Family Tree Maker's Genealogy Site: Genealogy Report: Descendants of John James and Justina Thruston

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Descendants of John James and Justina Thruston

Generation No. 2

2. THRUSTON² JAMES (JOHN¹) was born 1715 in Martins 100, James City CO, VA, and died February 05, 1780 in James City, VA. He married ?.

Notes for THRUSTON JAMES:
Source for Death date is VA Vital Records, U.City 755.39. "The Year 1780 - Died - Major Thruston James, of James City CO, in the 65th year of his age. Feb. 5, 1780."
In a volume of the "Collection of the Acts of Assembly," printed at Williamsburg by William Parks, 1733, owned by the State Library, are the signatures of Thruston James, John James, and George W. James, and this memorandum, Elizabeth James, Susanna James, Sally James, Thruston James, John James, Grace James, children of John and Susan James. The Thruston Register (Quarterly, Vol. IV, p. 118) shows that John James and his wife Justina Thruston, came to James City CO in 1713. Major Thruston James was one of the committee of James City County in 1774. He was probably a grandson of John James, the immigrant."

However, the following citation disputes he was their grandson:
In Wm & Mary Quarterly, Vol V, p. 276, "Major Thruston James died in James City CO, in February, 1780, in his sixty-fifth year. (Virginia Gazette). He was evidently a son of John James and Justina Thruston. The will of John James, a son of Major Thruston James, dated Feb 3, 1818, names Thruston, John, George W., Elizabeth and Susan. (See will, clerk's office in Williamsburg.)

The County Committees of 1774-'75 in Virginia by Charles Washington Coleman
William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine, Vol. 5, No. 2 (Oct., 1896), pp. 94-106

The qualified voters of each county in Virginia elected a committee for the county. The results of these elections were published from time to time in the Gazettes, from which the following lists have
been taken.

Committee for James City County, Chosen 25 November, 1774.

Robert Carter Nicholas, Esq., Chairman
Col. Philip Johnson, William Norvell,
William Spratley, Maj. Dudley Richardson,
John Cooper, Col. Richard Taliaferro,

Page 105.

Lewis Burwell, jun., Col. Nathaniel Burwell,
Joseph Eggleston, Champion Travis,
John Stringer, Maj. Thruston James.
Capt. Richardson Henley, Capt. Charles Barham,
Capt. John Walker, Thomas Cowles,
Cary Wilkinson, Hudson Allen,
William Barret, Edward Harris,
Sylvanus Prince, John Warburton,
William Hankin, Robert Higginson,
Thomas Doncastle, Capt. John Lightfoot.
John Nicholas, jun., Clerk.
[Purdie & Dixon, 1 December, 1774.]

Vestry Book of St. Peter's Parish, p. 680-81, No. 8. (The following item is a transcript of a single sheet of manuscript, 12 1/4 inches by 7 5/8 inches, which is written on only one side, the only words on the back being:
      "James & Basset
      to
      Pride Indenture for Billy"
(The transcript has the f for s throughout which I have changed to s for better reading)
The sheet is one of a number of original documents in a portfolio, marked "VIRGINIA MISC. RELIGIOUS 1606-1772," in the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH That Thruston James and Burwell Bassett Gent. Churchwardens of the Parish of Blisland in the County of New Kent have put and placed a Mulatto Boy named Billey about twelve months old (Son of Winney Macklin a Mulatto Servant of James Pride Esq' and born during the time of her servitude) in the said Parish, Apprentice and Servant to the said James Pride of the Town and County York Esq' with him his Executors, Administrators and Assigns to dwell and serve untill the said Billey shall attain the Age of thirty one Years according to the Act of Assembly in that case made & provided (being the time his said Mother was by Law obliged to serve) during all which time the said Billey his said Master and his Assigns shall faithfully serve in all Lawful business according to his power and ability, and honestly orderly & obediently in all things demean and behave himself towards his said Master and his Assigns during the time aforesaid. And the said James Pride doth covenant and grant for himself his Executors Administrators & Assigns to and with the said Church wardens and their successors for the time being and every of them by these presents, that he shall and will during all the said term aforesaid find provide and allow the said Billey sufficient meat, drink, apparel and all other things necessary & fitting a Servant of his condition so that he shall not be any ways a charge or chargeable to the said parish or the Parishioners of the same, but of and from all charges concerning him shall and will sae the said Parish and parishioners harmless and indemnified during the said term and until the said Billey arrives to the age of thirty one Years. and at the end or expiration of the said term shall and will pay and allow the said Billey his freedom dues according to Law. IN WITNESS whereof the parties to these presents have hereunto interchangeably set their Hands and affixed their Seals this 11 Aug'.......day of.........1759

