial project and her gift to this one Yates family.

(Mrs. Sherman Wirt Yates)

6127 North Mayfield Lane, Mechanicsville, Virginia 23111

Christmas 1980

i

BARTHOLOMEW YATES of MIDDLESEX COUNTY VIRGINIA

and SOME of HIS DESCENDANTS

he immigrant ancestor of this Yates family was Bartholomew¹ Yates who came to Virginia in 1700. He was the son of William Yates and his wife, Katherine, of Shackley, Donnington Parish, Chester, England. William died 1697 and his wife in October 1706, both in England. They had ten children, nine boys and one girl:

1. John Yates, baptized 3 November 1658

2. Mary Yates, baptized 19 March 1660

3. William Yates, baptized 10 December 1661

4. Benjamin Yates, baptized 20 August 1663

5. Samuel Yates, baptized 18 July 1665

6. Francis Yates, baptized 14 September 1666

7. Richard Yates, baptized 19 June 1669

8. John Yates, baptized 19 May 1671

9. Robert Yates, baptized 30 October 1673

10. Bartholomew Yates, baptized 24 August 1676

Of these ten children, this history begins with Bartholomew Yates, the youngest child. He will be given the superior figure 1 as the first generation in the colony. (See the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, v. 7, p. 91).

No special research was done on the other children. There were other Yates' families in Virginia earlier than 1700, especially in Caroline and Stafford Counties, whose forebears came into Virginia from Maryland. No connection to this family could be documented, other than the fact that a Charles Yates (1728-1809) settled in Fredericksburg, Virginia. In the book, John Yates of England and Virginia (1936) by Elizabeth Daniel, it is stated that Charles Yates was the son [probably grandson] of the Rev. Francis Yates (#6 above) and his wife, Ann Orfeur, of Whitehaven, England. He was born about 1728 and settled in Fredericksburg as early as 1752. After the Revolutionary War, he wrote to his younger brother, John Orfeur Yates in England, requesting him to send one of his sons to Virginia to live with him, as he had never married and had no heirs. John O. Yates sent his second son, John, a boy of thirteen years who later inherited the property of his uncle. John Yates married Julia Lovell, daughter of William Lovell of Culpeper County, Virginia. John and his wife, Julia, moved to Jefferson County (W.Va.). Charles Yates died in 1809, aged 81, and is buried in the Masonic Cemetery in Fredericksburg.

In Spotsylvania County record book A, p. 171, Charles Yates, Merchant, for himself and as Executor and surviving partner of Isaac Heslop, late of Whitehaven, England, Mcht., dec’d. ...a lot in Fredericksburg lying on the river side. This deed was dated 9 September 1785, and gives a connection to Whitehaven, England, and the family of Yates who resided there. For additional information on Francis Yates and his family, see Memorials of a family in England and Virginia (1887), by A. E. Terrill.

BARTHOLOMEW¹ YATES (William)

Bartholomew¹ Yates, born 24 August 1676 in England, graduated at Brazenose College, Oxford, about October 12, 1698. He came to Virginia February 2, 1700 and served first as minister of Sittenburne and Kingston Parishes. About three years later he became minister of Christ Church, Middlesex County, and continued as rector for thiry-one years until his death 26 July 1734. After eighteen years of faithful service the York Hampton Parish, a more desirable one, endeavored to obtain his service. The Vestry of Christ Church raised his salary from 16,000 lb. tobacco to 20,000 lbs., and enlarged and improved his house. [Bishop Meade, Old Virginia Churches and Families].

Bartholomew¹ Yates was a joint patentee with Edwin Thacker of 24,000 acres of land southside of the Rapid Anne, Spotsylvania County, July 20, 1722 [Land Book 11, p. 147]. From Spotsylvania County Record Book A, p. 145, the following deed is found:

At Court held for Middlesex County 3 August 1731, the Rev. Mr. Bartholomew Yates produced a schedule of the valuation of the Improvements done on 1500 acres of Land lying upon the branches of Massaponax Creek in Spotsylvania County by which was devised by the last will and testament of Chicheley Corbin Thacker, dec'd to Bartholomew Yates and Robert Yates, Infants, which valuation was made and pursuant to an order of said County Court of Spotsylvania dated the 2nd day of March 1730, and is hereunto annexed. Recorded Oct. 7, 1731.

Bartholomew and Robert Yates, Infants, referred to above were sons of Bartholomew¹ Yates.

Bartholomew¹ Yates was appointed visitor of William and Mary College 1723, and Professor of Divinity 1729. He reported to the Commissary in 1705: I arrived in Virginia February 2, 1700, had the parishes of Sittenburne and Kingston; removed March 1703; licensed by Bishop Complin September 10, 1700; inducted into Christ Church Parish March 15, 1703, and resided in the Parish. Salary 16,000 lbs, tobacco yearly. Had a house and glebe which I occupied...

The following is a letter from Mr. William Dawson, Commissary of the Bishop of London, a tribute to his memory:

William and Mary, Virginia

November 8, 1734

My Lord: I am very sorry to acquaint your Lordship with the great loss we have suffered in the Death of Rev’d Mr. Yates. Piety to God and Beneficence to men, were the only arts of his excellent life. In him Wisdom and goodness were eminently conjoined. In the conscientious discharge of his duty, few ever equalled