The Bill and Lynn Mayberry Genealogy Page:Information about Francis Maybury
Francis Maybury (b. 17 May 1647, d. Bet. 18 Jun 1712 - 1714)
Notes for Francis Maybury:
Francis Maybury was born about 1650-1660, probably in England. It is not known exactly when he arrived in Virginia or the name of the ship on which he came. We do know that he was in the Colony by October 1, 1679 when John Pleasants and Jno. Haddellsey were granted 548 acres on the north side of the James River as a result of their having paid for the transportation of eleven persons into the Colony. One of the eleven was, "Fra. Mawbury".
The Mayburys lived for several years on Swift Creek in Henrico County, just a few miles south of modern Richmond. Later they lived briefly in Charles City County, before moving to Surry County in 1704. Francis Maybury wrote his will on 22 March 1711/12 in Surry County. We know that he died less than three months later because his will was offered for probate in Surry County Court on 18 Jun 1712. Elizabeth Maybury's will, written on 6 Jun 1713, was offered for probate on 15 February 1715/16 by her son, Charles Maybury.
Francis Maybury was the earliest Maybury/Mayberry immigrant to America and all his children lived to maturity. For these reasons the great majority of Mayburys, Mayberrys, Mabrys, Maberrys, Mabreys, etc. in the United States today descend from this southside Virginia family.
Edward L. Mabry, Osborn Road, Litchfield, CN 06759 states he has a genealogical book listing Francis Maybury as one of 100 people, imported by a Captain and a woman who received several thousands of acres of land. Another book records the importation of 9 people by Francis Maybury, for which he got 440 acres.
More information on the Maybury's can be found in Don Collins book, "The Mabry Family: Descendents of Francis Maybury and Elizabeth Gilliam of Surry Co., VA.
When Francis died he left land to his four sons and a eve and a lamb to his three daughters.
Francis Maybury (ca 1650 - 1712) was almost certainly born in Eng-land although our research has yet to discover the exact place of his birth or the names of his parents. We only know that he was in Virginia at least as early as 1 October 1679 when John Pleasants and Jno. Haddelsey were granted 548 acres on "the maine brook of 4 Mile Creek, adjoining Capt. Matthews, etc." on the north side of the James River for their having transported eleven persons into the Colony. These persons are named in the patent book as: Melch. Richardson, Math. Mock, Fra. Mawbury, Mary Clarke, Samll. Anderson, Hen. Turney (or Turner), Jos. Wells, Susan Perrott, Jno. Kempton, and Abra. Goff. There can be little doubt that the "Fra. Mawbury" listed is Francis Maybury whose records are found in Henrico, Charles City, and Surry Counties over the next thirty five years. Because the headright grants were made to encourage immigrants from England, it is almost certain that England was the place of Francis Maybury's origin. It is entirely possible that he may have come to Virginia several months or even years prior to October 1, 1679 "headrights" were very often bought and sold.
The earliest records to locate Francis Maybury in a specific area suggest that he lived in Henrico County just west of the present city of Hopewell, Virginia, or about four or five miles west, southwest of the point where the Appomattox River empties into the James. We believe he lived on Swift Creek which flows into the Appomattox. Surely it is no coincidence that directly opposite the mouth of Swift Creek is "Gilliam's Island", almost certainly named three hundred years ago for the family of Francis Maybury's wife, Elizabeth Gilliam. This location is confirmed by the fact that the other families known to have been neighbors and associates of the Mayburys and the Gilliams also received grants of land in the same area, often called "the Curles of the James", an apt description of the meandering James River. The Jordans and Bollings were on the north side of the James a short distance away. The Walthalls were south of the James, perhaps only a mile or two from the Gilliams and Mayburys. Other nearby families include the Cockes, the Brownes, and the Wynnes. Henry Walthall and John Bolling were two of the three witnesses when Elizabeth Gilliam Maybury wrote her will in 1713. John Bolling (1676-1729) was the great grandson of John Rolfe and Pocahontas, whose families a century earlier had lived along the James, not far away.
By far the best known of the neighbors of the Mayburys and Gilliams was the Randolph family. Henry Randolph, a half brother of the English poet, Thomas Randolph, was born in England in 1623 and came to Virginia in 1642, about the time Sir William Berkeley came to be the Col-ony's Governor. Henry married Judith Soane, daughter of Henry Soane, speaker of the House of Burgesses. Randolph was also Clerk of Henrico County from about 1656 and of the House of Burgesses from 1660 until shortly before his death in 1673. He went back to England in 1669, but became homesick for Virginia and returned to spend his last days there. However, the real founder of the Virginia Randolphs was not Henry, but his nephew, "William Randolph of Turkey Island", who probably came to Virginia when his uncle returned from England in 1670. Both Henry Randolph and his nephew, William, owned land along Swift Creek. In 1655 Henry acquired a 1000 acre tract on the north side of Swift Creek at its Falls in the Bermuda Hundred. This consisted of two separate tracts of 850 acres and 150 acres previously patented in 1637 and 1638 by Wm. Hatcher and which Hatcher later abandoned. It is believed that Henry Randolph built his home on this land shortly after acquiring it and that he maintained it until his death in 1672. On January 29, 1663 Henry Randolph received another patent for 800 acres along both sides of Swift Creek, but mostly on the north. As we will see below, Henry Randolph's nephew, William also owned land on Swift Creek.
While it is clear that the Randolphs and the Gilliams were neighbors, there exists the possibility that they were more closely related. This is suggested by several land transactions which involve both families. Henry Randolph and Eliza Repps were the witnesses on July 21, 1664 when Edward Hill sold a 1,300 acre tract to John Gilliam. On September 21, 1671 Henry Randolph applied for a patent for another 244 acres on the south side of the Appomattox in Bristol Parish, Charles City County. This was a tract of land that had been patented ten years earlier, in 1663, to John Guillam, who later deserted it. Nineteen months later, on April 17, 1673, Randolph received the patent. Some might suggest that Randolph, as Clerk of the County, was simply taking advantage of the opportunity to acquire additional land. It seems clear, however, that his real purpose in gaining possession of the 244 acres was to return it to John Gilliam's widow, Margery because two months later, on July 16th, he assigned the patent to her. Then, a few weeks later, before he could acknowledge the assignment in court, Henry Randolph died. His reason for returning the land to the Gilliams was probably stated in his will which, unfortunately, has been lost. That he had a will is proved by another court record in which Judith Randolph, his widow, is named and qualified as his Executrix. Some of the provisions of the will were delayed until 1687 when Henry Randolph II, only eight years old at the time of his father's death, reached the age of majority. Thus it was Henry Randolph II who, by means of a deed executed in 1687, finally accomplished the actual transfer of the 244 acres to Margery Gilliam. In the meantime Margery had remarried to Henry Briggs.
"To all who whom these presents shall come Greetings; Whereas Henry Randolph, late of this county of Henrico, deceased, did, by virtue of the General Court bearing date ye 21 of September 1671, make out and patent a tract formerly deserted by Mr. John Guillam as by ye patent for ye same dated at James Citty ye May 17, 1673 may plainly appear; and the said Randolph did assign over ye said land unto Mrs. Margery Guyllam, relict of ye said John, her hairs and assigns forever on 16 July 1673, but before ye same was acknowledged in court or ratified accordingly did depart this life., Now I, Henry Randolph, son and hair of ye before mentioned deceased Henry Randolph, out of filial duty and reverence I bear to ye memory of my said deceased father, do grant unto Margery Briggs, late relict of ye aforesaid John Guilliam and assignee of Mr. Henry Randolph and assign forever that piece, parcel and tract of land situated, lying or being in Bristol Parish in ye county of Charles Citty on ye southside of Appomattox river as in contained herein ye bounds in ye before mentioned patent granted ye said Henry Randolph."
It may be that Henry Randolph's gift to Margery Gilliam Briggs of the 244 acres, previously owned by her late husband and William Randolph's sale of 591 acres to Margery's son-in-law, William Bevin were simply transactions common among neighbors and friends. However, it still seems likely that there was some family connection between Elizabeth Gilliam and the Randolph family. It may well be that the con-nection will be found when we learn more about Elizabeth Gilliam's first husband who was a West. It may be no coincidence that the parents of the elder Henry Randolph (1623-1673) were William Randolph (1572-1660) and his second wife, Dorothy Lane, who when she married William, was the widow of Thomas West.
Francis Maybury married Elizabeth Gilliam sometime in the late summer or early fall of 1685 in Henrico County. This is documented by a court record, "Whereas Wm. Bevin late of this county of Henrico in Virginia, dec'd, did by his last will and test. make and app't Eliz., his wife his whole and sole Exr., who has since married unto Francis Maybury…". The same record goes on to name Francis Maybury the new executor, "as marrying ye relict (widow) of Will. Bevin, dec.".
It may be that after their marriage, he and Elizabeth continued to live on the Swift Creek land that Elizabeth inherited from William Bevin. In 1692 Francis Maybury received his own headright grant of land on Swift Creek, adjoining Henry Randolph, Sam'l Newman, & Wm. Pride. This land was sold a few years later to Ralph Jackson. The seven children of Francis and Elizabeth Maybury were born in Henrico or Charles City County. Then, sometime around 1700, the family moved to nearby Surry County where Francis is shown on the 1704 Rent Roll with 347 acres.
More About Francis Maybury and Elizabeth W Gilliam:
Marriage: 01 Sep 1685, Surry,Va.23
Children of Francis Maybury and Elizabeth W Gilliam are:
- +George Maybury, b. Bet. 1692 - 1699, Brunswick, VA23, d. 1771, Rowan, NC23.
- Charles Maybury, b. Bef. 1713, d. date unknown.
- Mary Maybury, d. date unknown.
- Judith Maybury, d. date unknown.
- Francis Maybury JR., b. Bet. 1687 - 1692, d. date unknown.
- Anne Maybury, b. Bet. 1687 - 1692, d. date unknown.
- Hinchia Maybury, b. 1692, d. date unknown.