Sealed & Delivered                  Bur'Bassett
in presence of..............            Thruston James
                        James Pride

Thruston James served as church warden and/or vestryman for Blisland Parish, James City County, for many years. There are numerous references to him in the Blisland Vestry Book. In the Vestry Book, from October of 1750 to 1757, Thruston James has the title of Captain. Starting in 1758 he has the title of Major. The first citation was 28th October, 1744 when Thruston was appointed vestryman. He was 29 years old. p. 88 "Mr. Thruston James is appointed a Vestryman in the room of Wm. Bassett Gent, Dec'd." The next year, at the 8th October 1745 Vestry, he was chosen to be church warden. The last citation referencing Thruston was his presence as a vestryman at the 28th April 1777 vestry.

Parish vestries usually met twice a year to conduct the business of the church. A new vestryman was selected to fill a vacancy when there was a resignation or a death and two of the Vestrymen were designated as Church Wardens each year.

Every 4 years all of the land in each parish was "processioned" and boundaries were either confirmed or established between land owners unless there was a lack of agreement between the two land owners. These processioners' reports always included the names of the men conducting the "processions" and often include the names of the individual land owners involved and any other persons who were in attendance at this important business undertaking.

Vestry book of Blisland Parish, p. 100-101
Vestry held 8 October 1746:
Mr. Francis Ratcliffe, and Mr. Isaac Goddin, were chosen Vestrymen, in the Stead of Majr. Edwin Daingerfield, and Capt. Robert Pennington dec'd, and Mr. Isaac Goddin was accordingly Sworn. Other citations of Isaac Goddin as vestryman and as church warden, and to John Goddin as vestryman and church warden ( Isaac's son)

Settlers Along the Shores of VA's York River, p. 58:
The Blisland Parish will of Isaac Godwin dated July 24, 1758, referred to his land next to Col. John Richardson, Mr. James Dillard, and Richard Gilman. Mentioned in the will are his wife Elizabeth, and eldest sons David and William Godwin. The executors named were his wife Elizabeth, Capt. Thruston James, and Mr. Richard Gaddy (Geddy), Jr.; witnesses were Dudley Williams, Sr., Richard Gaddy, Sr., and Edmund Fear. (Lindsay, SOME WILLS : 108)

Settlers Along the Shores of VA's York River City 929.3755 1989 Bryn
Ffyliaid, p. 58. Ref. to Capt. Thruston James as executor to will of Isaac Godwin.

Hanover CO, VA (City 755.92) & its Contribution to the American
Revolution,p. 16. "The Church of England (Episcopal) was the established. church during the colonial period, therefore the political divisions were those
established by the church and known as parishes. The area which comprises
Hanover CO was early a part of St. Peter's Parish, New Kent CO - 1704
divided and western part was established. as St. Paul's Parish. Parish lines of
St. Paul's were later used to established. boundaries of newly formed Hanover CO in 1720. In 1726 w. area of St. Paul was established. as St. Martin's Parish.

Lucas James Research:
There is a record in The James City County land tax records from 1782 to 1813 where the Estate of Thruston James contained 387 acres in 1782, after his death in 1781. After the estate was settled, there is a record beginning in 1787 where John James had a taxable of 387 acres. Doubtless the son John of Major Thruston James. Apparently this family lived their lives and died in James City County, Virginia. As “Major” Thruston James was the elder son of John from Bristol, under the law of that time he would have been the heir of his father, and would have inherited the land and everything of his father’s estate, unless his father had made a Will in which he divided his estate.

Doyle, James W. 1993. The Origins of Blisland Parish. Tidewater Virginia Families. Vol. 2, No. 2, pp.72-75.

