1. THOMAS6 DUKE (RICHARD5, RICHARD4, JOHN3, HENRY2, RICHARD1) was born Abt. 1616, and died Abt. 1653. He married MARCELLA HERBERT 25 Sep 1640. She was born Abt. 1625, and died Unknown.
Notes for THOMAS DUKE:
"Thomas Duke came to Virginia in 1637 at or near the same time as Reverend Thomas Hampton. Both settled first in Upper Norfolk County which later became Nansemond County (See pages 404-406, The Duke Family), before moving to James Citie County where Thomas Hampton took over a ministry. They both had grants in upper Norfolk. Hampton's first grant was in 1637 and the first to Thomas Duke was dated August 1638. Hampton left the area by 1640. Whereas Thomas Hampton obtained several land patents in his name only in James Citie County, there was one land grant issued jointly to Thomas Hampton, clerke, and Thomas Duke. This patent, found amongst the records entered in William Byrd's Title Book, appears as follows: Patent to Thomas Hampton, clerke, and Thomas Duke for 430 acres containing two necks of land lying on Warreny Creek on the east side of the Chihahominy River, James Citie County, bounded NW by SSE upon a swamp dividing it from land of Edward Cole; ENE upon the land of Mr. Soane's; and due said Hampton and Duke by assignment of rights of transportation of nine persons to the colony by William Barret " Dated 6th of June 1651 and signed by William Berkely. "I do hereby assign all my Right and Title in the within specified patent with warrenty unto Daniel Parks, Esq. and his Heirs for Ever, June 20, 1670: signed Tho. Hampton, Wit: Samuel Brown and Phillip x Cotton.
This was recorded in his title book by William Byrd as a result of the purchase of this property by Byrd from Daniel Parks who bought it from Thomas Hampton 21 June 1671.
By deed dated 21 January 1671 Thomas Hampton, Clerke of James Citie county to Daniel Parks of York County, ESq. "430 acres in two necks of land on Warre ny creek, James Citie County, granted by patent 6 June 1651 to said Hampton and Thomas Duke, long since deceased, whereon Hampton's tenant George Gilbert lives: Signed by Thomas Hampton and witnessed by Samuel Brown and Philip x Cotton and her mark xx child. Recorded at a court in James Citie County 7 February 1667 and 1/2. Virginia Magazine of History and Biology, Vol. XXXXX, p. 251 as copied from Byrd's Title book.
These records certainly confirm Thomas Duke was in James Citie county as early as 1651 and a property holder there. They also confirm Thomas Duke was long since deceased before the land was sold in 1671. The above information together with the assignment by deed of 430 acres by Thomas Hampton in 1682 to Mrs. Mary Wade further confirms that Thomas Duke left a family in Virginia to whom Hampton assigned land as follows:
Mrs Mary Wade, 463 acres, James Citie County, on a branch of Tiascon Swamp, 20 April 1682, which 463 acres, together with 100 acres belonging to Thomas Preston, begins on Grimes old line; to Captain Henry Duke; to mouth of Prestons spring branch; by Esqr Bray's plantation along Mr. Burnell; down Warreny Run; &c. Granted to Thomas Hampton 8 March 1658 for 400 acres, and by him (Preston's 100 acres excepted) assigned to sd Mary Wade, by name of Duke, 30 December 1670; further due for trans. of four persons' (C&P Vol. II, p. 240, Patent Bk 7, p. 174).
The above Mary Wade was formerly Mrs. Mary Duke widow of Thomas Duke who along with Thomas Hampton had patent to 430 acres in James Citie County. This as signment to Mary was perhaps compensation for her share in right of her now deceased husband Thomas Duke. She had apparently been living on the property for years next to her son Henry Duke who had acquired land from Mr. Manning adjoining his mother. In a land patent to John Hicks, 9 September 1682 (Book 7, p. 183), Hicks received on the south side of the swamp against the mouth of Preston's spring branch to Captain Duke's near the swamp. She may have had the assignment earlier but never recorded it until the above entry when she transported four more persons to the colony and both were recorded (Va. land patent Bk 7, p. 174, C&P II, p. 240).
On page 21 of The Duke Family the possibility that Mary, who after the death of her first husband Thomas Duke married Wade, could have been Mary, a sister of Anthony Barham of Nansemond county was suggested. The Dukes and the Barhams were both from County Kent, England and were living in Nansemond County before 1650. Although a promising lead, research of English records reveal that Mary, sister of Anthony Barham, died in England and too early to have been the Mary Duke Wade still alive in Virginia in 1682 and assigned land by Thomas Hampton.
Virginia G. Maynard in her book The Venturers which relates to the Hampton, Harrison, and Earle families of Virginia, South Carolina and Texas, suggests that Mary Duke Wade was the daughter of the Reverend Thomas Hampton and the land was a wedding gift to his daughter Mary. The first Thomas Hampton died in 1648. It was certainly he who was in Nansemond County before going to James Citie County and he who died in 1648 as proven by the date on his tombstone in Gloucester County, Virginia. The joint land patent to the first Thomas Hampton and Thomas Duke was not recorded until 1651. This time lapse may be due to the fact that after the time of application for a patent the land had to be surveyed, etc. before issuance. This sometimes took several years. A surveyor on occasion went out and surveyed many pieces of property before returning to report to the land office, sometimes after an absence of many months. Thereafter it had to be signed by the proper authori ties who met only on occasion.
Mary, whoever she was, had married Thomas Duke before 1650. If indeed the land was not compensation for land Thomas Duke owned when he died , it may have been a gift upon her marriage to Thomas Duke as it well happened before her marriage to Mr. Wade.
The close association between the first Thomas Hampton and Thomas Duke even in Nansemond County would certainly suggest, if Hampton had a daughter Mary, the marriage of that daughter first to Thomas Duke and later to Wade. Such a possibility would be reasonable.
Thomas Duke and Mary had grown children by 1670. the known children were Thomas Duke (Jr. ) who married and returned to Nansemond County, Henry Duke who late in life became a member of the Royal council of Virginia appointed by the Queen, and John Duke who settled over the line in York County, Virginia. There may have been other children.
Thomas Duke (Jr.) of Chucktuck Parish, Nansemond County on the 22 October 1667 gave Power of Attorney to William Epam (the name is sometimes spelled Exum) to receive into his custody a parcel of cattle belonging to Margaret (wife of Thomas Duke, Jr.) The cattle were in the keeping of Sylvester Thacher of Old Rappahanock County, created in 1656 from Lancaster and parts of Northumberland and York Counties to which part of James Citie County was added. Sylvester Thacher and his wife are mentioned frequently in Old Rappahannoch records. The cattle may have been a gift or inheritance to Thackers daughter Margaret."
Above from Duke Family Book II by Evelyn Duke Brandenberger.
More About THOMAS DUKE and MARCELLA HERBERT:
Marriage: 25 Sep 1640
Children of THOMAS DUKE and MARCELLA HERBERT are:
