My Genealogy Home Page:Information about Sylvester Proffitt
Sylvester Proffitt (b. 1689, d. April 10, 1767)
Notes for Sylvester Proffitt:
Hello,
My name is Larry H. Proffitt, Jr. of Goochland, VA and I have stumbled across this this Proffitt Family Genealogy Forum...I am amazed at the information that is out there! Just last week I started tracing my family tree and saw where Sylvester Proffet (Proffitt) arrived in Goochland County in the early 1700's. Ever since this discovery I have been hooked!
Anyone have a Proffitt family tree breakdown of the Proffitts that were from Eastern Goochland County and how they connect or match up with the rest of the Goochland Co. or VA Proffitts and Sylvester himself. Eastern Goochland is mainly the Manakin-Sabot and Centerville area.
My father is Larry H. Proffitt, Sr. (1939 - ); his father was Holman Guy Proffitt (1914-1999); Holman's father was Jesse Curtis Proffitt (1886-1974) who was married to Mary Proffitt (1880s-1970s).
Mary's father was Jesse Proffitt (1851-1924) and mother was Porter Proffitt (1851-1914).
Jesse Cutris Proffitt's (1886-1974) father was Osborne L. Proffitt (1863-1939) and mother was Willie Proffitt (1865-1907)
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Sylvester had quite a colorful and event filled life. To understand him, it is important to know about the Scottish "Jacobites." Jacobites is a name given 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 1715 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. (Exerpt from Encarta Encyclopedia 1996.)
Sylvester Proffitt joined the army of James III, in his abortive invasion of England in 1715. He was a soldier under General Thomas Forster in the battle fo Preston, Lancashire, England on Nov 9, 1715. He, with 638 other soldiers were captured on Nov 14, 1715 by the English Army. In the spring and summer of 1716, these prisoners were transported to the American Colonies as indentured servants. 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, VA 29 June 1716. He received a land grant from King George II in 1738. His land patent was for 300 acres on the North side of the James River in Goochland County, VA. Lived by Tarred Rat Creek. Some reports show him living at the south branch of Lickinghole Creek.
On March 19, 1738, he sold 150 acres of land (part of the 300 acres) to Mary Bashett and her son John Tuggle for eleven pounds lawful money of VA. Then, on March 19, 1743, five years later, he bought Messuage Plantation containing 100 acres from Marin Duncan for ten pounds. Records also show that Sylvester worked for other men and was paid in tobacco: May 1747, 150 pounds tobacco from Charles Toney for 6 days work. March 1746, 400 pounds tobacco from Michael Holland for 15 days work. August 1761, 225 pounds tobacco from James Gresham for 9 days work. On April 7, 1763, Joseph Gresham of Albermarle County, bought 100 acres of land from Sylvester Proffitt for 20 pounds.
Another interesting tidbit is that when he came as an indentured servant, he worked for the Pleasants. 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. So, Sylvester married the landowners daughter, and they are thought to be the progenitors of all the Proffitts of Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri and Kentucky.
More About SYLVESTER PROPHET and ALICE PLEASANT(S):
Marriage: 1724
Children of SYLVESTER PROPHET and ALICE PLEASANT(S) are:
3.i.WILLIAM3 PROFFITT, b. 1732, St. James Northam Parish, Goochland Co., VA; d. Bet. 1794 - 1795, Goochland Co., VA.
ii.DAVID PROPHET, b. 1730, St. James Northam Parish, Goochland, Co., VA; d. May 06, 1803, Amherst Co., VA; m. ELIZABETH SMITH, April 07, 1757, St. James Northam Parish, Goochland, Co., VA; b. 1736, Goochland, Co., VA; d. May 24, 1793, Amherst Co., VA.
More About DAVID PROPHET and ELIZABETH SMITH:
Marriage: April 07, 1757, St. James Northam Parish, Goochland, Co., VA
iii.LUCY PROPHET, b. 1725, Goochland Co., VA; m. THOMAS MCCORMACK, February 03, 1754, St. James Northam Parish, Goochland, Co., VA.
More About THOMAS MCCORMACK and LUCY PROPHET:
Marriage: February 03, 1754, St. James Northam Parish, Goochland, Co., VA
iv.JOHN PROPHET, b. August 28, 1727, St. James Northam Parish, Goochland, Co., VA; d. May 1814, Wilkes, Co., NC; m. SUZANNE ARRINGTON, March 10, 1757, St. James Northam Parish, Goochland, Co., VA; d. 1814, Wilkes, Co., NC.
Notes for JOHN PROPHET:
John moved to Wilkes Cony, North Carolina from Goochland County, Virginia in 1772. He was a minister
of the Old Roaring River Baptist Church.
Children of Sylvester Proffitt and Alice Pleasents are:
- +John Proffitt, b. August 28, 1727, Saint James Parish, Goochland County, Virginia, d. 1814, Wilkes County, North Carolina.