[Abstract] "Blisland parish, which was founded in the mid-seventeenth century as a parish of the Established Church of England, survives today as a parish in the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia." The author looks beyond the local records to investigate the origins and founders of Blisland, concentrating on William Hockaday of Cornwall, England. Blisland Parish in England is located on the western edge of Bodmin Moor, in Cornwall. A brief history of the Blisland name from 1086 is provided. The first Hockaday to appear in Blisland, England was Oliverus Hockadey who married, first, Margeria Penye in 1578 and, second, Margaria Knebone in 1581. To the second marriage was born Francis (b.1585 - d.1609) and possibly Margaret (m.1610). There is no record of Hockaday in Cornwall between 1584 and 1605. See Doyle, 1993 (Tidew. VA. Fam. 2(3):136-142) On 26 Jan 1604/5 in Cornwall, Willmus Hockadey married Millosentia Hosken and they had five children: Jn. Hockadey (b.13 Aug 1605; d. 1674) Hen. Hockaday (b. 2 Nov 1607; m. 21 Jun 1628, Thomazin John) Wm. Hockadey (b. 12 Nov 1610) An. Hockadey (b. 24 Dec 1613; d 21 Jul 1621) Oliver Hockadey (b. 23 Oct 1617) Wm. Hockadey (b. 1610) apparently left Cornwall before marriage and probably was the same William who patented several thousand acres of land in York (later New Kent), Virginia and possibly established Blisland Parish in Virginia in 1653. This is the first of a series of Tidewater Virginia Families articles by Colonel Doyle on the origins and interrelationships of the founders of Blisland Parish, Virginia.

More About THRUSTON JAMES:
Fact 1: August 11, 1759, Churchwarden of Parish of Blisland, CO of New Kent
Fact 2: 1774, Member of James City Committee
Fact 3: Had title of Major

Children of THRUSTON JAMES and ? are:

4.	i.		JOHN³ JAMES, b. Unknown; d. 1818, James City CO, VA, Will filed in Williamsburg, VA.
	ii.		WILLIAM JAMES, b. Unknown.

Notes for WILLIAM JAMES:
1782 James City County Personal Property Tax
Blisland Parish
Horses Cattle Slaves Freemen
Jno. & Wm. James 9 15 32 2
(my note: I believe William and John to be brothers, William the younger brother)

Allen, William Junr. 5 21 10 1

Banks, Andrew 3 27 18 1

Richardson, Walker 3 12 16 1

Richardson, Wm. 5 36 44 3

Powers, Edward 4 15 25 1

1782 James City County VA Personal Property Tax List
James City Parish
Horses Cattle Slaves Freemen
Camp, Sarah - 7 1 10
Camps, Mary - 12 3 13
Walker, William 2 14 2 34

1788 Personal Property Tax List - James City County, Virginia
Slaves Horses
Allen, William 9 3
Allen, William 13 4
Allen, William 6 3
Banks, Andrew 9 4

Banks, Mary - 2
Goddin, John 2 8
James, Wiliam 8 3
James, John 6 5
Power, Edward 21 4

1790 Personal Tax List Index - James City County, Virginia
Banks, Andrew 2 (page numbers)
Banks, Mary 1
Banks, William 2
Goddin, John 3
James, John 4
James, Wiliam 4

1790/~1800 Land and Personal Tax List Index - State of Virginia
James, Jeremiah Land1799Surry-10
James, John Land1790JamesCity-04
James, John Land1800JamesCity-04
James, John Pers1790HenricoA-25
James, John Pers1800JamesCity-05
James, John (estate) Land1799Surry-10
James, John Pers1790JamesCity-04
James, Wiliam Pers1790JamesCity-04
James, William Pers1800JamesCity-05

ON ANOTHER PAGE OF THIS BOOK [CROZIER], JOHN JAMES IS MENTIONED IN WILL OF REBECCA CAMP [FEB 26, 1797, JAMES CITY], WHICH IS WITNESSED BY WILLIAM JAMES AND OTHERS.
"Camp, Rebecca,James City, 26 Feb. 1797; 13 June, 1797. To William Keen; to Susanna Pigott all my right to estate of Thaddy Kelly, decd; John James; John Camp; William Camp; Edward son of Edward Richardson; George son of John Camp. Excrs. William Keen and John Camp. Wit. William James, Royall R. Allen, Humphrey Garrott, Jnr."

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