Sylvester PROFFIT was born in 1698 in Scotland. He married Alice. Sylvester died 10 April 1767 at home, Messaughe Plantation, St. James Northam Parish, in Goochland County, VA. To this couple, seven know children were born, all in Goochland County, VA. Lucy (1725), John (28 August 1727), David (1730), William (1732), James (1734), and Elizabeth (1738).

Sylvester had quite a colorful and event filled life. To understand him, it is important to know about the Scottish “Jacobites.” Jacobite is a name give to the English and Scottish adherents of the exiled house of Stuart. The Jacobites derived their name from Jacobus the latin name for King James II of England, who was dethroned in 1688 by William of Orange during the Glorious Revolution. James had been an unpopular King because of his Roman Catholicism and autocratic rule. The Jacobites engaged for some years in minor, futile plots aimed at overthrowing the new protestant dynasty. In 1717 a group of Jacobite nobles led an uprising in Scotland and in the English border country in favor of James’s son, James Francis Edward Stuart, who was known as the old Pretender. After an indecisive battle with the government forces, the Jacobites surrendered at Preston, England, and Stuart returned to exile in France. Seven noblemen were sentenced to death for their part in the revolt, but only 4 were executed. The high point of the Jacobite movement was the second Jacobite rebellion, known as “The Forty-Five.” In July 1745, James II’s grandson, Charles Edward Stuart, known as the Young Pretender, landed in Scotland and in September entered Edinburgh with 2,000 men. Jacobite forces subsequently won three battles in Scotland and invaded England as far as Derby. Jacobite sentiment was strong only in the Scottish Highlands, however; their forces retreated and were completely defeated at the Battle of Culloden. The revolt collapsed, and Charles fled to France. Again, a number of nobles were executed for taking part in the rebellion. Nearly 1,000 others were condemned to death. With the crushing of “The Forty Five,” the political significance of the Jacobite movement ended; it survived only in local sentiment and as a theme in romantic literature. (Except from Encarta Encyclopedia 1996.)

Sylvester PROFFITT was captured with the Jacobite Army at Preston, England in November 1715 and transported to the colonies. He was on the unindentured list. He, eventually was indentured. At the end of 7 years he was to be given clothes, a rifle and some land (the usual allotment called a headright was 50 acres.) His name is listed on a manifest of the ship Elizabeth and Anne which landed at Yorktown, Virginia 29 June 1716. He received a land grand from King George II in 1738. His land patent was for 300 acres on the North side of the James River in Goochland County, Virginia. On a document from the Public Record Office in London, England list Sylvester along with quite a few others were captured at Preston. It says that Sylvester was from the County of Angus, was a laborer, he was not Catholic, and he started his journey as unindentured. As the ship reached Virginia, the order was giving that all of the prisoners on the ship were to be considered indentured.

Some other records:

March 19, 1738, Sylvester sells 150 acres of land (part of the 300 acres ) to Mary BASHETT and her son John TUGGLE for eleven pounds lawful money of Virginia.

March 19, 1743, Sylvester buys Messuage Plantation containing 100 acres from Marin DUNCAN for ten pounds.

March 1746, works 15 days and received 400 pounds tobacco from Michael HOLLAND

May 1747, works 6 days and received 150 pounds tobacco from Charles TONEY

August 1761, works 9 days and received 225 pounds tobacco from James GRESHAM

April 7, 1763, Sylvester sells 100 acres of land to Joseph GRESHAM of Albermarle County for 20 pounds.

**Being indentured was no stigma and in fact a high percentage of all those early “cavaliers” were indentured. They more or less merged into the patron families.